# DIY drilled overflow to drain :) "drip system" with pics



## MEDHBSI

So I finally got tired or changing 40% of my water twice a week and went with the DIY drilled overflow. All I did was buy 3/4 bulkheads from JL aquatics a male my barb adapter for the garden hose and a 1 1/8 diamond drill bit from rona. With constant water and drilling (grinding) very slowly I was through the 55g tank in about 5 minutes. I also places tape on the inside of the tank so i wouldn't have any glass falling into my running system.

One thing I didn't think of at first was my filter socks are in the same chamber and they got sucked up against the open bulkhead that is why i added the drain cover so that wouldn't happen again.

I'm dripping 30g a day that i measured with a 5g bucket. It took 4 hours to fill the 5g bucket so in 24hrs i will have filled 6 of the 5g buckets making it 30g all together if my math is correct that is haha.

total cost of project roughly $65 dollars if you have the water purification system already

-hose 20' $25
-bulkhead $8
-barbed fitting $5
-male x spigot fitting $.85
-drain cover $.85
-drill bit $25


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## kacairns

Nice, do you have it plumbed to a drain? and I assume since you have purification system you have line running to it how do you have it set it up for refilling?


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## MEDHBSI

Yes i have it plumbed to a drain and the tubing comes from my 2 stage system to the top of my tank. I got the 20' hose because thats my closest drain "i had to drill through a wall to get to it"


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## shift

Nice work! Thats an awesome idea for a larger tank


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## MEDHBSI

Thanks I've been thinking about doing it for soo long but it just seemed like such a hassle because I rent. It actually only took me about 3 hours to do everything.


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## MEDHBSI

UPDATE!! so my ammonia and nitrite is 0 as usual but now for the super awesome part! my nitrates are less than 10ppm  and thats "no water change" for 2 weeks with a bio load of 8 large discus 2 baby rays 4.5" in size and one 8" red tailed pyra all in a 180g


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## hondas3000

But your heater bill will go up if you just drip with cold water .


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## shift

That's awesome! My only question is how would one dechlorinate the water when using a drip system? Does the RO system take care of it?


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## MEDHBSI

I've year that warm water is bad for the carbon. But it doesn't matter I don't pay the electric bill  I'm in a basement suite


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## MEDHBSI

1 micron carbon block gets rid of the chlorine for up to 3000g I believe I will be periodicly checking for chlorine


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## hondas3000

MEDHBSI said:


> I've year that warm water is bad for the carbon. But it doesn't matter I don't pay the electric bill  I'm in a basement suite


In that case go with a monster tank hehehe. Then when the electric bill arrive they will knock on your door.

ps. Don't forget you only drip very little at a time so even with chlorine in the drip it is very little or no harm to the fish at all. As long as you have an air stone in your tank the all the chlorine will evaporate in a few second. Its not like we do 20 or 30% of water change here.


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