One is white and the other is black...right?
One of the most important things I can tell anyone about plastics is to know the plastic codes. Not all plastics are the same. I researched and wrote a guide on PVC pipe a couple of years ago. Some of things I found still led me to believe that people should really research their pipes first.
Before running out and buying piping for the aquaponics system, know about the pipes ingredients and the way they are manufactured. I don't tell anyone what to do because ultimately this is your system. You will make the best decision concerning the products you want to use.
Before running out and buying piping for the aquaponics system, know about the pipes ingredients and the way they are manufactured. I don't tell anyone what to do because ultimately this is your system. You will make the best decision concerning the products you want to use.
Over the years PVC has been researched and studied. Some of the research was not positive. There were all kinds of problems in the past. There have been quite a few upgrades performed on PVC but it is still graded a 3 in plastic coding.
HDPE piping has a coding of 2 and is recommended for water.
HDPE piping has a coding of 2 and is recommended for water.
Watch this video dated March 2013 on PVC. My concern with PVC is as it ages or prolonged exposure to the sun. There is a possibility of chemicals leeching over time even with the newer piping. The research is not conclusive and the jury is still out on the long terms affects on human health as we age. It is even mentioned in this video...
People should know that HDPE pipe is also an alternative to PVC and there are all kinds of fittings, sizes and pipes you can use. I originally started out with PVC pipe in the very first system my family put together. When we moved to our new location we switched over to HDPE. The below picture will show you all the options you have using HDPE pipe.
If you decide to continue using PVC then the best suggestion I can give is for people is to wrap or paint the pipes, especially if the system is outside. Having the pipes constantly exposed to sunlight may eventually cause some of these chemicals to leech into the water.
These are the kinds of subjects we discuss in our magazine. If you would like to subscribe you can do so with the provided link. Subscribe Here
Warm Regards
Victoria
