Pros and cons of constant drip system

[toffee]

I am planning a 125g fresh water tank, and debating the merit of setting up a constant drip system. My water company use chlorine.

My random thoughts:

1. Dripping at 1 gal per hour, that's 24 gal per day, 5 days 120g.
2. I would be wasting or using 120g x 6 = 720g of water every month? A normal shower takes 18g. that is like taking an extra shower? I can put a timer, so I could cut it down to say half or even less.
3. However, the second new water enters tank, wouldn't part of it leaves with the drain? So after say a month, wouldn't some 'old' water remains?
4. Chlorine normally takes a day to gas out? in my case, at 24g per day, would a chlorine filter be essential? I have no problem in installing one.
5. Any known cons on constant drip? Is it a waste of time and water?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[wednesday13]

Only con is the water bill… IMO its the best upgrade u can ever make on a system. Ive been “dripping” for 8+yrs now. My fish have benefited greatly and its extremely nice to never do a physical water change again. Ur about right with ur estimate also. I drip 1-2 gph per 100gal depending on stock. U can always keep higher stocks with higher drip amts also. Basically start low and test weekly to gain the test results u see fit. I shoot for nitrates under 5ppm. Once u drip, ull never go back lol…

as for chlorine its “drops in an ocean” theory. I use no conditioners or pre filtration. U may or may not need to tho. All depends on your source water supply.

 

[jjohnwm]

The fact that you have a "water company" implies to me that you live in an urban environment and are on a sanitary sewer system? If yes, and if the costs are acceptable to you...I would run, not walk, to install a system like this.

I live in a rural setting and am basically responsible for providing my own clean water (in my case, from a well) and for disposing of my waste water (I am on an ejector sewage system, a fairly archaic method largely obsolete in most areas today, but very effective). These two factors conspire to make a drip system unworkable for me.

If there were any way to make it work, I would do it in a heartbeat.

 

[toffee]

Thanks guys!!

I am planning to collect the water from aquarium overthrow into a 50g plastic drum, and connect a sump pump in the drum. The pump could work with either a timer or float valve. That way, water from the aquarium -> drum -> to landscape irrigation. I guess the water from the fish tank wouldn't have high nitrate or other nutrients but still water not down the drain per say.

The thing is not sure where to get a small pump that could pump at 20-30 psi for low pressure irrigation drips. And I probably over water my plants

 

[fishguy1978]

I’m running a drip system on 13 tanks. The only con would be COLD water in the winter time.

 

[wednesday13]

I’m running a drip system on 13 tanks. The only con would be COLD water in the winter time.

Aye! Thats a good one… can always do a mixing valve tho, their actually fairly accurate for temp. If i wasn’t so lazy id throw one in line and save a bit of watts there on heating my tanks.

 

[Midwater]

I am a fan of constant drip, and have had great success for many years. Much better than water changes.

You need not waste water. The volume of the drip over time should be roughly equivalent to what you would do from a water change. Do not drip too much!

For a small tank, adjusting the valve can be difficult to get this control. I use a needle valve.

I also get chlorinated city water, but aerate the supply for the whole house has as it comes in, and then it goes into a large cache tank on the roof. I realise that this is not practical for most people, and I have been thinking about this.

Perhaps a good idea would not be to drip directly into the tank, but to drip onto a wide shallow dish mounted slightly above the surface of the tank. The water would then be aerated by the dripping and the surface area of the dish (which would be the cache), and the the dish would constantly overflow, at an approximate drip into the tank.

 

[toffee]

I am a fan of constant drip, and have had great success for many years. Much better than water changes.

You need not waste water. The volume of the drip over time should be roughly equivalent to what you would do from a water change. Do not drip too much!

For a small tank, adjusting the valve can be difficult to get this control. I use a needle valve.

I also get chlorinated city water, but aerate the supply for the whole house has as it comes in, and then it goes into a large cache tank on the roof. I realise that this is not practical for most people, and I have been thinking about this.

Perhaps a good idea would not be to drip directly into the tank, but to drip onto a wide shallow dish mounted slightly above the surface of the tank. The water would then be aerated by the dripping and the surface area of the dish (which would be the cache), and the the dish would constantly overflow, at an approximate drip into the tank.

Let say 50% water change per week, a 125g would be say 60g per week, I think I could have an irrigation valve with timer to 5 hours per day, and low pressure to 2g drip. (2g x 10 hours x every other day = 60g/6 days) or (1g x 10 hrs x everyday= 70g per week) or even (0.5g x 24 hours x everyday = 84g/week)

I suspect the 2g emitters would be more reliable and less clog than the smaller ones. But the smaller ones with such low volume over a long time may have less chlorine impact. I support I can test water to determine which one is best when it comes to chlorine?

 

[MrsOz]

This is exactly what I am considering and trying to plan out for our current situation, you have inspired me to bite the bullet and commit to it! My husband (not really a fish guy) is about to get a list of plumbing jobs ?

 

[Aloginname]

Lots of really useful comments above.
My aquarium isn't drilled and I'm nervous of using a siphon overflow system in case it fails and floods the house.
Are siphon systems reliable, or should I get a drilled tank?