Drip System Poll

[DB junkie]

That all depends on Bio load, does it not?

Sure. I'm curious what percentage of tank volume is dripped /day........ Simple question.

I ask cause I drip a LOT. And it really doesn't seem to jack squat compared to water changes.

So not only is it a waste but it's also a compromise. Waste a bunch of water just to have "clean" water that's still not even remotely close to "ideal".

 

[CANAMONSTER]

Sure. I'm curious what percentage of tank volume is dripped /day........ Simple question.

I ask cause I drip a LOT. And it really doesn't seem to jack squat compared to water changes.

So not only is it a waste but it's also a compromise. Waste a bunch of water just to have "clean" water that's still not even remotely close to "ideal".

Exactly what I am saying! All your doing with a drip is dilution and that is very different then RE and RE (remove and replace). Also as the volume of water becomes greater apples to apples the drip becomes less effective

Example 50 percent drip a day is not the same as 50 percent WC

 

[05spurky]

In short summary.......A drip system is the best thing I've done to my tank in the last year. Less maintenance with steady water parameters. There are pros and cons, but in my case the pros out numbered the cons, glad I installed. Rays are thriving.

 

[DB junkie]

Comparing drip systems to actual real world water changes is like selling someone a bucket of water to dump in their lap after they take a leak in their pants. Just wash it off...... No one will ever know.

WHY? Cause there's NO proof.

As long as you don't actually test the water everything is great - everything is perfect.

Everyone that's sitting here saying drips are all that great - HOW do you know you're dripping enough? What numbers do you watch? Nitrate? So technically I could change from drip water to Mountain Dew and guess what? Since my Nitrates are in check it means everything is gravy right?

Does anyone here running drips actually keep track of conductivity or TDS? IF so post some numbers..... PLEASE, better yet actually post a pic of the number.......

 

[SHARK13]

Lol drip isn't the answer to everything. It just helps along the way. Im not going to sit there and do a 50% water change everyday. I dont have time to do that. The drip gets me through. My water parameters seem to agree with my thriving fish. I still remove waste via a siphon/vac on occasion and let the drip fill the tank back up. Waste removal is necessary in any system. I have been in this hobby way too long to think water changes are not necessary. There is no substitute for a water change, you guys are right. This thread wasn't intended to be about what is better drips vs water changes. I just wanted people to share information on they're setups so we could compare parameters, ect. What works for me, might not work for you.

I can't find my portable tds meter but when I was checking last year my tank was staying less than 30 at all times. Coming out of my tap right now it's 260 and out of my RO unit it's 4.

 

[DB junkie]

I'm all for this discussion. It needs to happen. I thought I was fine with the way I was keeping my fish, now I'm trying to convince myself I may have been wrong......

I think that there's a point where some questions need to be asked, so we can all compare and maybe even form a general consensus. We will all agree? No. Could those of us that have an open enough mind to consider there might be a better way of doing things make some improvements? Sure. Will the fish get mad that we're trying to give them more ideal water? lol

I'd like to see more numbers posted. How do we all KNOW our rays are healthy? They act "the same" as usual? How do we know they couldn't be healthier?

I've ran drips for years. Problem is I didn't really pay attention to numbers. I got away from doing water changes and just relied on the drip. Didn't start messing with keeping tabs on any numbers till I found it odd how long some of the fish went off food when shuffling rays and fish from system to system. PH/TDS shock? Seemed if I matched numbers the fish transitioned much easier. Led to watching numbers more. Drip numbers just seem to creep up and never come down. Led to watching numbers manual wc vs dilution.

Some people are blessed with water they don't have to mess with. That's great news IF you're one of those people.... BUT seems like the water across the country varies a bunch. All I've ever heard as long as I've kept rays is don't mess with PH. Now isn't it possible that there's a point where it's bad enough that it MIGHT be worth messing with? I'd like to think there is. I'd like to think we could figure out the simple task of making this possible, and making it realistic. The animals costs thousands, maybe it's worth trying to give them the best we can? Would be nice to gauge what it would take, and then IF it was worth the trouble, rather then just listening to the same old "don't mess with it"???????

 

[SHARK13]

Yea I agree. Everyone needs to find a way with what they have. Not everyone is blessed with great tap water. I'm in the same boat as you DB. My well is hard, and quality is not good. Not the worst, but most certainly not the best. I mearly want to gauge what works for everyone. I don't normally monitor numbers as much to be honest. As long as my pH is stable, i leave things alone. I think at some point you will start over thinking things and fail trying to make the "perfect water." There is a science to our hobby, but I don't think it needs to be that complicated. I'm not saying you should not monitor your parameters, I'm just saying don't get stuck on numbers. From my experience once u start trying to change things it becomes a slippery sloap.

 

[DB junkie]

I think at some point you will start over thinking things and fail trying to make the "perfect water." There is a science to our hobby, but I don't think it needs to be that complicated. I'm not saying you should not monitor your parameters, I'm just saying don't get stuck on numbers. From my experience once u start trying to change things it becomes a slippery sloap.

See there you go thinking again..... lol. Who says anything needs to be complicated?

I tried the whole dripping RO thing and that was a slippery slope.

 

[mscamp02]

I haven't checked this thread since the first page and the conversation has gotten interesting for sure. I do rely heavily on Just my drip but I'm going to have to bust out the tds now for verification instead of just the standard params.

 

[SHARK13]

See there you go thinking again..... lol. Who says anything needs to be complicated?

I tried the whole dripping RO thing and that was a slippery slope.

With great risk comes great reward.