Will a drip- water change system kill my nitrifying bacteria?
- Thread starter Oreo
- Start date
If it's enough to kill your nitrifying bacteria then I can't imagine it's good for your fish. I would use http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74275
Contact your municipal water supplier and ask if they disinfect with "chlorine" or "chloramines". Sometimes, they use both or switch seasonally. As others have indicated...if they use ONLY chlorine, then your drip system will allow this gas to dissipate and the scenario you describe should be ok. If they use chloramines, this will not dissipate into the air and you will eventually accumulate a concentration which is toxic to both, the bacteria and your fish.
If you must use the system you describe and your water DOES contain chloramines, you can probably blunt the effect by doing the following:
1. Calculate how much fresh water is added to your tank by the drip sysytem within a 24 hour period.
2. Every evening or morning, add a corresponding amount of dechlorinator, plus maybe 10-20% extra. This will be in the tank, waiting to bind with the incoming chloramines. Use a dechlorinator which does NOT bind to ammonia or nitrites. What I don't know is how effectively these dechlorinators are removed by activated carbon. If the dechlorinator binds readily to carbon, then all bets are off. If you don't use carbon, then you're in business.
This approach is certainly not perfect, but should offer some additional protection.
If you must use the system you describe and your water DOES contain chloramines, you can probably blunt the effect by doing the following:
1. Calculate how much fresh water is added to your tank by the drip sysytem within a 24 hour period.
2. Every evening or morning, add a corresponding amount of dechlorinator, plus maybe 10-20% extra. This will be in the tank, waiting to bind with the incoming chloramines. Use a dechlorinator which does NOT bind to ammonia or nitrites. What I don't know is how effectively these dechlorinators are removed by activated carbon. If the dechlorinator binds readily to carbon, then all bets are off. If you don't use carbon, then you're in business.
This approach is certainly not perfect, but should offer some additional protection.
Is this to take the place of weekly water changes, or to replace evaporated water?
Seems to me turning over a 110 g. tank one drip at a time couldn't possibly constitute a water change...
Seems to me turning over a 110 g. tank one drip at a time couldn't possibly constitute a water change...
zennzzo;1836831; said:
This is a good point. If the rate at which nitrates and phosphates accumulate exceeds the rate at which the drip system removes them. there will be a net increase of these contaminants over time. This needs to be considered.
As I see it, that slow of turnover would only cause a build-up of nitrates, given the bio-filter can handle the bio-load.brianp;1836892; said:
Many have tried to come up with an easier way to do W/C's. the ones that work are big money and IMO arn't as reliable as a manual W/C...
I don't know if I have chloramine or chlorine, but I'll be sure to use a carbon filter that will handle both.
The drip system will definitely be effective at removing nitrates. The trick will be at what flow rate. I suspect I'll have to run it a little faster then you'd think just based on water volume replaced alone. We'll see.
The drip system will definitely be effective at removing nitrates. The trick will be at what flow rate. I suspect I'll have to run it a little faster then you'd think just based on water volume replaced alone. We'll see.
I do drip municipal water with chlorine and chloramine into some of my tanks directly without any problems. Chloramine does breakdown but just takes longer then chlorine (which is why it is used). Obviously it depends on what percentage of tank volume your changing. Before I did this, I satisfied my own curiosity and fears by running a test tank with some sensitive tester fish inline before the water got to the main tank. A carbon filter will also remove chloramine since the dwell time on drip feeds is quite long. Carbon filters are quite cheap so I would recommend one. Carbon filters also remove anything which might clog or change your drip rates too.
Do keep your drippers above water so they dont clog and can easily be visually checked that they are running.
Do keep your drippers above water so they dont clog and can easily be visually checked that they are running.
