Drip System Refurbishment

[Bettarazzi]

I've been going on and on about fixing my drip system and it's certainly taken me a lot longer than I expected. But here at last is the promised thread. I was going to make a YouTube but I've been suffering a constant cough for the last few weeks so I can't do any voiceover so we'll have to make do with text and pictures. This will make a lot more sense if you've already watched the YouTube of my barracks before the modifications.

My barracks was idle for about 18 months and with the impending need to jar my current spawn I thought I would take the opportunity to give it a good scrub and make some minor adjustments. The adjustments were driven by two snippets of information that I stumbled upon. The first was discovered when I was researching fish rooms. It was suggested that the air delivery system is more efficient if you make it a closed loop. Pressure is equalised in a closed loop so all the outlets should provde the same output if there are no dead ends. I wondered if this would be the case with delivering water and thought it was worth a try. This would have been quite easy to do. My system had six dead ends (one at each end of the 3 rows), I just had to replace the end plugs with elbows and tees and a bit of extra hose.

The second piece of information came when I was browsing an irrigation website (to buy the elbows and tees). It suggested using 19mm hose when you have over a certain number of drippers (can't remember how many now). I had only been using 13 mm hose. So I thought since I was creating the closed loop I might as well do the larger hose as well. This was a lot more work but the old hose was pretty dirty so still worthwhile.

Here's a pic of one end of the 'loop'.

Basically I've got three rows of hose and they're joined with elbows and tees at each end like this to create the closed system. The theory is that water would enter the circuit at one point and then fill the entire network with water, of course exiting at each dripper. I have to explain the reason there are two pumps in the previous version. The first pump I bought was too weak so I bought a much bigger one. The second pump was also unable to handle the load so I ended up using both pumps. The smaller one served one row while the bigger one served two. When I found out those two bits of information that I talked about earlier, I suspected that I might gain some efficiency by creating the closed loop and using larger hose. But I didn't believe one pump would cut it so even in this version I set both pumps up.

I have to say that this black poly pipe is very difficult to work with. It's sold in a coil and the curve is really quite stiff so you have to use quite a lot of force to get it into position. I couldn't find a large enough container that I could use to heat the pipe with hot water so I struggled on until I got to doing the hoses which joined the pumps to the closed loop overhead. There was nowhere to clamp the hose so it had to be straightened somehow. I wasn't prepared to fill the bath with boiling water. Hot water from the tap just didn't cut it. So the project came to a standstill until I thought to Google it. Not sure why I forgot that answers to everything are on the internet. Anyway, what you do is cut a longer piece of pipe than you need, put about a couple of centimetres of it in hot water to soften, fold it over and clamp it. Shove a funnel in one end, and hold it with tongs or pliers as I did. Then just pour boiling water into the funnel until you've filled the pipe. Hold it upright for half a minute and Voila! -- straight pipe. Wish I discovered this when I was working with the closed loop.

In my day job, projects often experience what we call 'scope creep' meaning that the job just gets bigger and bigger. Well in this case, hobby certainly imitates real life. Having decided to replace the old hose, it occurred to me that maintenance would be easier if the hose coming up from the pump was at one of the ends rather than in the middle ie the corner/crook of the L shaped shelves. So now I wanted to replace the two storage boxes that acted as the sump for a single container. For a long time I'd been wishing that I'd gone with a glass sump when I originally made the drip system. I didn't have any real reason but the plastic strorage boxes just seemed dirty all the time. The sump got solved when I purchased a used standard 2 foot tank (for $10 dollars at an Aquarium Society of Victoria meeting ). I realised that the old container I'd been using to hold the filter media would sit perfectly on the rim of the tank. This would mean that I could set it up as a trickle filter instead of a submerged filter.

Pic of the new sump.

I like that I was able to cover the sump much better. The filter media box has it's own lid with a hole for the downpipe. And I used plastic corrugated board to make a lid that tightly cover the area around the hoses coming from the pumps.

But notice that there is only a single pipe coming into the sump? The previous version had three downpipes. These all had to be joined into the middle pipe. What a painful task this was. I couldn't get how to measure and cut the pieces accurately and had to cut pieces over and over as they were too short or too long. Was quite at the point of giving up when I was doing this.

The need to jar my boys became more urgent and for a while I actually had to keep them in unfiltered jars requiring manual water changes. How primitive! But here they are all happy in their new abode. Although I think a few of them are finding the constant flow a bit challenging.

I was very nervous turning it on yesterday. Fully expected to find soaked carpet, dry sump and burnt out heater this morning. Well the carpet did get wet this evening but that was because I kicked over a half-filled bucket of water while I was taking these photos!! So was it worth doing these changes? I think so, the pumps are much more efficient. So efficient that I had to turn the smaller pump off. Yep, it's sitting there doing nothing. Fortunately the smaller pump has a valve to control the flow which can be closed almost completely. Otherwise, with it turned off, the hose that's attached to it would act like another downpipe. I will probably remove it at some point but it will mean fiddling around with more poly pipe and I can't bear the thought of it.

There are still a few little things to do. I need to find a clamp that I can use to attach the downpipes to the shelf. They're currently only hanging on by friction. I've got visions of the whole thing falling off and then I will be waking up to a soggy carpet. The other thing I'd like to do is attach a float switch that will turn off the pumps and heater if the water drops for whatever reason. And there are still exposed parts of the gutter which I've been planning to make covers for.

[Yanagi]

I want your fish room!

[Bettarazzi]

Nah... too small. Double the size would be perfect. I want to be able to hold about 200 jars, 4 x 4 ft tanks, 4 x 2 ft tanks, 6-8 x 20 ltr tanks. That would give me the flexibility to spawn often enough to make it interesting and be able to keep some other fish on my wish list like apistos, plecos, killies and do more with guppies too.

[Yanagi]

I've got my entire floor space (aside from what I need to actually move around) covered. The only direction I have left to go is UP and that isn't going to work. Only have 9 tanks in here, the largest being the almost 2ft cube marine tank at 130lt, smallest at 8lt. I have room for more little tanks but no more power points to overload.

I'd be happy to have a fish room your size! Unfortunately my fishroom is also my bedroom so unless I want to start sleeping with the fishes or on the lounge, this is what I'm stuck with.

[fishbites]

great post Razzi!!!!!

Can imagine you there waving your hacksaw round and cursing that 2" downpipe!!!!

Certainly worth it in the end though by the looks :)

[Bettarazzi]

Come on, where's your dedication? Sleep in the lounge. Start off by pretending to fall asleep in front of the tv. Slowly increase how often you do it until the rest of the household are so used to it they just expect to find you there in the morning. Then before they know it your bed has disappeared and extra tanks have taken their place. *lol*

[Yanagi]

I did that for a while Razzi (before I banished all the air pumps but the ones running my sponge filters). I had to give it up though as the dog is a blanket hog and kicks in her sleep!

[melbournebetta]

Oh My!

it's a fishroom-off, this not only LOOKS fantastic but seems really functional - look at all those BARRACKS!

Michael I'm really impressed, for someone who isn't big into DIY - you smashed this one out of the ballpark!

Great GREAT work, love it!

-Ness

[BettaObsessed]

Wow. I'll take one in kit form

Yan, you could always do what I did at one of my old houses and just move your mattress into the lounge room. Ah the beauty of living alone :)

[Fletch]

Love it Micheal. Next time you in Brissie, free accommodation and food for as long ad it takes to make me one. Lol

Quick question, I thought sump filters needed to be open at the top to allow air to escape?? Not sure, can someone confirm please, one way or the other.

[Bettarazzi]

@fishbites actually it's not 2" pipe but 1 1/2" (40 mm). When I was shopping for the elbows I was cursing that I didn't originally use 2" (50 mm). 50 mm fittings are cheaper.

@Ness if it's a fishroom-off then we'll need to put up pics of the rest of the room

@Busman the sump isn't airtight. But even if it was there's plenty of air mixed in with the water as it's coming down.

[melbournebetta]

Razzi - THERS MORE?!!?!? Isnt that your study too?

Did you fix up the damp issues and insulate that window?

I only has a shelf as a "Fishroom" as it's also my Bedroom / art studio / design office / Kelpie's house

-multitaskingNess

[Neffy]

Its a really great setup! I saw it at the first melb betta meet I went too XD and ever since wanted something like it.

Next comp Fishroom showdown hey?

[girlz0r]

WOWOWOOWW that looks super fun. I want one!! what about cleaning all those tanks though o____________o

[Bettarazzi]

There's a smaller set of shelves with 16 x 7 ltr tanks and I finally stopped flip flopping about the 2 ft tier and just got a medium sized officeworks shelf for $49. It's cheap and not such a big deal if I change my mind. This can hold two 2 footers but I only have one because the other became the sump.

[Bettarazzi]

@girlz0r I don't worry about cleaning the beanie boxes. When they get vacated I give them a good scrub. But no, they don't get regular cleaning. The boxes nearest to the light get a bit of algae and those ones might get cleaned maybe every 3 or 4 weeks. Not all the poop flows out of the boxes. And sometimes it starts to collect. This is not uniform across all boxes. Seems like some fish poop more. And I guess I'm not giving each fish exactly the same amount of food because I just chuck a pinch in. Anyway if a box is really poopy I would remove it with a turkey baster. But it's really only the first two rows that get this attention. The ones at the back just have to put up with it.

@Ness, no, I haven't fixed the damp issues or insulated the window. Still on the To Do list. Need to do it soon. It's getting COLD in Melbourne. It's kinda not really functional as a study any more. The new arrangement of downpipes has somehow increased the sound of rushing water rather a lot. If I have to actually work in there and use the phone the person at the other end would think I was calling them from Niagara Falls! Also the desk has an 18 inch tank, a 12 inch tank and 4 takeaway containers sitting on a heating cord acting as my brine shrimp hatchery.

I'd be more than happy to help anyone build their barracks for no fee other than sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks if it means the hobby is much more manageable and fun for you. Of course by "help" I mean you do most of the work, I'll provide design advice and stand there making fun of how you're holding the hacksaw and not warn you when you're about to kick a bucket of water over. Afterall, you've got to have the full experience in order to truly appreciate the end result.

[fishbites]

sorry for assuming you were as tight as me when it came to plumbing fittings Razzi!!!!!! LOL.... I wish you had the refurbishment on video!!!! waving hacksaws and kicked buckets - would be a youtube hit!!!!! :P

[Fletch]

I am just counting my pennies..................now, lollies, chips and softdrink. Lol.

I do love the setup but alas, I don't have enough time now, let alone all that as well. Well I can always dream......

[Bettarazzi]

@Wayne, I just had no idea how to choose sizes and didn't know that 50 mm was actually the standard not 40 mm. I got assistance from the plumbing specialist at bunnings who didn't explain anything. Just pointed out the parts he thought I needed. Now I realise there are adaptors there which would have been unnecessary if I'd chosen the 50 mm pipe. Never mind. Live and learn.

[Bettarazzi]

Here's a pic of the shelves holding the 16 x 7 ltr tanks the tanks are 20cm cubes. Yes, there's one missing. It's in the bathroom. I took it there to wash it, got distracted and it's been sitting in the bathroom for a couple of weeks now.

These tanks hold my breeders. Unfiltered at the moment. There were sponge filters in all of them but I took the filters out to when I was doing a spring clean to give them a good wash, didn't get around to it, then my imported fish arrived and they had to go in there without filters. That was in November!!! LOL. But the males prefer still water anyway so even when the filters were in there before I used to remove the males filter when I was trying to spawn him. I use these small tanks as spawning tanks as well. I just put the female in the next tank, card and uncard, then just lift her out and pop her in next door.

[les]

WOW Razzi you are amazing you hit DIY guru status with this one I realy do have fishroom envy as mine are all in the garage (Ill have to make a room out the back where the glass house stands at present) love the whole room and the set up looks brilient

Cheers

Les

[GoldenGirl13]

WOW...nice job Razzi. :applaud:

[Bettarazzi]

The missing tank allows you to see the reptile heating cords under all the tanks which is what I use to heat them. I use a thermostat to regulate the temperature. It's not pictured but this is the listing off ebay. I just didn't use the supplied heater and plugged in a powerboard instead, and then plugged in the 4 heating cords into that.

[melbournebetta]

Michael,

I have one of those reptile mats heating the underside of my tanks, but find it fluctuates from 23-26 (this is probably a problem, right?)

do you find these cords hold a steadier constant heat? I think the pad heats up, then drops off, then heats up - but allows fluctuation more than a normal heater.

I'm thinking I might try putting bluestone over the top (or something that will warm up and buffer the heat, i.e. hold it) opinions oh DIY master?

Or should i just suck it up and get some of these cords?

-Ness

[Bettarazzi]

How is the temperature regulated with the heating mat? With my set up, the thermostat is completely separated from. The reptile cords don't have any temperature control themselves. They just go on or off as dictated by the thermostat. Bear in mind the thermostat is a separately purchased device. It has a sensor which I stick in one of the tanks. When the tank temp drops below what I've set as the ideal temp the cords go on and stay on until it goes back up. I actually haven't really monitored if there is a lot of fluctuation. I might try to do that at some point.