LLL Drain Pan Drainage.

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....

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one side is smooth...

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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...

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Line up the edge of the bit...

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What you should end up with...

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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....

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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. ;)
 
Nice thread Kevin. Is the PVC slanted to make the water go in that direction? Why not put the hole in the bottom middle?

-Clemonde
 
Kevin, this thread is awesome. I just ordered a drainage pan and I'm getting it next week. Now I know what I'm gonna be doing next weekend!


Thanks again...
 
Nice thread Kevin. Is the PVC slanted to make the water go in that direction? Why not put the hole in the bottom middle?

-Clemonde

You could put the fitting in the middle if ya like. This pan is meant to be used however you like... but not everyone has a hole in the middle of the table ;)

if you elevated the pan you could do that though.....

I needed to make one of my pans sit higher up because the cage sitting on it is shorter than the cage it will be next to. in order to make it the same height I made legs...

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Howdy Kevin,

Neat ideas :). You could also drill just about any size hole from about 3/8" up to that 7/8" size that you drilled. Just drill it with the hole edge flush with the bottom edge so there is no lip (Don't give me any of that lip! :eek:) that could stop the water from draining. You can also use any size PVC fitting that is bigger than the holed drilled. They don't have to match the hole at all but just overlap the outside edge for a gluing.

If you are real handy, you could even shape the PVC fitting with the glue-side having angled end so that the fitting has its own downward tilt. You could either do a saw cut or grind it to make the slight angle (maybe between a 5 to 30 degree angle cut).

I think after enough keepers try various methods, there will be many useful options on how to attach the drain line. I'm currently using a 1/4 pipe thread to barb male-male brass fitting screwed flush into a bottom corner that overhangs the table that the drain pan sits on.
 
It seems to me that the drain pan is going to be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria unless it's cleaned every couple days.
 
If it is angled properly there should be no water in there to allow for mold or mildew growth. thats why hes showing people how to drain the water out of the pan. If you clean your cage thoroughly once a week it should be fine.
 
summoner - you mentioned that the pipe hole and tubing should be big enough for debris to pass through. but isnt the bottom part of the cage a screen? If so, how would it pass through the screen to get to the drain pan?
 
If it is angled properly there should be no water in there to allow for mold or mildew growth. thats why hes showing people how to drain the water out of the pan. If you clean your cage thoroughly once a week it should be fine.

Even if it's "angled properly" there are places where the water will collect.
The fact that its damp and dark with no air flow is the problem.
Add some poo water and it will get nasty quick.
 
If you don't clean your cages you will have problems either way. I clean my cages regularly so I see no prob w it. I don't have this type of setup though mine drains through holes in the middle of the cage Someone with this setup needs to chime in. Do you have large puddles collecting? Water will run down hill at a very slight incline so I have no doubt it works.
 
If you don't clean your cages you will have problems either way. I clean my cages regularly so I see no prob w it. I don't have this type of setup though mine drains through holes in the middle of the cage Someone with this setup needs to chime in. Do you have large puddles collecting? Water will run down hill at a very slight incline so I have no doubt it works.

I never said it wouldn't work and I figured out gravity a long time ago:rolleyes:
 
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