A lot of people are setting up drip water change on their tanks these days, and with good reason. I thought I'd show how I set up the drip on one of my tanks about a month ago. This is a 125 gal. discus tank.
Easy Drip.
- Thread starter hillbilly
- Start date
It has 13 discus in it. Anyway, I used an Auto Top Off controller hooked up to a 1/4" water line on one end, and to an 8 watt solenoid valve on the other.
The out going water is drained by using a tee in the main return line. This tee connects to a 1/4" line that has a 2gph drip emmiter on the end. When the water level starts to drop, the float valve activates the controller, which turns on the solenoid valve, and refills the sump. I have soft well water, so I use it straight from the pipe. In the event of a power failure, the whole system shuts downs. Works perfectly.
Why not just use a float valve in the sump to keep the water level ? This way, there no possible electric failure ?
My system I do like you, I take a 'T' from my main return with an adjustable drip (1-10GPH) to my Hospital tank & use the float valve to keep my water level in my sump. Been running this setup for 8 month without any problems.
My system I do like you, I take a 'T' from my main return with an adjustable drip (1-10GPH) to my Hospital tank & use the float valve to keep my water level in my sump. Been running this setup for 8 month without any problems.
Well, I have several tanks employing different methods of drip. This was just an idea that I wanted to try. It works well. In a power failure, the return pump stops, so there is no outflow, and since there is no power to operate the solenoid valve, the inflow stops as well. So, the system is shut off automaticaly in a power failure.
Why not have an overflow drain in your sump? This can drip straight out to the drain so you dont need a float switch or fancy drip emmitter or solenoid. ie You have soft water so just drip it straight into your tank/sump and any excess water will overflow out. You dont even need electricity for the drip changer. Anyway, it looks like your happy with it and there are lots of different ways.
No syphon back thru the return pump?
I don't see how this could possibly work... there's not enough pvc pipes glued together and running everywhere...It just can't work!
Seriously, very nice system, and if it works for Discus it's gonna work elsewhere without a prob. (tho it is nice to have good well water too).
DR Joe
.
I don't see how this could possibly work... there's not enough pvc pipes glued together and running everywhere...It just can't work!
Seriously, very nice system, and if it works for Discus it's gonna work elsewhere without a prob. (tho it is nice to have good well water too).
DR Joe
.
