• Seal all threads into their respective ports using silicone aquarium sealer - this should be applied to male threads.
• All individual peieces of equipment must be fitted with socket unions. This will enable simple maintenance of equipment and make the removal and replacement of any individual component easy.
• Pump inlets shoould be positioned so that the water intake is made from the lowest point of the reservoir. This prevents the likelihood of any air being drawn into the water pump, as the pump will compress the air and water mixture and rapidly cause air embolisms in the fish.
• Bypass facilities should be fitted to UV sterilisers, cartridge filters and other similar equipment to facilitate ease of maintenance.
• All plumbing must be of pure grade plastics and of premium quality. We do not recommend the use of standard PVC or styrene for salt water systems. If in doubt please consult us. All pipework and fittings supplied by us are suitable for both freshwater and saltwater use.
• Although installation time may be increased it often pays to install the system dry to start with, i.e. without glueing, as this will help to overcome any layout problems and prevent wastage of componts.
• During installation it is pertinent to remember that directional change of water through 90° bends and T's creates additiional friction loss, so care should be taken to minise the number of such bends and wherever possible route the water through T's directly rather than at 90°.
• All joints must be cleaned with pipe cleaner before gluing and must not be stressed whilst wet, i.e. do not pull, bend or twist pipework until the cement is dry.
• Plastic pipework will not support itself, so it should always be fixed
to walls with the appropriate clips at recommended support intervals.
• When plumbing is finished it should be left for 24 hours before filling
with water and testing.
After installation is complete the following procedure must be followed:-
1. Fill the system with water and turn on the pumps. Care should be taken to make sure the pump has water in it first.
2. Check all joints and unions for leaks.
3. Use this first water fill to wash out all the reservoirs, equipment and pipes. Remembeer to remove all traces of plastic swarf from pipe cutting and trimming.
4. Empty the system and refill with clean water. Add 1 x 25kg sack of vacuum dried salt per 2000 litres and leave the system to run for 24 hours. This will help to 'cure' all palstic surfaces and remove all traces of oils used in the production of the equipment and the pipework.
5. Empty the saltwater from the system and wash out with freshwater. At this point it is a good idea to add any aggregate media being used (e.g. filter sand), after washing it thoroughly.
6. Once the system has been thoroughly washed out with clean water it can be re-filled. If you intend to use artificial seawater we recommend using our Tropic Marin Synthetic Sea Salt.