Residential Plumbing

[Tango2]

Question on draining saltwater from my tank to my residential drain. I currently have access to my main drain line in my basement where my RO/DI, ATO and fresh SW container is located. There is no drain installed in this location. I'm currently pumping my RO/DI bypass into my sump pump and letting that take it outside, but want to connect my saltwater drain to my residential plumbing so I can get my continuous water changes back online.

What is the best/right way to do this to a 4" main drain line?

 

[Erica-Renee]

If you tie into the main 4 inch drain line you can do so with a T fitting. say 4x4x2 .. Run the 2 inch pipe over to where you want the water from the sump to drop into the drain.. You MUST Put a Trap at that location to stop sewer gases from escaping.

If you post pics of your sump area and where the Drain is we might be able to give you best practice advice .

 

[crusso1993]

Question on draining saltwater from my tank to my residential drain. I currently have access to my main drain line in my basement where my RO/DI, ATO and fresh SW container is located. There is no drain installed in this location. I'm currently pumping my RO/DI bypass into my sump pump and letting that take it outside, but want to connect my saltwater drain to my residential plumbing so I can get my continuous water changes back online.

What is the best/right way to do this to a 4" main drain line?

Based on your description, I'm not exactly sure how you're planning on getting the tank water to the drain or where your sump is located but it sounds like it will be gravity fed. Also, being that you have a mixing station in basement it sounds like you may have an understanding about plumbing.

The first thing you're going to want to get are a 4x4x2 or a 4x4x1.5 hub sanitary tee. If you plan on using 1" pipe then you'll have to use a reducer. You're also going to want to put in a p-trap just before the sanitary tee. However, know that going to 1" pipe will eliminate the option of a PVC trap. Depending on location of existing 4" pipe and how you want your new drain line to run into that pipe, you'll be using one of these tees.

As for the p-trap there are a couple of ways to go with that too. If you are using 1" pipe, you can elect to use a standard p-trap. One like you see used with kitchen/bathroom sinks. Or you can stick with 1.5" PVC and use the following p-trap. If it were me, I'd stay with 1.5" pipe the whole way and use a PVC trap.

Should you elect to use 1.5" PVC pipe and the p-trap above then you'll want to install a union before the p-trap to pull it apart in case of emergency. Chances are you'll never have to do this but it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Here is a picture of ther union.

I don't know if this helps or confuses you but I hope the latter rather than the former. Feel free to ask should you have any questions.

 

[crusso1993]

If you tie into the main 4 inch drain line you can do so with a T fitting. say 4x4x2 .. Run the 2 inch pipe over to where you want the water from the sump to drop into the drain.. You MUST Put a Trap at that location to stop sewer gases from escaping.

If you post pics of your sump area and where the Drain is we might be able to give you best practice advice .

@Erica-Renee - too funny as we often seem to show up on the same threads at the same time! Hope all is well!
BTW - if you're interested, I have files for some pretty cool 3d reef related items. Things like 2" reaction chamber, full protein skimmer, brine feeder, bulkhead wrench and more. Only thing is, r2r doesn't allow uploading these type of file extensions. However, I'll gladly email them to you if you want to PM me your email address.

 

[Erica-Renee]

Based on your description, I'm not exactly sure how you're planning on getting the tank water to the drain or where your sump is located but it sounds like it will be gravity fed. Also, being that you have a mixing station in basement it sounds like you may have an understanding about plumbing.

The first thing you're going to want to get are a 4x4x2 or a 4x4x1.5 hub sanitary tee. If you plan on using 1" pipe then you'll have to use a reducer. You're also going to want to put in a p-trap just before the sanitary tee. However, know that going to 1" pipe will eliminate the option of a PVC trap. Depending on location of existing 4" pipe and how you want your new drain line to run into that pipe, you'll be using one of these tees.

As for the p-trap there are a couple of ways to go with that too. If you are using 1" pipe, you can elect to use a standard p-trap. One like you see used with kitchen/bathroom sinks. Or you can stick with 1.5" PVC and use the following p-trap. If it were me, I'd stay with 1.5" pipe the whole way and use a PVC trap.

Should you elect to use 1.5" PVC pipe and the p-trap above then you'll want to install a union before the p-trap to pull it apart in case of emergency. Chances are you'll never have to do this but it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Here is a picture of ther union.

I don't know if this helps or confuses you but I hope the latter rather than the former. Feel free to ask should you have any questions.

As far as the 4 inch fitting. 4 inch drains are usually not movable You will also need a short piece of 4 inch pipe and 1 or two slip couplings . It makes it much easier to splice into .. . Put a 4 long piece of 4 inch pipe on the T fittings. Cut the sewer main the length of this assembly . Put the 4 inch couplings onto the each of the sewer mains . Glue up cut ends Slide the couplings into place . This creates more Joints but its MUCH Easier and faster then trying to pry and move the 4 inch pipe to get the coupling in.. They also make saddle couplings for 4 inch but i do not recommend using them...

GOOD Luck

 

[Erica-Renee]

@Erica-Renee - too funny as we often seem to show up on the same threads at the same time! Hope all is well!
BTW - if you're interested, I have files for some pretty cool 3d reef related items. Things like 2" reaction chamber, full protein skimmer, brine feeder, bulkhead wrench and more. Only thing is, r2r doesn't allow uploading these type of file extensions. However, I'll gladly email them to you if you want to PM me your email address.

Setup a account on thingivere .. use the tag # reef2reef reef-pi and Aquarium .. also add me on there ericarenee is my username on there as well. I think .

 

[crusso1993]

Setup a account on thingivere .. use the tag # reef2reef reef-pi and Aquarium .. also add me on there ericarenee is my username on there as well. I think .

Cool! @Ranjib mentioned something in a post the other day about sharing files with other r2r'ers but I cannot recall if the place you mentioned is the same place. Sometimes I walk around looking for my glasses because I cannot recall where I placed them and they're on top of my head!

 

[Flippers4pups]

If the end of the drain to the house plumbing is open, then yes it needs a p trap to keep gases from entering the house.

I my case, using a ball valve does serve this purpose. I went straight from my sump to the house drain direct. Makes water changes a breeze! Lol

 

[Erica-Renee]

If the end of the drain to the house plumbing is open, then yes it needs a p trap to keep gases from entering the house.

I my case, using a ball valve does serve this purpose. I went straight from my sump to the house drain direct. Makes water changes a breeze! Lol

Looking at this the Ball valve is a Great ideal.. I would still use a P-Trap between the ball valve and the sewer . The valve will protect the sump in case of a backup where as the P -Trap alone will not. Depending on who you have it plumbed if there is no Air gap between the ball valve and the tank its draining When you close that ball valve stagnant water will sit in the pipe between the ball valve the plumbing.. Its just something you might want to look at .. I had a manifold issue because of a Dead run I made to add something later ...

My my Opinion is to use Both.. My Waste line goes up across the Basement ceiling and into washing machine Drain . Its not gravity fed because of where my sump is. My Return pumps just pumps the water into the drain and not to the display tank.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Looking at this the Ball valve is a Great ideal.. I would still use a P-Trap between the ball valve and the sewer . The valve will protect the sump in case of a backup where as the P -Trap alone will not. Depending on who you have it plumbed if there is no Air gap between the ball valve and the tank its draining When you close that ball valve stagnant water will sit in the pipe between the ball valve the plumbing.. Its just something you might want to look at .. I had a manifold issue because of a Dead run I made to add something later ...

My my Opinion is to use Both.. My Waste line goes up across the Basement ceiling and into washing machine Drain . Its not gravity fed because of where my sump is. My Return pumps just pumps the water into the drain and not to the display tank.

Been running it this way since 2015. Ball valve to the sump is open. No stagnant water there. From ball valve to house drain don't care, as there isn't any back flushing when draining during water change.

 

[Tango2]

I’m familiar enough with plumbing to both do the work and know the basics (p-trap requirement, etc.). My main dilemma was that using any of what I would normally use for this to tie a single 1/4” drain line into the 4” main drain line seems overkill and harder to reverse one day than it probably should be. I hate to hack up the main drain trunk for a single 1/4” line.

Attached is a picture of what I’m working with. I see now that it’s a 3” main, not 4”. The other option is to hack up the 2” branch instead of the 3” unless there is a better way. Aside from some Frankenstein fittings, is there a good way to get from a 1/4” line to 2” pvc? The drain will not have an air gap, so I think in theory I could skip the p-trap. Maybe a 2” saddle would be best in this case? I’m not a fan of saddles normally...

The water I’m draining will be from my stenner dual head pump and my ATO wasteline and will be direct plummed to the drain. Equipment is directly across the room from the drain, to the left in the picture.

 

[Erica-Renee]

I’m familiar enough with plumbing to both do the work and know the basics (p-trap requirement, etc.). My main dilemma was that using any of what I would normally use for this to tie a single 1/4” drain line into the 4” main drain line seems overkill and harder to reverse one day than it probably should be. I hate to hack up the main drain trunk for a single 1/4” line.

Attached is a picture of what I’m working with. I see now that it’s a 3” main, not 4”. The other option is to hack up the 2” branch instead of the 3” unless there is a better way. Aside from some Frankenstein fittings, is there a good way to get from a 1/4” line to 2” pvc? The drain will not have an air gap, so I think in theory I could skip the p-trap. Maybe a 2” saddle would be best in this case? I’m not a fan of saddles normally...

The water I’m draining will be from my stenner dual head pump and my ATO wasteline and will be direct plummed to the drain. Equipment is directly across the room from the drain, to the left in the picture.

If you only need a 1/4 inch line I would Get a 1/4 inch threaded fitting and proper tap . Tap a hole in the drain line , Apply pvc solvent and thread it in...