I currently use a keggle with a false bottom, with a pickup tube that goes from the ball valve to the middle of the keggle. I am looking for an alternative for this, mostly because I need to use primarily leaf hops with this rig. The pickup tube today uses what I think is called a flare fitting (basically it is a nut and a ferrule which are attached to the pickup tube).
I was thinking about having an alternative to this that I can use with pellet hops and a whirlpool-- it would basically be a short copper pipe to the edge of the keggle, which is a common design I've seen others have. How do I connect the pickup tube to my ball valve? Is the same type of fitting which is on my false bottom's pickup tube easy to use? Is this a flare fitting? Am I making this too complicated, and I shouldn't use a pickup tube at all?