Supplies needed:
5 gallon bucket
gamma seal lid
1 fountain/pond pump
1 50 watt submersible aquarium heater
5/16" I.D. tubing
5/8" I.D. tubing (no more than 24" is needed)
BRASS fittings to pass through the side of the bucket - 5/16" hose barb x 1/4 MIP, and a set of washers that these fittings will pass through, a 1/4 FIP to hold this fitting on the inside of the bucket, also a 5/8" hose barb x 1/4" FIP.
Teflon plumbing seal tape
1/4" rubber grommets
replacement plugs for the pump and heater
rabbit drinker valve kits (got mine on Amazon - vktech)
misc screws and wire ties
Notes:
The drinker valves are designed for cages which have 1" x 2" side wire. For those who have 1" x 4", you will need some 1" x 1" welded wire to make brackets, and some J-clips to attach the brackets.
Make sure to take a hex wrench and tighten the drinker valve insides, or they WILL leak.
The gamma seal lid is not a "necessity", as you could just cover the top with a regular lid, and just don't press it down tight. I used the gamma seal lid, as this setup is installed in an enclosed trailer, so I can move the trailer anywhere without worrying about water spillage. Plus, they will have water circulating, even while in transport.
Installation:
Cut off the ends of the power cords for the aquarium heater and the pond pump. :shock:
Cut out part of the bucket side where the reinforcement rim is, to facilitate installation of the fittings (I used my 4 1/2" angle grinder). Drill 2 holes, 1/4" each, about 6" apart, in that space. (see pictures) Drill 2 holes, 3/8" each, to the side of these holes, for the power wires to run through.
Install fittings through the side of the bucket, wrapping all threads with seal tape, putting the 5/16" hose barbs on the outside, one will be your supply from the bucket (5/8" barb x 1/4" FIP) and one will be the return to the bucket.
Install the aquarium heater in the bottom of the bucket. Install the 5/8" adapter that should come with the pond pump onto the pump itself, and install the pump in the bottom of the bucket on the opposite side of the heater.
Install the two rubber grommets in the 3/8" holes, and run the power cords through these grommets. I had to use some white lithium grease to get the pump cord to go through. Install the replacement plugs onto the cords.
Most systems I've seen have an 8" section of tubing running from a supply line to the drinker valves, and are just gravity fed. This system puts the drinker valves right against the tees, so the heat from the water should help keep the drinker valves from freezing, and circulates the water in a loop, helping to keep the water itself from freezing.
Install the drinker valves on your cages. Mine are set between 8" and 9" on the cages. Place a spring around the one side wire, put the other end of the spring through the hole on the drinker valve, and stretch the spring to attach drinker valve to other side of wire.
Use a short section of 5/16" tubing to attach each drinker valve to it's tee.
Starting at the bucket, run your supply line to the first tee, then between the first and second, you get the idea, all the way to the last drinker valve. The tee on the last drinker valve gets connected back to the bucket, to form a continuous loop.
Fill the bucket, turn the pump on, and check for leaks.
5 gallon bucket
gamma seal lid
1 fountain/pond pump
1 50 watt submersible aquarium heater
5/16" I.D. tubing
5/8" I.D. tubing (no more than 24" is needed)
BRASS fittings to pass through the side of the bucket - 5/16" hose barb x 1/4 MIP, and a set of washers that these fittings will pass through, a 1/4 FIP to hold this fitting on the inside of the bucket, also a 5/8" hose barb x 1/4" FIP.
Teflon plumbing seal tape
1/4" rubber grommets
replacement plugs for the pump and heater
rabbit drinker valve kits (got mine on Amazon - vktech)
misc screws and wire ties
Notes:
The drinker valves are designed for cages which have 1" x 2" side wire. For those who have 1" x 4", you will need some 1" x 1" welded wire to make brackets, and some J-clips to attach the brackets.
Make sure to take a hex wrench and tighten the drinker valve insides, or they WILL leak.
The gamma seal lid is not a "necessity", as you could just cover the top with a regular lid, and just don't press it down tight. I used the gamma seal lid, as this setup is installed in an enclosed trailer, so I can move the trailer anywhere without worrying about water spillage. Plus, they will have water circulating, even while in transport.
Installation:
Cut off the ends of the power cords for the aquarium heater and the pond pump. :shock:
Cut out part of the bucket side where the reinforcement rim is, to facilitate installation of the fittings (I used my 4 1/2" angle grinder). Drill 2 holes, 1/4" each, about 6" apart, in that space. (see pictures) Drill 2 holes, 3/8" each, to the side of these holes, for the power wires to run through.
Install fittings through the side of the bucket, wrapping all threads with seal tape, putting the 5/16" hose barbs on the outside, one will be your supply from the bucket (5/8" barb x 1/4" FIP) and one will be the return to the bucket.
Install the aquarium heater in the bottom of the bucket. Install the 5/8" adapter that should come with the pond pump onto the pump itself, and install the pump in the bottom of the bucket on the opposite side of the heater.
Install the two rubber grommets in the 3/8" holes, and run the power cords through these grommets. I had to use some white lithium grease to get the pump cord to go through. Install the replacement plugs onto the cords.
Most systems I've seen have an 8" section of tubing running from a supply line to the drinker valves, and are just gravity fed. This system puts the drinker valves right against the tees, so the heat from the water should help keep the drinker valves from freezing, and circulates the water in a loop, helping to keep the water itself from freezing.
Install the drinker valves on your cages. Mine are set between 8" and 9" on the cages. Place a spring around the one side wire, put the other end of the spring through the hole on the drinker valve, and stretch the spring to attach drinker valve to other side of wire.
Use a short section of 5/16" tubing to attach each drinker valve to it's tee.
Starting at the bucket, run your supply line to the first tee, then between the first and second, you get the idea, all the way to the last drinker valve. The tee on the last drinker valve gets connected back to the bucket, to form a continuous loop.
Fill the bucket, turn the pump on, and check for leaks.
