Thank you for the feedback. I guess I will go with the rigid PVC pipe then.
One related question. The valve side is already solvent welded. So I will need two 90 PVC elbows and some short pipes to make the transition. I would like to be able to separate the pump from the suction line for service when necessary so normally the way to do that is by installing an extra union.
However I noticed that there is a product which can be threaded into the pump and acts like a union as well, This seems to be a good solution and no need for a separate bulky union.
However I noticed the male threaded side has a gasket, which seems to suggest this is not a typical male taper threads requiring tape/dope but a compression seal. Is this a superior or inferior seal? Will these gasket need replacements ever so often or subjected to damage by vibration of the pump or chemicals in the water?