Collection: Clamps & Valves

Which valve for which job

Ball valves are on-off devices. Held halfway to restrict flow, they wear unevenly and offer little fine control. Gate valves adjust smoothly through their travel, making them the standard answer for skimmer outputs and drain tuning. True union construction on either type means the valve body can be unthreaded from the plumbing for cleaning without cutting pipe.

Check valves and hose clamps

• Swing checks reduce back-siphon through a return when the pump shuts off.
• Treat a check valve as a second line of defense, not the primary one.
• Plastic clamps are corrosion-proof and suited to submerged joints.
• Stainless clamps deliver more clamping force for external hose runs.

Matching sizes

A valve's size refers to what it connects to. Barbed models are specified by tubing inside diameter; PVC models by pipe size and end type, either slip socket or thread. The same nominal size exists in both configurations, so confirm the end type as well as the number.