# drip system



## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

I have a 75 gal cichlid tank I have rigged up a drip system with overflow. I tapped into my reverse osmosis drinking water system just after the charcoal filter. This water also goes through a softener.first. I have it set about a gal an hour. Has anyone tried this. I was wondering
If the soft water will hurt the cichlids. I used crushed coral for gravel and started this trank by seeding from this tank when I had an large Oscar in it. Stripped it down but saved rocks and filters, replaced 
Gravel and ran it for a month. I have no ideas on the parameters and will need to get a test kit. I have an under gravel filter with a 3 stage external Sun Sun. Fish seem to be happy and content.


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## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

That is a lot of water; around 9000 gallons per year for one tank.

Depends on the cichlids you will be keeping. What part of the world do the fish you plan on caring for, call home? Soft water for African Rift Lake cichlids is probably not ideal.

Joe


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

I am in Oklahoma, we have very hard well water here in the rural area. I am keeping Malawi cichlids mostly. I raised them some 20 something years ago with great success. I am using crushed coral to try to keep the pH up and have a test kit ordered. A lot has changed in the last 20 years and I am having to learn all over. I just thought the drip system sounded like a
great idea. I could tap into the water line before the softener if I needed.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

it's a good idea, you should definitely tap in before the softener. There's a calculator for drip systems here http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectiveWaterChange.phpthat should tell you how much per hour to effectively change a certain percentage per week.


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

Thanks, that is very helpful. I remember when we had our water tested it was over 16 hardness, anything over 10 is suppose to be hard.


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

My tank almost overflowed yesterday. I caught it in time but I think I will install a second overflow as a back up just in case.


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## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

Do you know why your overflow stopped functioning?


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

Yes, a piece of plant got stuck in the over flow hole in the PVC so I enlarged it and put 3 more holes in it.


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## Bikeman48088 (Nov 13, 2013)

kd5exp said:


> I have a 75 gal cichlid tank I have rigged up a drip system with overflow. I tapped into my reverse osmosis drinking water system just after the charcoal filter. This water also goes through a softener.first. I have it set about a gal an hour. Has anyone tried this. I was wondering
> If the soft water will hurt the cichlids. I used crushed coral for gravel and started this trank by seeding from this tank when I had an large Oscar in it. Stripped it down but saved rocks and filters, replaced
> Gravel and ran it for a month. I have no ideas on the parameters and will need to get a test kit. I have an under gravel filter with a 3 stage external Sun Sun. Fish seem to be happy and content.


I'm finally getting around to installing a drip system in my 110 gallon tank. I used a self-tapping 3/8" valve to get my water supply, then routed it through a Filtrete water filter that removes >96.6% Cl and then reduced it down to a 1/4" drip irrigation tube with a 1/2 GPH emitter. The problem I'm having is I cant find a pressure regulator that isn't designed for a garden hose. How did you regulate the pressure in your drip system?


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

I found a regulator that has 1/4 line in and out on eBay. It is made for a garden hose but the 1/4 lines on held on with squese clamps so I took it apart and put it inline on my 1/4 line. It is adjustable and makes it easy to adjust the drip.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

not fish related...........but im not understanding why you would run a softener AND an RO system together.........

But at the end of the day, you are removing from the water, the things that will make the water maintain a high ph, and all of the essential nutrients and minerals the fish need to survive if your using the water after its treated.


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

Well isn't this something. Cleaning up around the tanks today I noticed a cloudy spot. After looking close it was a bunch of fry. Same RedJewls that breed before had another batch. They are so small hard to see. I have been watching and did not notice her carrying. Got most of them out and in a raise rank. I guess I need to quit being in such a hurry. I don't know how many but looked like a 100 of them. Daddy wasn't happy with me but he will get over it.


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## kd5exp (Mar 21, 2014)

Water softener is a must here with this water. Hot water tank and faucets won't last no time. Drinking system was just something they sold me and I don't even like to drink it. No taste to it. Where it is at it is easy to set up. I posted it earlier that I tapped in after the first filter which is a carbon filter. It won't produce enough for all three tanks.


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