Getting Discouraged

[gpkozmp]

Okay well right now I have a 40 gallon breeder up and I am having to top it off all the time. I currently do not have A/C in my house, is this something that might be causing this. I have a 100 gallon that I am wanting to set up soon but if it is costing this much of a hassle then I might back off.

Also what are some ways to eleveate this issue. I understand an auto top off would work well but I don't have one, also an RO/DI unit would work wonders so are those the only things/ways that I can correct this problem?

I really like the hobby but this is something that last night I though about and well this morning when I looked at the tank it kind kicked it up a knoch on my belt. Any advice is always more than helpful. Thank you everyone.

 

[dizzyD]

topping of your tank is probably one of the easiest things you will have to maintain you tank and honestly if you thin that is to much trouble you should just give it up now ....but if you can get past having to do all the work and learning the end result of an established, fully stocked tank are well worth the troubles!

back on subject there are some inexpensive ways to DIY ATO's ...im sure there are posts here for them and i know the are some instructional videos on youtube

 

[murfman]

Replied on SCMAS

 

[lngball]

Auto top off and RO unit is a must in this hobby for any tank bigger than a nano in my opinion. I just upgraded from a 20 gallon nano to a 125. With the nano i would just go by 10 gallons of RO from the LFS shop and that would top off for a couple of weeks. The 125 top off is close to 5 gallons every 3 to 4 days and I have central air in my house as well and my tank stays between 78 and 80 degrees.

Also our climate is very dry here in Colorado so evaporation is always going to an issue!!

 

[rmougey]

There are many ways to topp off you tank. There are inexpensive 'drip's systems that use small jugs, up to 5 gallon systems. Dripping in top off water also has the added benefits of being able to drip additives at the same time. You don't have to be sophisticated, you just need something that works for you.

Check out the SCMAS Frag Swap & Garage Sale next weekend. You might find some used gear that could help.

-Rob

 

[gpkozmp]

Well to be honest yes it is a hassle but I am willing to put up with it, the thing is Dizzy D it is hard to save money to start my 100 gallon if I am constintly spending the money on water. I am working on talking my wife into letting my buy an RO/DI unit for the house to include drinking water and there I am kinda winning, but only time will tell. I intend on investing in both of those and lately I have been thinking about putting my sump in the basement and that way I can have a larger sump with everything I need in there and not have to worry about it, but I have to talk the wife into drilling a hole and all that other fun stuff but I can work it.

The part I am considering a hassle is the fact I gotta keep running to the LFS for water. I am thinking of just taking 6 or 7 bucket's over there and getting all that done that way I can go for a while. Here is my question about that though; how long is that water good for?

Once again thank you for all your help and I will be attending the garage sale, hopefully, if I don't go rafting for the wife's birthday on sunday.

 

[dizzyD]

Well to be honest yes it is a hassle but I am willing to put up with it, the thing is Dizzy D it is hard to save money to start my 100 gallon if I am constintly spending the money on water. I am working on talking my wife into letting my buy an RO/DI unit for the house to include drinking water and there I am kinda winning, but only time will tell. I intend on investing in both of those and lately I have been thinking about putting my sump in the basement and that way I can have a larger sump with everything I need in there and not have to worry about it, but I have to talk the wife into drilling a hole and all that other fun stuff but I can work it.

The part I am considering a hassle is the fact I gotta keep running to the LFS for water. I am thinking of just taking 6 or 7 bucket's over there and getting all that done that way I can go for a while. Here is my question about that though; how long is that water good for?

Once again thank you for all your help and I will be attending the garage sale, hopefully, if I don't go rafting for the wife's birthday on sunday.

if you don't find an ro/di unit at the swap ...check out buckeye field supply

i think if you plan to keep ro around for a while you should keep it circulating at least

 

[gpkozmp]

Thanks for the point in the right direction Dizzy D

 

[stugray]

You can install the RO/DI in your laundry room in about 10 minutes.

Then it is relatively easy to run a 1/4" Vinyl line to the sump to control your topoff.

I ran a float valve directly off the RO/DI line for a few years.

Now the RO/DI fills a 35 gal brute trash can 1 floor above the sump.

The float valve now just runs off of gravity feed.

I also drip through a kalk reactor so I get the added benefit of ATO & Kalk drip.

Stu

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Reefing is something you either do or don't. You go half way and bad things are in your future. Topping off a tank ain't jack. Water testing which should be done at least on a monthly basis with an established tank and dosing/water changes are part of the hobby. If you want a set and forget hobby I'd recommend a nice cactus garden.

Once you get into a routine it really isn't a big hassle but even for a small tank I'd plan on 10 minutes a day for cleaning/top off/ testing etc. but when you consider what you can raise in there it's a ridiculously small amount of time.

 

[Tajjo]

Honestly man, do what you can to buy a ro/di and an ato. It makes life soooooo much easier. I got them both and did the same as Stu, hooked it up in my laundry room. I go through 30-35 gals of evap a week. My brother Jase the same exact setup and goes through 35 gals every 3 weeks. I don't understand why I have so much evap. But anyway hope this helps. Btw buy from brs.

 

[gpkozmp]

Grim Reefer, Yeah I know about all that and I am not looking to just set and forget, I was just ranting and everyone seemed to take it the wrong way. I have monday's slotted for everything as far as clean up and it is just a hassle right now to drive accross town to pick up some water, I wish there was a LFS closer, there is a money making idea. I want to get an RO/DI and with the swap going on this weekend I might be lucky enough to find a good deal on one and be able to get it so we will see what happens on saturday but wont know til then. Right now it is only a 40 gallon breeder but when I have my 100 gallon set up is when I am going to be going through a lot of water a week and I am going to need that.

Thank you for all your help to everyone and just your words, I realized that I had forgotten something that is very important and now I wont forget it but my gravity was extremely high and I couldn't figure out why things were dying. Now that I got that under control things are looking up.

 

[aukerda]

I noticed that with the addition of a swamp cooler in my house I haven't had to top off as often. Don't know if it's the home being cooler or the higher humidity in the air, but it's helped, and the wife is happier now also.

 

[gpkozmp]

I noticed that with the addition of a swamp cooler in my house I haven't had to top off as often. Don't know if it's the home being cooler or the higher humidity in the air, but it's helped, and the wife is happier now also.

A coworker of mine actually mentioned getting a swamp cooler but I am not sure if I want it sitting on the roof. Like I said above the AC is on the fritz and well getting it fixed is hell right now cause they want a boat load of cash. They are ticking me off but what can you do.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

A coworker of mine actually mentioned getting a swamp cooler but I am not sure if I want it sitting on the roof. Like I said above the AC is on the fritz and well getting it fixed is hell right now cause they want a boat load of cash. They are ticking me off but what can you do.

They make swampers that fit in the window. We have one and it keeps our house pretty cool. You are looking about 5 bills depending on how big of one you get but they are cheaper to run than AC.