Are brass fittings okay?

[Anonymous]

I have looked around town for PVC gate valves and can findd none. I can only find brass valves. It really doesn't sound like a good idea to use brass in a marine tank.

I'm taking the output from my new Quite One pump and splitting it to feed my main tank return, my refugium, and my cylinder sleeves. I want to use gate valves to control the flow to each.

What do you guys think? I could use a ball valve to control the flow, but gate valve are better.

Thanks!

Louey

 

[JT]

Ball valves should work for your situation. However, use PVC only and never anything that is brass or copper. Gate valves are often used on skimmer outputs where a more accurate throtle back of the output is necessary. For your needs, ball valves are fine.

Brass is a yellowish alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes including small amounts of other metals, but usually 67 percent copper and 33 percent zinc. It WILL breakdown and leach into the tank.

- JT

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks JT. I was pretty sure that brass was a bad idea. I would really like to find some plastic gates valve because they allow much more precise control of the flow. I'll make do with ball valves if a can't find plastic gate valves.

Does anyone make plastic gate valves? They must, my Lifereef skimmer has a 1" plastic gate valve.

 

[Dwight Devore]

Louey,
I found a website that sells them. I will forward the address to you tommorow. ( on other puter at jobsite)
Ike