Easy Drip for Small Tanks

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

This makes my life so much easier

Full view of set-up



To change water, all I have to do is refill the buckets on the shelf and empty the buckets on the floor. This has several advantages:

1. My tanks have a constant, good water quality. No more pollution peaks during service intervals. That greatly affects growth and health.
2. Water changes have no more impact on new or sensitive fish, I don't even have to lift up the canopy.
3. I only have to haul buckets, no more having to mess around with hoses, and no more rolling up my sleeves and getting wet.
4. As compared to a central drip system which requires permanent plumbing, I set this one here up in one evening after work.
5. Every tank can have different water parameters, all I have to do is to fill each bucket accordingly - which is what I do: One tank is 7 tbsp salt/10 gal, one is 2 tbsp/10 gal and plant ferts, one is just conditioner.
6. Each system remains isolated: I can set up one or more quarantine tanks, and they remain independent of each other. Matter of fact, I can change water on all tanks without having to worry about cross-contamination. Just fill up all buckets first and then empty waste buckets
7. I can service (fill&empty) the system for three tanks within 10-15 minutes.
8. Water levels remain constant. Hang-on filters are notorious for increased evaporation. Now my overflows determine the water level.
9. Compared to a hard-plumbed system, this won't cause a flood when an overflow fails.

All in all, I couldn't be much happier. This is one more automated step that benefits my fish by providing constantly fresh water, and me by saving time.

Here's the system:

Semi-transparent 5 gal buckets mounted above tanks


Each contains an air line to keep water from getting stale, and drain tubing.


One bucket per tank. Essential: Valve to regulate water flow (i.e. drip rate). I adjust drips to the bioload of each tank. One tank only holds one fish, another an entire breeding colony. Needless to say that the first one drips slower than the latter.



Overflow on each tank, using an Eheim filter intake pipe with filter basket as bridge. Compared to white PVC bridges, this allows to check for air-locking.





Hoses drain into waste buckets



HarleyK

 

[mellowvision]

you can tell by the pixels

 

[HarleyK]

you can tell by the pixels

:huh:
I don't have a clue what in the world you are talking about

 

[CHOMPERS]

LOL, my thoughts exactly.

Harley, yer just a junior member over here.
Oh crap, so am I!

 

[HarleyK]

LOL, my thoughts exactly.

Harley, yer just a junior member over here.
Oh crap, so am I!

:newbie:

 

[LeahK]

I think that's awesome. So, you have new water dripping into your tanks constantly? And the overflow goes in the lower buckets? I'd like to know about your schedule--how often you refill the top buckets, and how often you empty the lower ones. And, what're your water parameters? Does the nitrate level fluctuate at all or stay the same?
Thanks!

 

[guppymill]

This is amazing. Fair amount of work for the initial set-up, then saves you time in the long-run. Nice.

Lol on the Photoshopping tho.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Thanks for the kind replies and interest.

I think that's awesome. So, you have new water dripping into your tanks constantly? And the overflow goes in the lower buckets?

Correct. From the buckets on the shelf constantly dripping into the tanks, and overflowing into the buckets on the ground.

I'd like to know about your schedule--how often you refill the top buckets, and how often you empty the lower ones.

You actually have to empty the lower buckets every time you fill up the upper buckets. The reason: All buckets are the same size. If there is still water left in the lower buckets and the upper buckets are full and they drain completely, then the lower buckets will overflow.
But: If you use 10 or 20 gal tubs on the ground for waste water, then you can of course refill the 5 gal buckets 2-4 times.

My buckets generally take 5 days to drain.

And, what're your water parameters? Does the nitrate level fluctuate at all or stay the same?

I have to admit that I do not test any of these these smaller tanks. Before the installation of the drip, I used to go by schedule, water level/evaporation, and (is this crazy or what) water color :uhoh: All of these are now constant.

However, I can speak about the general beneficial aspects of a drip system: About nitrates on my 220 gal with piranhas, which greatly benefited from a drip: Nitrates spiked up to 200 mg/L in between massive weekly water changes. Now that the drip is installed (2 gal/h) nitrates stay at tap water levels (10-20 mg/L) all day every day. The turnover is in the same order of magnitude as it is with the presented 10 gal tanks: 10-20 % per day.

Fair amount of work for the initial set-up, then saves you time in the long-run.

Seriously, once I had a plan outlined, and had purchased all materials from Lowes, it literally only took me one evening to set everything up. Just drilling a few holes into bucket lids and cutting some tubing into pieces. With the set-up posted here, you guys can save time if you choose to simply copy my design

Lol on the Photoshopping tho.

I wanted your entire focus on the set-up, not on my basement

Cheers,
HarleyK