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saltydog
12-01-2010, 12:27 PM
can anyone using this system post pics or explain in more detail how they do this. I would be doing this on a one tank system so i would like to make it as simple as possible. i was thinknig if I could use my existing RO system but skip the membrane all together to eliminate waste water and have the water go through 2x carbon block with chloramine blockers and then filter floss and then drip to my tank. I can also drill out behind my tank for a line to drip to the outside but just need to figure out techno stuff here. I am not real good wtih things like this and i am a very visual person. I was hoping to drip out and drip in at about a rate of 50% water change or more once a week in my 180 planted tank.

Darrell Ward
12-09-2010, 12:44 AM
I done this about 6 years ago on a 240 gal. tank. Sure it looks cool, but it don't vac wastes, and don't really change enough water at once to do much good really. It just mixes about 40 or 50 gals. of clean water over 24 hours to the rest of the dirty water. I used it for about six months, and unhooked it. My water quality actually improved when I started changing water the old fashioned way again.

adeer
11-28-2017, 03:00 PM
Hi,
i order a "Multi-Stream Dripper" which is a knob adjusts water flow (link below), from amazon but it really hard to set the specific set flow, i was wondering if any of you can recommend me something better, that i can attach to a 1/4-Inch end pipe.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B8RWW4/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

fishbubbles
11-28-2017, 11:50 PM
Can you just use these instead? They're basically mini gate valves for drip systems. https://www.amazon.com/ORBIT-UNDERGROUND-612010B-Barbed-Valve/dp/B000BO4HLS/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511927242&sr=1-1&keywords=drip+line+valve

I use this for my drip system that disperses to 6 separate tanks. https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-DripMaster-8-Port-Manifold-Adjustable/dp/B004RUJ2OE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1511927318&sr=8-6&keywords=drip+manifold

Ryan925
11-29-2017, 12:38 AM
Can you just use these instead? They're basically mini gate valves for drip systems. https://www.amazon.com/ORBIT-UNDERGROUND-612010B-Barbed-Valve/dp/B000BO4HLS/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511927242&sr=1-1&keywords=drip+line+valve

I use this for my drip system that disperses to 6 separate tanks. https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-DripMaster-8-Port-Manifold-Adjustable/dp/B004RUJ2OE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1511927318&sr=8-6&keywords=drip+manifold

I believe people use the self compensating drip emitters. The ones that are colored coded for flow rate like you use for trees and plants. That way it is designed for a specific gph

HappyFace
01-01-2018, 11:19 PM
Can you just use these instead? They're basically mini gate valves for drip systems. https://www.amazon.com/ORBIT-UNDERGROUND-612010B-Barbed-Valve/dp/B000BO4HLS/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1511927242&sr=1-1&keywords=drip+line+valve

I use this for my drip system that disperses to 6 separate tanks. https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-DripMaster-8-Port-Manifold-Adjustable/dp/B004RUJ2OE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1511927318&sr=8-6&keywords=drip+manifold

I'm not sure if this would work for your setup. This is what I use on both my tanks.
https://www.zoro.com/brooks-meter-water-2-25-gph-2520a4l48svvt/i/G2384417/

I have a basic garden spigot outside turned on, connected to a regulator then an adapter to convert the garden spigot to 1/4" hose. I have the 1/4" hose connected to a 1/4" quick connect coconut shell carbon filter to remove chlorine (purchase at hardware store and change out 1-2 times per month). All this is outside. Then I have the 1/4" line coming in through a hole drilled through the wall. There's a threaded stainless nipple in the wall. The 1/4" line goes into the key instruments meter then out the meter and into my sump. I set it to full blast for first time use and every time I change the filter to get all air bubbles out then lower it to where I want it to be. Mine is set at 4GPH. We have 1/2 drain hole in the sump so the waste water goes out through the 1/2" hose connected to a pvc pipe through a hole in the wall which then connects to a regular garden hose that waters our garden.

I salted my tank and did 24 hour salt meter tests to see how much of the water draining out is what I just put in and how much is old dirty water. I determined that 1/3 of the water draining out is fresh water and 2/3 is old dirty water so using this method means you need to account for the fresh water draining out.

If you use this method make sure your drain line is above the return pump so your sump never goes dry. This method insures you never have to worry about water change floods, major PH fluctuations from huge water changes or your sump going dry from evaporation.

Let me know if you want pictures of the outside setup.