OK so I keep having issues with my water system. Can you have too many sippers hooked up to one jug? Right now what seems to happen is the top sippers on 2 of my racks stop producing water. I have the water lines run like this http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/rat...ing_rack.shtml if you scroll down to where it is in red showing how to run the water lines. So I did that with both my racks. Here is a video of hows I have the lines run, YouTube- Update on the new rat rack build. I am thinking I need to put in another jug for the other side of the room cause I never had a problem with it untill I put the 4 tub rack onto it and I am sure that running the water tubing higher than the bucket doesn't help but that doesn't explain why the rack next to the bucket is having the problem with the top 2 sippers that stop working. Any help would be appreciated!

That link doesn't work me...:dunno: But going by that video it looks like your loops on the top tubs closest to the water bucket are very close to the same level as your bucket discharge valve....and probably when that water level gets down to a certain point those top sippers stop working...and that other rack I would say the biggest issue is running that water line that high...I always keep my water lines lower then the bottom of my bucket....and I plumb my racks from the top to the bottom...I'm not sure if that matters or not plumbing from top to bottom or bottom to top? It shouldn't as long as your bucket is always higher then your water lines I would think....I just installed a few more on my racks and they are working great...Nice looking setup though :cheers:

That link doesn't work me...:dunno: But going by that video it looks like your loops on the top tubs closest to the water bucket are very close to the same level as your bucket discharge valve....and probably when that water level gets down to a certain point those top sippers stop working...and that other rack I would say the biggest issue is running that water line that high...I always keep my water lines lower then the bottom of my bucket....and I plumb my racks from the top to the bottom...I'm not sure if that matters or not plumbing from top to bottom or bottom to top? It shouldn't as long as your bucket is always higher then your water lines I would think....I just installed a few more on my racks and they are working great...Nice looking setup though :cheers:

Exactly John!! Gravity fed systems have to go from the top down to work properly. Any loops etc going higher than the bottom of the bucket will impede the flow. So the bucket needs to either be moved up or the loops need to be taken out. Let the water flow to the top tubs first and feed towards the bottom. I put a flush valve at the very end at the bottom helps keep the system flowing well.......:yessir:

Thanks John, and yeah in that link you said don't work thats how clay davenport runs his water lines. So I did it that way he told me it helps with the water pressure in the tubs running it that way. And I know what you mean about the bucket being so low but the ceiling is so low in there and thats as high as I can get the bucket. I am gonna try another bucket one for each side of the basement and see if it fixes the problem. We shall see I guess.

Here is the link again maybe it will ork this time.
http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/rat...ing_rack.shtml

Thanks John, and yeah in that link you said don't work thats how clay davenport runs his water lines. So I did it that way he told me it helps with the water pressure in the tubs running it that way. And I know what you mean about the bucket being so low but the ceiling is so low in there and thats as high as I can get the bucket. I am gonna try another bucket one for each side of the basement and see if it fixes the problem. We shall see I guess.

I'm confused on how that helps with the water pressure? :dunno: The water pressure has to do with how full the bucket is and has nothing to do with how the lines are run. Gravity has to pull the water down, when you feed the water from the bottom to the top. The water has to fight against gravity to get back to the top levels. That is why it works until your water level goes down in the bucket and doesn't have enough pressure to get back to the top. Make sense?

It does to me, but I just went off of what he told me and I could be mistaken on the reasoning behind it but I think thats why he said. BUt yeah, I am gonn ahve to mess with it and get it working properly. Thanks for the help guys!

Get those loops down flat on top of that one set of racks closest to the bucket and it should work fine for ya....get them so they are lower then your dis charge valve on the bucket that is...and looking again I can see the water level in the bucket.....I'm surprised if you were getting anything at all in that other rack with the line that high above the water in the bucket.....That would be fine if the system was pressurized :yessir:


That link still doesn't work but I have seen it....Sometimes my comp says Clays site is an attack site and other times it's works okay....My comp is temperamental about some sites :lmao::lmao:

I'm confused on how that helps with the water pressure? :dunno: The water pressure has to do with how full the bucket is and has nothing to do with how the lines are run. Gravity has to pull the water down, when you feed the water from the bottom to the top. The water has to fight against gravity to get back to the top levels. That is why it works until your water level goes down in the bucket and doesn't have enough pressure to get back to the top. Make sense?

Me to as it's confusing why it helps???....I think when I first tried that a few years ago with the ASF rack I first built it did the same thing I couldn't get water to the top tubs....I used those same plans from Clay's site and after thinking for a few was like duh...then I cut and hooked it up top to bottom and it worked....till the ASF chewed the hell out of it.....:lol:

Get those loops down flat on top of that one set of racks closest to the bucket and it should work fine for ya....get them so they are lower then your dis charge valve on the bucket that is...and looking again I can see the water level in the bucket.....I'm surprised if you were getting anything at all in that other rack with the line that high above the water in the bucket.....That would be fine if the system was pressurized :yessir:


That link still doesn't work but I have seen it....Sometimes my comp says Clays site is an attack site and other times it's works okay....My comp is temperamental about some sites :lmao::lmao:

Well it goes over to the other rack fine like that its like suction and only the very first valve on that rack messes up none of the rest do. Thats an old vid btw and I keep the bucket filled and never let it get too low. And clays site link works on bp.net but not here so IDK?? But I am goin go to a show this sat and I am gonna buy another resivoir adapter so I can have one for each side and I am also going to probably re do the whole other rack and run it from top to bottom. That should fix it I hope. Thanks again John!:cheers:

Me to as it's confusing why it helps???....I think when I first tried that a few years ago with the ASF rack I first built it did the same thing I couldn't get water to the top tubs....I used those same plans from Clay's site and after thinking for a few was like duh...then I cut and hooked it up top to bottom and it worked....till the ASF chewed the hell out of it.....:lol:

Yeah, pressure is decided by the size of the bucket, amount of water in the bucket and the size of the tubing being used. I'm guessing the theory is the long run down hill will increase the pressure, but in the law of physics, it can't in a closed sytem.

Well it goes over to the other rack fine like that its like suction and only the very first valve on that rack messes up none of the rest do. Thats an old vid btw and I keep the bucket filled and never let it get too low. And clays site link works on bp.net but not here so IDK?? But I am goin go to a show this sat and I am gonna buy another resivoir adapter so I can have one for each side and I am also going to probably re do the whole other rack and run it from top to bottom. That should fix it I hope. Thanks again John!:cheers:

Yeah you would/could get some water over there on the bottom tubs....I was referring to the upper tubs...should have been more clearer sorry...The reason why it works for the bottom ones is it's siphoning the water over....and when your siphoning water and you get the discharge (sipper valves and water line in this case) closer to the actual water level it will slow and eventually even stop....all depends on water levels and heights....Just stick with keeping your lines lower then the discharge on the bucket and you should be fine...Let us know what ya get worked out....:cheers:

Yeah you would/could get some water over there on the bottom tubs....I was referring to the upper tubs...should have been more clearer sorry...The reason why it works for the bottom ones is it's siphoning the water over....and when your siphoning water and you get the discharge (sipper valves and water line in this case) closer to the actual water level it will slow and eventually even stop....all depends on water levels and heights....Just stick with keeping your lines lower then the discharge on the bucket and you should be fine...Let us know what ya get worked out....:cheers:

Ah that makes sense. Thanks guys I will redo it this weekend. So how many sippers do you guys think is too many off of one jug?

Ah that makes sense. Thanks guys I will redo it this weekend. So how many sippers do you guys think is too many off of one jug?

When you run out of water faster than you can keep it full. :lol:

When you run out of water faster than you can keep it full. :lol:

LOL I kinda figured but wanted to make sure I wasn't running too may valves off of one jug. Thanks Guys! :master:

LOL I kinda figured but wanted to make sure I wasn't running too may valves off of one jug. Thanks Guys! :master:

Seriously though, I like to be able to fill my 5 gallon bucket once a week. So if I was running out of water before then I would add another bucket and divide the system. :yessir:

When you run out of water faster than you can keep it full. :lol:

:lmao::lmao:

LOL I kinda figured but wanted to make sure I wasn't running too may valves off of one jug. Thanks Guys! :master:

I have seen a lot more valves then you have on a single larger reservoir then you have....But most break it up to reduce so much water on one system as to prevent large floods...:cheers:

Solvable stuff if one keeps in mind that water pressure builds (or loses) at the rate of .433 pounds per foot of head (measured height up or down under top of water level in bucket) and if one understands that water will always minimize the potential energy of the system by flowing to it's lowest level. So measure head and calculate solution by comparing to minimum required pressure for those water valves.

Water will equalise itself if plumbed from the bottom of the rack upwards, however plumbing this way is not advised as it increases run length (more surface area for bacteria) and friction loss will effect if enough footage of line is in the equation.

OK so I just finished re plumbing it so that it runs from top to bottom and so far it seems to be working just fine! Thanks for all the help guys it is greatly apreciated!!
Here is the revised version
http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww114/BLong7211/Rat%20Racks/001-1.jpg

Looks good....:yessir:

Thanks Again Guys!!!! :rockon: :master: :cheers: :yes:

Thanks Again Guys!!!! :rockon: :master: :cheers: :yes:

One recommendation, put another tee in the line at the last valve and s short piece of tubing with a plug. Then you can easily flush the system into a bucket to keep it clean. :yessir:

One recommendation. Put a tee in at the last valve and add a short piece of tubing with a stopper at the end. Then you can flush the system into a bucket if you have any problems. :yessir:

One recommendation. Put a tee in at the last valve and add a short piece of tubing with a stopper at the end. Then you can flush the system into a bucket if you have any problems. :yessir:

Yeah I am gonna have to do that but I ran out of T's the other day so I am gonna pic up more clips, t's and another bucket nozzle at the show on sat. Thanks Bill

Looks good :yessir: