summoner12
Avid Member
So people are starting to get the new LLL Reptile drain pans and wondering;
'how do I drain the water?!'
The cool part about these pans is that they are made of PVC. This allows you to use PVC glue with a PVC fitting and bond the two pieces together. This will make a water tight seal, just like when plumbing PVC pipes together.
I am sure there are many ways to do this... but for me I prefere the straight fitting. Elbos work, but are limiting. To test options I did an elbow and straight on one pan... the second pan I did just onw straight fitting.
Go to Home Depot, OSH, Lowe's or you local hardware store. Purchase a 1/2" slip to 1/2" pipe thread fitting.
one side is threaded....
one side is smooth...
Next decide how you want to catch the water..... if you plan to hook up a tube, decide what kind of tubing. If you plan to use rubber hose then buy a hose barb fitting with the largest inside diameter you can find that also has a 1/2" pipe thread on the other half of the fitting. If your like me and are using quick connect hose/fittings then buy the appropriate fittings and hose. I am going to use 1/2" outside diameter hose (1/3" inside diameter). This seems to be large enough for moving debris along without clogs.
now that your home with your parts and pan, I hope you have a wood drill bit that will make a hole 7/8" of an inch in diameter. If you don't have this drill bit, go back to your hardware store in shame because you forgot something critical to this project.
With your bit, line it up to the bottom edge of your pan. You want the edge of the hole to be as close to the bottom of the pan as it can be so you don't get pooling water in the pan.
7/8th of an inch seems food for a 1/2" slip fittings...
Line up the edge of the bit...
What you should end up with...
Now after the hole is cleaned up, bust out your PVC glue. If you don't have primer, it isn't a bit deal, but I used primer.
Apply your primer to the edges of the hole on your pan and then the edges of your PVC fitting. Then apply glue to the same surfaces. Mate the pan and fitting together. You want to make sure the fitting is just a hair lower than the opening of the hole. This will keep the water moving... kinda. It isn't critical but something to keep in mind.
Here is the fitting mounted....
Now let the glue set over night and it should be ready in the morning!
Remember the glue smells bad and shouldn't be left around your chameleons or humans as it dries... or while you were working with it. be sure to set these items outside and work in a well ventilated area.
'how do I drain the water?!'
The cool part about these pans is that they are made of PVC. This allows you to use PVC glue with a PVC fitting and bond the two pieces together. This will make a water tight seal, just like when plumbing PVC pipes together.
I am sure there are many ways to do this... but for me I prefere the straight fitting. Elbos work, but are limiting. To test options I did an elbow and straight on one pan... the second pan I did just onw straight fitting.
Go to Home Depot, OSH, Lowe's or you local hardware store. Purchase a 1/2" slip to 1/2" pipe thread fitting.
one side is threaded....
one side is smooth...
Next decide how you want to catch the water..... if you plan to hook up a tube, decide what kind of tubing. If you plan to use rubber hose then buy a hose barb fitting with the largest inside diameter you can find that also has a 1/2" pipe thread on the other half of the fitting. If your like me and are using quick connect hose/fittings then buy the appropriate fittings and hose. I am going to use 1/2" outside diameter hose (1/3" inside diameter). This seems to be large enough for moving debris along without clogs.
now that your home with your parts and pan, I hope you have a wood drill bit that will make a hole 7/8" of an inch in diameter. If you don't have this drill bit, go back to your hardware store in shame because you forgot something critical to this project.
With your bit, line it up to the bottom edge of your pan. You want the edge of the hole to be as close to the bottom of the pan as it can be so you don't get pooling water in the pan.
7/8th of an inch seems food for a 1/2" slip fittings...
Line up the edge of the bit...
What you should end up with...
Now after the hole is cleaned up, bust out your PVC glue. If you don't have primer, it isn't a bit deal, but I used primer.
Apply your primer to the edges of the hole on your pan and then the edges of your PVC fitting. Then apply glue to the same surfaces. Mate the pan and fitting together. You want to make sure the fitting is just a hair lower than the opening of the hole. This will keep the water moving... kinda. It isn't critical but something to keep in mind.
Here is the fitting mounted....
Now let the glue set over night and it should be ready in the morning!
Remember the glue smells bad and shouldn't be left around your chameleons or humans as it dries... or while you were working with it. be sure to set these items outside and work in a well ventilated area.
