Auto water changes vS. drip systems

[Anonymous]

Something I've been thinking about- installation of an auto water changer. Im having trouble finding good reading on the internet and only found 1 thread here. The thread on WFB was a very dark video on a "Drip system" and seemed unfinished. The concept sounds good but i have questions about it. Like chloramines on a drip system. Wouldn't you have to add conditioner everyday to eliminate chlorine and or chloramines? What about overflow on a drip system? How would you get the water returning the same as exiting?

Anyway , anyone that has experience or general knowledge of either system? Good resources for reading please share!

Thank you,
Chad

 

[Madness]

Im sure some on here will disagree with this, but I have a good friend that works for public utilities in Seattle, (plus I have asked my own water company). It is illegal for water companies to put chloramine in your water. Does it mean that some may if they need to make a drastic change in readings on their end? Possibly, but it is illegal.

So as for worrying about the chlorine? It comes into the tank at such a slow rate, I would believe that there is know where near enough water /chlorine to make a difference. (I havent used a dechlorinater at water change time in 3 years) So IMO its not necessary.

As for water levels, I would assume that you would also install an overflow at a certain level. Since I have wet/drys on my tanks, I would install that overflow drain in my wet/dry.

 

[fishman09]

Drip systems are simple. I run one that changes 700 gallons weekly on my entire fishroom. I dont use conditioners or filters in my line due to my local water only having low levels of chlorine, but there are inline filters made to get out chlorine and chloramine if need be. Overflows are either drilled in tanks or DIY PVC versions that I can ellaborate more on if you dont want to drill, but I highly recommend drilling cause PVC overflows will fail. If tank has a sump you put the overflow to the desired water level and only excess drains out.

All the drip irragation parts (tubing, drippers, pressure regulators etc) can be found at a local Home Depot. Most run the line from their washer using a Y fitting but mine runs from an unused sink in the bathroom.

Drips are awesome. My maintenence time weekly went from like 5 hours to like 45 minutes lol and I get over 800 gallons changed total (one tank not on drip). Not to mention my nitrates never get over 5ppm.

 

[Anonymous]

Okay, I'm getting I'm the idea! I could technically drill a hole in the side of my sump at the desired water level. Then plumb into an existing drain under the house or just straight outside.
Then some sort of screen outside so bugs won't crawl in...


Plumbing in is no problem. I've already plumbed a washer/dryer Y under the kitchen sink with a quick release for my current water changes. I would just change that out, reattach the hot water. Then install a T on the cold outlet, a pressure regulator and perhaps a shut off valve...
Then about 8 feet of refrigerator water tubing. My tank is like 3 feet from the sink- only about 2 feet of tubing would be exposed ,unless... I used a router to create a groove for the tubing on the back side of the floor molding.... Oh, that's a good one

@ Madness, Fishman- Your about to save me $100's a year on dechlorinator....lol

Thanks for the input guys. If you can think of anything im missing or anything to add please let me know!

 

[Anonymous]

How hard is it to drill a hole through a new house wall for the drain? (my wife's going to kill me :violent: )

 

[Madness]

How hard is it to drill a hole through a new house wall for the drain? (my wife's going to kill me :violent: )

Not hard at all, just make sure you caulk the penetration.

 

[Anthraxx]

HA! thats what she said (couldnt resist) :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

HA! thats what she said (couldnt resist) :twisted:

I was thinking it Anthrax but wasn't going to touch that one... This is a good topic and thread. :evil:

I will update this thread as I progress through the DYI auto drip set up.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

OOOH!! I've been wanting to do a drip system in my house, and was totally worried about the chlorine being in the tank, if I do my research, call some water companies, and see what's up, that might make a big difference between buying a carbon filter, or not, inorder to filter out any chlorine/chloramine.

I'm definitely going to be watching this thread! Keep it up, theChad! :cheers:

 

[Nick_87]

I started to set up a drip system on my new 160 gal and have got everything for it but just havent hooked it up yet but i finaly just got all my fish in the tank tonight so ill have to get on it soon. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Anonymous]

I started to set up a drip system on my new 160 gal and have got everything for it but just havent hooked it up yet but i finaly just got all my fish in the tank tonight so ill have to get on it soon. I'll let you know how it goes.

I would appreciate that.

Im still in the planing mode. Think I got everything figured out for the 140. I do have a 30 g sitting under the 140 with a HOB. Im trying to figure out a way to incorporate it into the drip system. The sump drain was easy to figure out. its getting a drain out the 30 g without using a small pump that's got me a little stumped now...

 

[Addicted2CAs]

If one was to tee off the washer connection (which happens to be one door away from the garage) the system would go something like: T, pressure regulator, polyethylene tubing (the hazy, small diameter tubing for fridge water dispensers), then whatever size irrigation drip emitters? Seems simple enough.

May as well throw my overflow ideas out there too. I got the idea off of MFK I believe but it was super simple: a 3/4" bulkhead put in my sumps just before the return pump 1-2" below the water line, then add a 90* elbow to be able to adjust overflow amount and water level. For the incoming drip I would do it in the return pump chamber, or would the main tank be better?

These threads are love/hate as now I have been pushed over the edge and have a weekend project!

 

[Anonymous]

If one was to tee off the washer connection (which happens to be one door away from the garage) the system would go something like: T, pressure regulator, polyethylene tubing (the hazy, small diameter tubing for fridge water dispensers), then whatever size irrigation drip emitters? Seems simple enough.

May as well throw my overflow ideas out there too. I got the idea off of MFK I believe but it was super simple: a 3/4" bulkhead put in my sumps just before the return pump 1-2" below the water line, then add a 90* elbow to be able to adjust overflow amount and water level. For the incoming drip I would do it in the return pump chamber, or would the main tank be better?

These threads are love/hate as now I have been pushed over the edge and have a weekend project!

"Love/hate" - I know right!

For the drain I already know the appropriate level I want it at. Just below the last baffling. Any higher then I wouldn't get proper flow up and over the 2nd and 3rd baffling. As of right now (subject to change), I'm going to drill a small hole on the side of the sump. From there Im thinking I may tap threads into the acrylic. Then I could thread in a small compression fitting (no more than 1/2" should be needed). Of course I would use Teflon tape and perhaps a little silicon to seal everything up.

As for the drip, I was thinking of drilling a hole slightly smaller than the tube in my sump lid right between my duel sump inlets. Then shove the tube in. It'll hold!

As for water hook up; I'll plumb a T under my kitchen sink with a needle valve. I'll go through my cabnets till I hit the wall then im going to hide the tubing under my kitchen floor molding. My tank is in a dining area. Im going to drill a hole right through my wall and the water will "drip" into my flower gardens... I may even fill buckets with an overflow that way I could use this fertilizer and fish poop charged water for other plants outside...

I'll measure the drip by using a milk gallon then do the appropriate math.

 

[Addicted2CAs]

I'm diggin the tapped hole in the sump for the incoming, that wouldn't be hard at all. I may have to rethink the overflow and partly steal your idea! lol My method would allow for a more exact water level control in which, now that you got me thinking, isn't needed. I like your idea as it will be much smaller and look clean, yet keep the water level right.

Sounds like you have this planned to a "T"!!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm diggin the tapped hole in the sump for the incoming, that wouldn't be hard at all. I may have to rethink the overflow and partly steal your idea! lol My method would allow for a more exact water level control in which, now that you got me thinking, isn't needed. I like your idea as it will be much smaller and look clean, yet keep the water level right.

Sounds like you have this planned to a "T"!!

Your idea with the elbow is what I have on my 2 inch bulk head water return to my exterior sump pump. I needed a way for my water pick up to be lower so I threw on some Teflon tape spun on a 2 inch elbow onto the bulk head. Now the water pickup is vacuuming water 1 inch from the bottom of my sump slightly tilted where I need it!!

Like minds think the same 8) Ha!

 

[Anonymous]

Okay here it is. I took the plunge and installed an auto drip system.

Hardware;

1st the install of a T, then a needle valve.

Drilled and ran the water line under the sink. After I plumbed and tested the system I tacked the water line under the bar so no one can see it.

Drain and pulled the sump to the side. I drilled the sump and the wall for the water overflow. Tapped threads into the sump.

Even though I used Teflon tape on the threads of the compression fitting I used a little silicon just in case. After I installed the line I filled the sump to test for leaks.

Here is the overflow in action. System running...

The other end...

I simply drilled a whole in my DYI sump top for the drip. I secured it with a zip tie on the other end for now so my cats don't pull it out...

I'm also going to use the line for small water changes in my 30 gallon that sits under the 140 on the other side. There is full pressure running to the line so a 5-10 gallon water change will go pretty quick.

I'll still conduct gravel vacs every once in a while just to suck up debris in the nooks and crannies. Both tanks are pretty much fully planted making normal gravel vacs impossible.

I mathematically figured out the GPH drip to about 70 gallons per week for a 140 gallon tank. I normally only change 15-20% per week. Normal water changes are usually small to reduce shock. I figure that there's really no need to worry about this shock since this is a gradual and continuous flow. So, I could technically cycle out 50% of the water per week. I would like to increase this but do not want to harm the fish or plants. This is just guesstimating so any input would be appreciated.

 

[Addicted2CAs]

Yes! That is awesome! I didn't get around to setting mine up this weekend, yours looks great! I like the simplicity aswell.

Now, I am really digging your setup with the needle valve instead of drip emitter for one reason: refilling after gravel vacs. Obviously a drip emitter will take forever, however with your setup what is keeping you from opening the valve and filling quite quickly? I like that, well done!

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Wow, that's really neat!! I can't wait to try that out!!

Great job, theChad!! And thank you for doing this. This will definitely help us all out, so that we can also install our own drip systems in the future.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes! That is awesome! I didn't get around to setting mine up this weekend, yours looks great! I like the simplicity aswell.

Now, I am really digging your setup with the needle valve instead of drip emitter for one reason: refilling after gravel vacs. Obviously a drip emitter will take forever, however with your setup what is keeping you from opening the valve and filling quite quickly? I like that, well done!

Thanks!!

I could later attach other tanks inline to this with the use of drip emitters on the ends. I was thinking about ways to attach my 30 but didnt want to break down and drill a glass tank. Perhaps sometime in the future...

The only issues I can see is, 1- if my overflow clogs a bit it may over fill a bit. But I always maintain the overflow by listening to it, and visually checking in about every 3 days.
2. The outside end of the drain freezing if it gets cold enough. I figure I'll cover the exit line outside with either a wrap or slide foam over it. I dont foresee to much issue with this since the water is about 80 deg F, but its something I thought about....

 

[Addicted2CAs]

It is possible that the constant flow of water will keep the end from freezing as it takes a significantly lower temp to freeze moving water. Perhaps not enough flow? What are you planning on changing over per week in that tank?

Couldn't you make a small hang-on-back overflow for the 30gal and just run a line into the tank or filter? I have a bunch of leftover polycarbonate you could use to make a small overflow if you wanted.