The world of aquarium plumbing isn’t exactly one that we would call exciting. Drab white, and occasionally dark gray, pipes run from one side of the tank to the other, supplying water to crucial points of the filtration system. Unfortunately, that about sums it up. We could mention the headaches caused by planning and executing the layout, or the hassles of tearing apart a functioning system to repair a leak or add in an extra piece of equipment, but that woud just be preaching to the choir. Instead, we’re going to talk about making aquarium plumbing a lot more visually appealing, thanks in part to some rather colorful PVC pipes from Aquarium Specialty.
Unlike painted PVC pieces, which most hobbyists achieve with spray paint, this vibrant PVC is permanently colored all the way through, inside and out. It will not flake or crack, and there’s no risk of contamination from spray paints getting into the water. And best yet, there’s no mess like the one you would likely encounter if you were painting the plumbing.
So what purpose does colored PVC have? From a purely aesthetic standpoint, you can match the plumbing to various pieces of equipment or simply express a little individuality and creativity. From a functional standpoint, the plumbing can be used to communicate several differeint things. For example, all of the plumbing on a particular circuit can be the same color, or different colors can be used for specific pieces of equipment.
Price wise, this colored plumbing isn’t going to break the bank by any means. It’s priced slightly higher than standard plumbing, but only slightly. Currently, Aquarium Specialty has 1/2″ and 3/4″ schedule 40 colored PVC in five foot sections. The price varies per color, ranging from $6.25 per segment up to $9.
