Rat Rack Plumbing

For all those that have asked me about my plumbing system on my rat racks, and their construction, here is the best photo journal I can come up with for now. I am planning on building a page on my website soon for DIY Rack building of rat racks, rat cages, baby ball racks and adult ball racks. On to the picture show.
Front shot of the racks.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/ratrackfront.jpg
Side shot of the racks.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/ratrackside.jpg
Plumbing on the bucket. I use a 1/2 inch male threaded connector to go into the hole drilled in the bucket. Next I put in a 1/2" Tee with a cap pointing up, with a hole drilled in it. I believe that the clear tubing I use as a sight glass is 1-1/4" tubing( it may be 1-1/2, I can't remember). From the tee, I install a 1/2" valve, to shut off the water in case, and then into a 1/2" threaded union. Sometimes the 1/2" union is hard to find, in which case I use a 3/4" union with step downs installed back to 1/2". All of this allows me to disconnect the bucket even it is full to do repairs to sipper valves without constant water.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/bucketplumb.jpg
Second shot of ther bucket plumbing.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/bucketplumb2.jpg
The seal that I use inside of the bucket to keep it from leaking. I get these rubber seals from ACE hardware. Essentially it is a big rubber washer. The PVC piece shown in the bucket is a female threaded union threaded onto the male union coming from outside. Just remember when screwing on the female union to put teflon tape on the male connector, or the friction will get to high before the connector is all the way tight.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/bucketseal.jpg
The plumbing on the top of the rack that connects to the bucket.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/tobucketplumb.jpg
The plumbing for each level.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/levelplumb.jpg
The plumbing going to the sipper valve. Those are the threaded sipper valves. I drill a hole in 1/2 inch PVC cap and wrap the valve threads with teflon tape and thread them into the hole in the cap.
http://baileyreptiles.com/pics/sipperplumb.jpg

Great post man.. I really aprreciate the pictures.. they helped alot

thank you again,
chris

Very nice Tim!


Mmmmmmmmmm...Mazuri :lick:

Thanks alot Tim, told me everything I needed to know :)

Chris and Aric, I hope that was everything that you needed. If it was not, just shoot me a line. And Cue, thanks for the compliment.

Awesome Tim!!

I had a question. How do you remove the tubs with those tubes. I used the flexible tubing. So when I clean I just pull up the tube and the tub slides out. But those pieces look like that would be impossible. I would live to see all of your future article.s Thanks.

Hey Buddha, if you look at the side shot of the racks, you can see that the slides are set back. so by the time the tub gets to the sipper, it is already off of the track and drops down. let me know if you don't see what I am talking about, and I'll take a pic.

I thought that was the answer. I will eagerly anticapate the article. I need to redo my racks. Thanks.