auto drip systems - time to choose

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billberet

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
393
hey, working on my auto drip system.
I have 120gal fw moderately stocked.

currently I have a Pressure Regulator @ 20 PSI and a drip emitter at the end.
I'm having clogging issues with this system. metals clog up the emitter.
then I drip the water thru some carbon and into the tank.

I want to upgrade this system, I have decided to go with a drip regulator instead of my emitter. and i want to go with a pre filter.
so I'm figuring out either to go RO or RO/DI with a carbon block and sediment filter.

I'm trying to figure out which pressure regulator to buy. being it's a 120 gal tank, for a 20% water change I need 24 gal a day. I can buy a drip regulator for 24 gpd, or I can get the 40 gal gpd regulator.

I'm not on a well, so I have to deal with metals and chlorine.


i don't run this all the time, i have this system connected to a sprinkler valve that i turn on and off with my home automation, so i run it every 2 weeks for 24 hrs. but i think i want to get to a point that i run it all the time, depending on my water bill.


anyone have any insight ??
 
hey, working on my auto drip system.
I have 120gal fw moderately stocked.

currently I have a Pressure Regulator @ 20 PSI and a drip emitter at the end.
I'm having clogging issues with this system. metals clog up the emitter.
then I drip the water thru some carbon and into the tank.

I want to upgrade this system, I have decided to go with a drip regulator instead of my emitter. and i want to go with a pre filter.
so I'm figuring out either to go RO or RO/DI with a carbon block and sediment filter.

I'm trying to figure out which pressure regulator to buy. being it's a 120 gal tank, for a 20% water change I need 24 gal a day. I can buy a drip regulator for 24 gpd, or I can get the 40 gal gpd regulator.

I'm not on a well, so I have to deal with metals and chlorine.


i don't run this all the time, i have this system connected to a sprinkler valve that i turn on and off with my home automation, so i run it every 2 weeks for 24 hrs. but i think i want to get to a point that i run it all the time, depending on my water bill.


anyone have any insight ??


Not sure what equipment to suggest; but thought its worth pointing out that adding in 24 gallons via a drip system does not equate to a 20% water change. Yes you've added in 20% of the total water volume; but all you're doing is diluting whats already there.

Check this calculator here: Drip System Water Change Rate Calculator (W.C.S. Ltd.)

It claims that would give you the equivalent of an 18% daily WC.....which is pretty **** close to 20% lol.
 
thanks for the calc link.

I actually skipped the DI and just got a RO system
and I got the 40 gpd regulator, when I ran it in the calc, I got
The drip system will change 28.35 % of the Tank's water in one day and 48.66 % in two days.

so in one day I got 28% of the water to change.
I have 0 nitrites and ammonia, so I'm only doing this to handle my nitrates.
not to mention it will keep my water column stable.


I'm still fairly new when it comes to a drip system, so should I keep this system running all the time, that would dilute 28% of the water a day. seems like a lot if running all the time.
 
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