Drip hot/cold or just cold?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
ive kept heaters for a backup, but then a friend had some go out and borrowed them and this and that and oh well the drip works perfectly to take care of it all, I mostly adjust it twice a year, once when the water lines get warmer for summer (cold water is not so cold) and for winter when cold water is super cold

It's all fine and dandy until something goes wrong with the cold line be it a clog, bad valve etc and then your dripping all hot water and your not around to catch it.




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It's all fine and dandy until something goes wrong with the cold line be it a clog, bad valve etc and then your dripping all hot water and your not around to catch it.




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How would a cold line in constant use clog? Just out of curiosity. I would guess that would take decades.

I just attached the shutoffs for 1/4" to both hot and cold lines. Almost ready to drip. First gotta set up overflow and find the best way to dose prime...


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How would a cold line in constant use clog? Just out of curiosity. I would guess that would take decades.

I just attached the shutoffs for 1/4" to both hot and cold lines. Almost ready to drip. First gotta set up overflow and find the best way to dose prime...


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Any number if reasons. Using a valve that large in order to make it drip you're basically closing the valve almost all the way, it's barely open this is easy to clog especially if you live in an area that has hard water like myself.
If you drip only cold with heaters the you have less worries in my opinion. I have been keeping fish for over 30 years and have yet to have a major heater failure. I keep two heaters and two filters on every tank. You have to have a back up plan if something fails.


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I have an Apex, I will get an email and text message when the system is out of my set parameters. Does the water in your toilet shut off ever?? I bet you do not keep the valve fully on or maybe you do? These are toilet valves, they are strong and last forever, tried and true with 1/2 line I think a clog is not very likely to happen and slow the system down and once again if something is off the apex with notify me. I myself or a family member or friend can always adjust the system if needed.

I find the people who have needle valves always need to clean them and do something as they clog, my large ones work perfect, drip emiters are junk as well, clog and go to crap, this way have been perfect, 2 years plus running, enough good review for me to keep using


It's all fine and dandy until something goes wrong with the cold line be it a clog, bad valve etc and then your dripping all hot water and your not around to catch it.




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Drip a set amount that heats the tank but does not put so much hot water in the system to over heat it. Have to remember its a drip not a huge flow of water that will over power the cooler water and temp in a home. its like running a 25 watt heater on a 50 gallon tank, its going to run all the time but not heat it all the way, now find the wattage needed to have the heater always on but keeping the temp at one setting that is what you are doing with the drip, finding the amount of heat needed to keep the temp you want but counteract the other temp lowering parts of your system.


How can you drip only hot, that would fry your fish!


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Drip a set amount that heats the tank but does not put so much hot water in the system to over heat it. Have to remember its a drip not a huge flow of water that will over power the cooler water and temp in a home. its like running a 25 watt heater on a 50 gallon tank, its going to run all the time but not heat it all the way, now find the wattage needed to have the heater always on but keeping the temp at one setting that is what you are doing with the drip, finding the amount of heat needed to keep the temp you want but counteract the other temp lowering parts of your system.

You would have to have a massive tank and a freezing house to drip hot water constantly. I don't drip at all and my temp will go up to 86+ on a hot day. If I dripped hot water on top of that then my fish would boil. Each day is different in temperature so I can't see how you can manage to drip just hot water all the time and don't have a big fluctuating temps. In the wild the body of water is so large that day to day temps don't change the overall temp very much- very gradual. With dripping hot water in a small tank- no way- your going to stress the fish out. I can see dripping hot/cold but I don't like the idea of hot water from a hot water tank entering my tank. I would rather just drip cold and use heaters but that's me. Good luck


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Temp Apex.jpg

For the curious people who cant track all your stuff everyday, here is mine,

Here is the Temp reading from my apex for a week, as you can see with the weather getting warmer, was 75 today the cold water is getting warmer, i will be changing my flow soon to adjust to a lower temp overall with my system

Temp Apex.jpg
 
It makes a difference where the tank is. I imagine being in the basment has a significant effect on temperature stability over the year

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