cockroach;4013818; said:
What do public aquariums use? I mean we are talking about bigger than normal setups here as this is MFK.
As for the example using the 212F, let's compare apples with apples. those parts, pipes and clamps are built for high performance and the cost relates to them. Most D.I.Y. stores (that I have been to) don't carry those kinds of clamps and hoses.
And on a saltwater setup? Which would be better? the saltwater humidity would severely rust clamps( as has happened in my setup).
Again just some thoughts from my side.
I commercially crab fished for more years than I want to think about, and I am paying for it now by way of a torn down, beat up body.
Been all the way up and down the west coast of North America, Alaska, The South Pacific...There is nothing more harsh on metals of any kind, than the repetitive, relentless pounding of the Ocean...the mist, the spray, and the motion...
I learned along time ago if you are going to wage a battle against water with metal, you better use stainless steel. Anything else is just a pile of rust/oxidation waiting to happen. You can get by at times, and certain applications with anodized aluminum, but once the hard coating wears off, add any kind of copper and you have a big battery, you'll get electrolosis and it turns to dust...
If you are trying to cut costs, it only makes good sense NOT to skimp on the hoseclamps...They are the Mechanical fastening devices, that allow you to make a non permanent connection...use STAINLESS STEEL!!!
Seems like this would be common sense but it isn't...When a 2" stainless hose clamp that you see, is of good quality, has some heft to it, has that shiny new nickel color and sells for $2.79 look no further...resist buying that 89 cent'r...it is JUNK, It will not tighten down evenly or with any kind of real pressure. It's going to twist apart, jump the slot and guess what??...RUST!! cheap mild steel with a low end zinc coating, is not stainless steel...
Not too sure which DIY store you shop at, the dollar store??! but every Home Depot, LOWES, etc. home improvement store I been to has good quality hardware...they have the crap too, if you do not know the difference, you'll buy that crap, try to save a buck, it will fail then you'll be back for the good stuff...
As far as automobile hoses and hose clamp being high performance, ehhh I would think that Stainless steel braided reinforced hoses with crimped on fittings that you use a spanner wrench on a threaded fitting to connect would be high performance...you know like Hydraulic hoses on heavy equipment? That would be high performance.
Water / Salt water= stainless hardware no brainer...
