Y check valve help🙏🏻

[Trailblazur]

So I’m trying to do plumbing for my new tank and I installed a Y Check valve on the return. 
 

I need to unhook it now but I can’t figure out how to get the water out of the line for the life of me so water doesn’t go all over the place🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

 

any tips?

[nabokovfan87]

Put a bucket or a lot of tupperware underneath.

A photo of the setup might help with how to address the situation.  A lot of people use gate valves to shut off flow for something like this.

[Trailblazur]

Thanks. I added a picture with some more detail. 
 

I have a leak at the union where the arrow is. 
 

The problem is it’s filled with water there because the check valve is doing its job🤦🏼‍♂️

 

I feel like it’s not the brightest question, but it’s my first time and I just can figure this out lol. 
 

Hoping it’s not having to get a big bucket because eventually I’d like to move the aquarium close to the wall. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/13/2022 at 4:40 AM, Trailblazur said:

I feel like it’s not the brightest question, but it’s my first time and I just can figure this out lol. 

Oh trust me... it happens.

Can you drain the aquarium below the top of the pipe and then open it up?  You're going to have some water in there.  I guess I don't understand what the Y-valve does (literally) or what it's for.  BUT.... that's how I would get it off. 

[Trailblazur]

On 11/13/2022 at 6:24 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Oh trust me... it happens.

Can you drain the aquarium below the top of the pipe and then open it up?  You're going to have some water in there.  I guess I don't understand what the Y-valve does (literally) or what it's for.  BUT.... that's how I would get it off. 

The y valve is check valve to prevent a back siphon if the pumps die

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/13/2022 at 3:26 PM, Trailblazur said:

The y valve is check valve to prevent a back siphon if the pumps die

AH. ok.  that's a good thing then.  I was thinking of something else entirely.

 

I thought it was some fancy way of connecting two tanks and then you have the check valve before it.

But yeah... drain the AQ down, and then you would modify the plumbing as need be. Other than that, you'd just leave it.

[Trailblazur]

But the pipe is still full of water even when the tank is drained below the bulkheads. 😂 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/13/2022 at 3:59 PM, Trailblazur said:

But the pipe is still full of water even when the tank is drained below the bulkheads. 😂 

Yep. You can drill a small hole and use an airline type of valve to drain it.

Not really any way around it

[Andy's Fish Den]

The only way I see to drain is to put a bucket or something to catch the water underneath and crack the union loose. I have never seen that style check valve before, is what looks like a cap on the side removeable? If it is, it makes me wonder if it is designed to be installed so that you can remove it and drain the line above.