# Fry rack/Drip system setup videos



## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)




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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I enjoyed the videos of the new rack, thank you!

Now on for some questions and more details on the drip equipment. I see you are from CA, I think you are just running a cold water drip, correct? How does this affect the tank water temperature since I don't see heaters in the tanks?

Did you just use standard irrigation drip tubing and emitters? Any problems with leaking connections? The reason I ask is that I want to do a similar setup in my finished basement and worry about connections leaking outside of the aquariums.

How long has your system been set up and is there anything you would change to improve it?


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Deeda said:


> I enjoyed the videos of the new rack, thank you!
> 
> Now on for some questions and more details on the drip equipment. I see you are from CA, I think you are just running a cold water drip, correct? How does this affect the tank water temperature since I don't see heaters in the tanks?
> 
> ...


Yes, it is a cold water drip, and i have not found it to affect the tank temp at all. I heat the air in the fish room to 80* and tanks run 76-78* depending on height. The drip tubing is thin and allows the water to get some warmth added to it as well i suppose. But its adding at such a slow rate that it does not seem to affect temp.

Yes, its just standard drip tubing. On the half inch line i have not even a drip of leaks, but i found that out the hard way. I went to home depot at first and got the press fit connectors for the elbows and T's.......and those leaked. I then went down to the local irrigation supply store and got the style that has a threaded twist lock to seal the pipe to the fitting and those have absolutely not leaks. The only place i have any leaks other than the emitters that are supposed to be dripping is a couple of the places where i pierced the larger tubing to insert the quarter inch tubing. Its not an issue because it just drips down the tubing and off the emitter and basically just makes that tank drip a little more than its supposed to.

This rack has been running approx 6 months, and no, i really dont have anything functionality wise i would change at all for my use. The only thing im watching over time that i dont know if it will be an issue or not is the drain hoses. I did not clamp any of them since its non pressurized. IDK if the warm room will eventually allow the hoses to become pliable enough to drip or not. So far it has not but i watch that one close for now. I didnt want to hard plumb in california just to allow the maximum flexibility in the event of an earthquake.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thank you!


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Deeda said:


> Thank you!


No Problem!!!! If i can answer any questions or help at all let me know!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

What brand and model is the tempering valve for controlling the hot/cold hook up?

What brand and model is the pressure reducing valve for the drip system? It looks like the type made for a hose connection normally found at Home Depot and I wasn't sure if it was beefy enough to use long term.

I don't think you will have any issues with the drain hoses from the bulk head fittings as they are just drains and there isn't any movement or temperature swings that should affect them.

Is there any reason you decided not to use lids on any of the tanks? I know glass lids can get expensive but I've seen some fish rooms online that are using the clear double wall greenhouse polycarbonate product and it doesn't seem to reduce light transmission into the tanks, judging by the videos and seeing how well plants are growing in their tanks.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

Deeda said:


> What brand and model is the tempering valve for controlling the hot/cold hook up?
> 
> What brand and model is the pressure reducing valve for the drip system? It looks like the type made for a hose connection normally found at Home Depot and I wasn't sure if it was beefy enough to use long term.
> 
> ...


Ill post a pic below with the label on the mixing valve

The pressure reducer was just the one available at the local irrigation supply store, im sure similar to home depot's. So far it has worked well, although make sure not to use the anti back flow valve if you use pressure compensating drip emitters, the diaphragm messes them up.

I dont run lids on the fry tank because i went a different direction with my fish room than most since it was in a garage and i could experiment. I actually welcome the humidity in the fish room. The paint used was a three part paint made to withstand even the hot humid yoga studio's. By running the room at a high humidity, the tanks run closer to ambient air temp since less evap can occur. This obviously would not work for your basement. I have to run tops on breeding tanks to prevent jumpers.....but the fry tanks dont have the problem with the spacing and having the water level down just an inch or so.


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