Continuous drip system for fresh water tanks.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
NiceGuyNick;3714727; said:
Thanks for sharing! Awesome setup if u ask me. That is good info about the periodic DOSING that the water treatment facilities do as well. I wonder if there would be a good way to lessen the effects of such treatments or if it is enough to be toxic if we are only talking about a 1/2 gph? I wonder how long a typic CLEANING TREATMENT the water companies use lasts for and therefore how much of the various agents our tanks would be ingesting. Maybe in the areas that use high levels of these agents one could use some sort of a H2O quarantine tank to spread the load of the treatments and help GAS OUT some of the Chloramines. Any thoughts as to how this could work and/or fail?

I don't know if Chloramines are out gassed like Chlorine. I don't think they are. I used to have a double carbon filter on my supplies. Used them for about 2 years. Tested the tap during this period, summer vs winter water supply. Never had any traces of Chloramine and rarely any Chlorine, so I stopped using them. I have a double filter that was part of an RO system w/out the RO part. It's partially visible in this picture. If this isn't clear, I can move the plants and take a better picture for you today.
150 water supply faucet.jpg

Looks very similar to this:
http://www.waterfilters.net/Pentek-US-1500-Under-Sink-Water-Filter_p_0-501.html

Just used 2 carbon cartridges, no sediment cartridge. These carbon filters should remove those chemicals, from what I read.

!A
 
Update: I installed an algae scrubber on the 150 in the hood. Used an existing 65w CF. Posted it here: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180385

Grows algae like crazy. Eliminated the tough brown algae that grew on the sand/acrylic. Also allowed me to lessen the drip rate. The giant Val is outta control. Will have to do some harvesting soon.

!A
 
Hi.
Been watching this section for a long time.
I have a 60 gal tank with a wet / dry filter built on the back.
Been thinking a long time how to install drip system.
Attached is a drawing with my idea.
Any suggestions from the experts, please. :feedback:

tank.jpg
 
aeagle;5028238; said:
Hi.
Been watching this section for a long time.
I have a 60 gal tank with a wet / dry filter built on the back.
Been thinking a long time how to install drip system.
Attached is a drawing with my idea.
Any suggestions from the experts, please. :feedback:


I am not sure how well this would work exactly. I see two problems. One if you have choramine you wont be able to fit the chloramine filter in the tank, but thats no big deal you can just put it outside.

The second is the drain location.

Its at the bottom of the back of the tank if you put the drain there then thats where the water level will always be. If thats the normal water level line then you should be okay.

When adding the drip drain to the sump, you have to turn the sump on let it run, mark the water level, then turn it off and mark that water level. Now you know how much water is need to turn the system back on after a power outage. You have to make sure that what ever level you put the drip drain line that during a power outage it will have enough water to turn back on.

For example if you normal running level is 4" and the off level is 8" then you know you need 4" of water to power up. If you put the drain at 4" then when the power goes off the tank will drain down to 4", and you go to power it back on the pump will run dry. So you would want to put the drain at like 6" so you have enough space.

However since your tank is the sump it would work differently.
 
Thanks.
Thats been part of my problem, power outage.
The filter is on the back of the tank on the back side.
A power outage drops the tank level about 6 inches.
I am thinking check valve on pump outlet then when pump shuts down
water can't back flow into sump?????
 
aeagle;5028684; said:
Thanks.
Thats been part of my problem, power outage.
The filter is on the back of the tank on the back side.
A power outage drops the tank level about 6 inches.
I am thinking check valve on pump outlet then when pump shuts down
water can't back flow into sump?????

Is the "return to tank" outlet siphoning water outta the tank when the power shuts off? I'm assuming it is because you said the water level goes down 6" on power failure. If this is true, raise up this return tube so that it is just below the tank surface. It won't siphon so much water then. I had this problem on my 125. Would lose so much water down the drain that the pump in the sump would be exposed. I just shortened the outlet tubes. Now the tank level only goes down by 1". Also make sure that with the power off the dripping water will still drain down the overflow tube. Don't want to flood the house.

Good luck.

BTW. I am assuming you have checked the incoming water for BAD chemicals. My city water doesn't have anything but chlorine.

!A
 
let me throw this 1 at u guys.

i plan on adding a sump to my 300g tank with a drip system. im most likely adding a 50gal baffleless sump for a holding tank for stingray pups.

right now i drip 3gph to my tank. the drip overflow is a diy 1/2 pvc hanging on the back of the tank.

i plan on using an 800gph overflow going to the sump. obviously it will have to set to skim lower then the drip overflow drain.

the question is. where is the water from the drip system going to go now. will the water level have to be controlled at the sump or can i leave the drip overflow where it is.

im not to concerned about power outages. i can buy a 112v normally closed valve to stop it.

here are a few picts of the drip overflow.

overflow3.jpg

overflow2.jpg
 
I've never filtered incoming water from the tap or lost a fish from a water change when keeping fish in Chicago or Michigan. Chlorine and ammonia evaporate out so quickly with carbon in the filter it isn't ever even remotely a problem
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com