Auto drip system...how too? Im losin my mind with 26 tanks

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
wednesday13

wednesday13

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Mar 2, 2008
4,745
4,927
1,629
The deep south
As the title states.. i just cant keep up anymore, im at my wits end tonight. My 18" tig of 3 yrs puked up dinner while i was gone today causing an ammonia spike and nearly killing him, fingers crossed he pulls through. Hes in an over filtered 125 by himself and i wanted to die when i saw him tonight. Ive been runnin around the house cleanin everyones filters, doin water changes and basically losing my mind. Theres just gotta be a better full proof way to keep my setups more stable and i believe auto drip is my only solution. I just dont understand it fully though. I have tanks with sumps and tanks without. I kinda understand what to do on the ones with sumps but the tanks without im really clueless....i am also clueless as to what kinda parts/equipment i need to tap into a water line to even get it goin. I read i need parts from a sprinkler/irrigation system and have been through lots of threads about it, but again i just dont get it. I run every piece of equipment on the market,every kinda filter out there and its just not working. Im tired of losing my favorite fish, ive had enough today i just want to sleep and i cant lol another day of being trapped in my basement against my will... is there anyone in the Ohio area thatd be willing to come out and help me get just 2 tanks drippin (one sump, one without) so i can learn and go from there on the rest. Any help is much appreciated, i have no problem givin away a couple of my fish to someone who can come out and give me a hand.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
A cry for help haha...never thought itd come to this lol some mess ive gotten myself into over the years

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Pick me pick me ill help, let me read your long post. Edit- if I was local I would be there tomorrow

Sent from my DROIDX using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
you poor bastard lol... sounds like your aquarium hobby has exploded into madness. ill bet if you got rid of your 5 least favorite tanks it would make a world of difference.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
All tanks to be 100% full proof need to have a gravity drain going to the sewer or out side what ever you want, its 1/4" per foot of down slope the pipe needs to be for a good gravity feed. Once you have the drain figured out pouring water in is easy just get some pex line with little valves and you can flow as little or as much as possible. Pictures next, ask questions please.

Sent from my DROIDX using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
First pic is the water valves I run hot and cold, 2nd is the bulk head with elbow and strainer to adjust water height, third is the plumming just for a view, a cabinet will go there at some point. I added a pee trap because a toilet is on the other end a ways down the line.
Its really this simple, and I love it so much im almost willing to close the other tanks down because of not being on the drip.

uploadfromtaptalk1369285071298.jpguploadfromtaptalk1369285134155.jpguploadfromtaptalk1369285197615.jpg

Sent from my DROIDX using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Thanks for the pics didysis much appreciated! I have a central sump pump with basin i put in for water changes in my basement that shoots outside to some small ponds lol (yes i have a serious problem haha) so rigging up some pvc round the house for some drains to the basin will be the easy part. Your style of drip seems alot easier than what ive seen also. Very smart to use larger scale parts with the toilet knobs, def never thought of that.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Now i see you drip right into ur sump box, i assume its right onto ur return pump. Do u think ur losing any of the fresh water thats coming in or does it all just get shot right up into the tank? Is there an advantage of dripping into the top of the tank or does it even make a difference.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
m8r8j said:
you poor bastard lol... sounds like your aquarium hobby has exploded into madness. ill bet if you got rid of your 5 least favorite tanks it would make a world of difference.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

I could remove 5 tanks and noone would even notice lol...i have stacks of them everywhere. The smalls 10-100's really dont give me much of a headache and are pretty sustaining. Its the med. To large that i seem to be struggling with lately 200's-500's even with weekly/daily waterchanges and light stocks.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
With the flow I have in my sump Im sure all the fresh water goes into the pump and into the tank, dripping into the tank would be good but im actually heating my tank with the hot and cold water so having it mix in the sump is really nice, it might be the same as in the tank but this is how im working it for now, with in tank setup you could even have water change during a power outage, for me I have extra line around and have plans for a generator so it will work for me. Ya having the toilet valves makes it nice and easy, and you can flow as much or little as you want. With enough PVC you could make water drain for all or allot of tanks and then just run the water line to work as your filling setup.

wednesday13 said:
Now i see you drip right into ur sump box, i assume its right onto ur return pump. Do u think ur losing any of the fresh water thats coming in or does it all just get shot right up into the tank? Is there an advantage of dripping into the top of the tank or does it even make a difference.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...



Sent from my DROIDX using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom