Drip water change system...

[ron v]

I have been thinking about trying to find an easy way to do water changes for a long time. All the current discussion, on this forum, about disease and the general health of our pets is motivating me to DO IT! My theory is that clean water will prevent 90% of our problems. My fish room has 25 - 35 tanks running at all times and weekly water change/ tank maintenance, the old fashion way, takes 4-6 hours. I'm lazy and after all, I have to get through before the Saturday football games start LOL.... I have some ideas in mind. I'm thinking a constant drip system with a gravity drain, but before I start getting into detail, do any of you have any thoughts. How many of you have done this???

[Cichlid Man]

Good idea Ron V. I know some fish dealers that never change their water, as they think nitrates are harmless. I disagree, I think it's best to keep the water as close to natural as possible, so this involves some devise to keep the nitrates, pH, and temperature at a constant level all the time.
I use a "drip" system, but it's a bit more complicated. I have a main water supply that runs at a very slow rate through a sump which is heated by 4 300W heaters behind the back of my tanks, though if you only do this, the benificial bacteria in the filter media contained in the sump will just get destroyed by the chlorine and other harmful metals etc. So I use a water purifier which is connected to the main water supply. After the water trickles through the sump, the water is blasted by a pond pump to my row of top tanks. The water travels though the top row of tanks as I drilled holes in every tank and attatched flexi pipes using aquarium sealent. Gravity takes water from the last tank in the top row to the tank directly underneath through a pipe. This proccess carries on until the water passes all four rows of tanks. All of the water exits the fish room through a pipe in the wall into the garden pond. This means that my pond doesn't freeze over in the winter as the water from the fishroom is still quite warm. I never risk keeping tropical fish in the pond though just in case the pond does go below 15 degreesC in really cold weather. From the pond, the excess water simply enters a pipe conected to the drains.
I hope I have inspired you Ron V, and given you few more ideas.

[Alin10123]

Originally Posted by Cichlid Man

Good idea Ron V. I know some fish dealers that never change their water, as they think nitrates are harmless. I disagree, I think it's best to keep the water as close to natural as possible, so this involves some devise to keep the nitrates, pH, and temperature at a constant level all the time.
I use a "drip" system, but it's a bit more complicated. I have a main water supply that runs at a very slow rate through a sump which is heated by 4 300W heaters behind the back of my tanks, though if you only do this, the benificial bacteria in the filter media contained in the sump will just get destroyed by the chlorine and other harmful metals etc. So I use a water purifier which is connected to the main water supply. After the water trickles through the sump, the water is blasted by a pond pump to my row of top tanks. The water travels though the top row of tanks as I drilled holes in every tank and attatched flexi pipes using aquarium sealent. Gravity takes water from the last tank in the top row to the tank directly underneath through a pipe. This proccess carries on until the water passes all four rows of tanks. All of the water exits the fish room through a pipe in the wall into the garden pond. This means that my pond doesn't freeze over in the winter as the water from the fishroom is still quite warm. I never risk keeping tropical fish in the pond though just in case the pond does go below 15 degreesC in really cold weather. From the pond, the excess water simply enters a pipe conected to the drains.
I hope I have inspired you Ron V, and given you few more ideas.

Dont know about RON. But you've definately inspired me.

[ron v]

Thank's cichlidman. Sounds like you have a nice system. My plan is a bit different. Your system combines filtration and heating, which is really nice. I assume you have a fresh water drip into your sump and an overflow for waste water. I plan to have a constant drip into each tank individually. I will have an overhead holding tank ( which I haven't quite figured out yet ) with a supply line that runs above all the tanks and an adjustable drip at each tank. It is all gravity fed. Heating and filtration will be on each tank. My tanks are not drilled so your system wouldn't work for me. Your system is better!!! Your filtration and heating is centralized which makes maint. easy and you have less equipment to worry about. The only slight disadvantage to your system is that a disease in one tank would spread to all. I also have the option of taking one tank out of the system. I have soft, acid water so I keep mostly south american and west african cichlids. I do, however have a few tanks of rift lakes and central american fish that like harder water. I have to play chemist on those tanks, so the constant drip from my water supply wouldn't work. Thanks again for your reply.

[Cichlid Man]

Originally Posted by ron v

The only slight disadvantage to your system is that a disease in one tank would spread to all.

Yes, I sometimes get worried about diseases establishing, but because the water is constantly being replaced, I hope any disease will just get washed out of the system, and hopefully not even develop in the first place since I try to keep the water conditions as good as possible all of the time.
You're right though, a disease can effect the whole lot, but I always have my fingers crossed.

[micstarz]

wow, cichlidman. your water bills must be big!

[Cichlid Man]

We don't pay water bills in England the way you do. We simply pay a fixed fee per anum.

[micstarz]

no wonder you can afford what you've got!