Advantage of drip system for tanks

[floridagar]

Idk if this has been started but i just wanna know really whats the advantages of having a drip system to your tank. And i have a few questions?

Does the drip system keep the tank clean?
Does it work with any systems? (tank size to Gallons the pump can pump out per hour)
Does it need an overflow in order to work?

I read the filtration sticky but it does not answer some of the question i have. All im really asking is it better to just have a Sump Or having a drip system with a canister? Just hoping that this thread may help others in the same question. Since i wanna try making my own sump and try that instead of a canister filter. Right now i have a canister on there but i dont really think its getting the job done and i am prepared to upgrade into something that actually works well and better than a canister filter. And near where i live they have a complete setup of a drip system all media and bioballs for like 30$ and idk if its worth spending any money on something that might not work. Thanks

 

[Juxtaroberto]

Well, a drip system is actively removing tank water and introducing clean water all the time. It is up to you to calculate how much water you want to remove per week. For example, let's say you have a 500 gallon tank, and you want it to be as if you did a 30% weekly water change. So you need to remove 500x.3= 150 gallons, per week. Seven days per week, twenty four hours per day: 150/7= 21.4/24= .89 gph. So with a 1gph drip system, it'd be about 30% per week. I assume you have a large bioload, and might deem it necessary to increase the drip system's gph.

Drips are a bit inefficient, because as they are moving water in and out of the tank constantly, some of the clean water will also be removed. For example, it's not quite the same thing to remove 80% of the tank's water, and replace it, than to remove 40%, replace it, remove 40% again, and replace again.

Are you looking into a drip system because you keep having ammonia spikes? Normally people get drip systems in order to get rid of nitrates, which nothing in our filters can remove. Getting a sump will not reduce the amount of nitrates in the water. You also have to consider your water source. If you have chlorine added to your water, you'd have to age the water. If there is chloramine, you'd have to find a way to drip diluted water conditioner into the holding tank, otherwise you'd kill your BB.

And near where i live they have a complete setup of a drip system all media and bioballs for like 30$ and idk if its worth spending any money on something that might not work.

This makes me think we might be talking about different things...

 

[Danger_Chicken]

Idk if this has been started but i just wanna know really whats the advantages of having a drip system to your tank. And i have a few questions?

Does the drip system keep the tank clean? Sort of but not really, It keeps the water clean
Does it work with any systems? (tank size to Gallons the pump can pump out per hour) They can work on any system, tank size and pumps have no affect
Does it need an overflow in order to work? Yes, there should be a stickie from Neo on how to build a low flow overflow from pvc. There are also plenty of post how to build a hi flow overflow for a sump.

I read the filtration sticky but it does not answer some of the question i have. All im really asking is it better to just have a Sump Or having a drip system with a canister? Personally I think sumps are easier to setup drips on because an overflow is already in place, of my 14 tanks only one has a sump and only one other is drilled, the rest use DIY low flow over flows with aqualifters. Just hoping that this thread may help others in the same question. Since i wanna try making my own sump and try that instead of a canister filter. Right now i have a canister on there but i dont really think its getting the job done and i am prepared to upgrade into something that actually works well and better than a canister filter. The drip is just an automated (more or less) water changer, it doesn't clean the tank. Post the spec's on your tank and filtration and people will chime in with suggestions. And near where i live they have a complete setup of a drip system all media and bioballs for like 30$ and idk if its worth spending any money on something that might not work. Thanks

All in all drips are the best thing to happen to fish keeping in my opinion. Clean water in your tank is like changing the oil in your car every 3000 miles. It makes all the difference in the long run.

 

[floridagar]

Well, a drip system is actively removing tank water and introducing clean water all the time. It is up to you to calculate how much water you want to remove per week. For example, let's say you have a 500 gallon tank, and you want it to be as if you did a 30% weekly water change. So you need to remove 500x.3= 150 gallons, per week. Seven days per week, twenty four hours per day: 150/7= 21.4/24= .89 gph. So with a 1gph drip system, it'd be about 30% per week. I assume you have a large bioload, and might deem it necessary to increase the drip system's gph.

Drips are a bit inefficient, because as they are moving water in and out of the tank constantly, some of the clean water will also be removed. For example, it's not quite the same thing to remove 80% of the tank's water, and replace it, than to remove 40%, replace it, remove 40% again, and replace again.

Are you looking into a drip system because you keep having ammonia spikes? Normally people get drip systems in order to get rid of nitrates, which nothing in our filters can remove. Getting a sump will not reduce the amount of nitrates in the water. You also have to consider your water source. If you have chlorine added to your water, you'd have to age the water. If there is chloramine, you'd have to find a way to drip diluted water conditioner into the holding tank, otherwise you'd kill your BB.



This makes me think we might be talking about different things...

Noo your right completely i have a canister i just wanna make sure all the perimeters are clear and well maintained. its something i look into having a 150 gallon tank and i just wanna know a better way of filtration and having a really well maintained tank. and i use tap water from the faucet, but i only do about a 25% water change once a week. And it keeps the water nice. and i add prime and some aquarium salt. i always check the water in a 5 gallon bucket before adding it to the tank, just to make sure its not over chlorinated. Since i have heard about that happening to people. And i most likely wont buy the drip system for this tank but probably for the 125 instead. since i am leaning more towards making a sump since i just turned my tank around, or the hell with it just might buy a Fx5. Just pondering really trying to find some answers that might make a better choice in the near future when i upgrade again. and thats not different they have a complete setup its used of course but its there for only 30$ and i might get it just have a few questions so i dont make a mistake. But thank you much appreciated.

 

[Juxtaroberto]

Noo your right completely i have a canister i just wanna make sure all the perimeters are clear and well maintained. its something i look into having a 150 gallon tank and i just wanna know a better way of filtration and having a really well maintained tank. and i use tap water from the faucet, but i only do about a 25% water change once a week. And it keeps the water nice. and i add prime and some aquarium salt. i always check the water in a 5 gallon bucket before adding it to the tank, just to make sure its not over chlorinated. Since i have heard about that happening to people. And i most likely wont buy the drip system for this tank but probably for the 125 instead. since i am leaning more towards making a sump since i just turned my tank around, or the hell with it just might buy a Fx5. Just pondering really trying to find some answers that might make a better choice in the near future when i upgrade again. and thats not different they have a complete setup its used of course but its there for only 30$ and i might get it just have a few questions so i dont make a mistake. But thank you much appreciated.

Do you live in a city? Because if you do then your water most likely comes from a big facility that cleans in. Some people get their water from wells and don't have to worry about chlorine and chloramine.

I've never heard of the chlorine in water harming people, as this is very heavily regulated, but what do you mean when you say you test it in the bucket? By adding prime that should be enough to remove all the chlorine and chloramine.

 

[floridagar]

i do live in the suburbs of Chicago, Thing is what i really meant is people added there water from the faucet and it had a spike of chlorine in the tank and killed off the fish. i test the water in the bucket to check perimeters to make sure the water is safe to put into the tank. Since if the water in the bucket is ok then i should be ok with faucet water. And they do a good job cleaning the water, I on the other hand do it to make sure the fish are ok.