How To: DIY Drip System and Carbon Prefilter

Today, I go through the components of my automatic drip system and walk you through the steps to building a DIY Inline Carbon Prefilter!
P.S. I say in the video that the irrigation tubing was about $20 but it was actually only $7.27 for 100 feet.
Tubing: smile.amazon.c...
Barbed Connectors: smile.amazon.c...
Barbed Tees: smile.amazon.c...
Drip Emitters: smile.amazon.c...
Plasto-Joint Stik: smile.amazon.c...
Pressure Regulator: smile.amazon.c...
Barbed Adaptor: smile.amazon.c...

[@fadelnazzali6775]

How often do you usually replace the carbon inside? I made the same thing and even got a chlorine test but the chlorine test isn’t very accurate. Would 6 month do if you have that all full?

[@TheFishNerd]

Six months is what I recommend depending on how much water you put through it.

[@randysabessar6692]

How long do you keep lights on?

[@rohans3447]

How much gallon water can it filter per hour

[@TheFishNerd]

That's not something I've tested but I know it will handle at least 4 gallons per hour (but I imagine a LOT more)

[@rohans3447]

@@TheFishNerd ok thanks 😊

[@fastfolky]

Hi! Quick question, how do you make an overflow without drilling the tank? You seem to have some pvc hanging on the back but I don't get it.

[@TheFishNerd]

+Esteban I built pvc overflows using the King of DIY's design. However, I'm about to switch to a new design which I'll be doing a video on. :)

[@fastfolky]

Thanks, never knew that excisted, looking forward do your new design! (subbing btw)

[@ryanosborne7162]

Does it also take out chloramine?

[@TheFishNerd]

My understanding is that it doesn’t.

[@fishperson69]

So, made this approximately 2 foot long but my tap water pH has gone from 7 to 8.5. Is this due to the carbon? If so, how much carbon should I be using in the filter?

[@chubchub3902]

What the part that y used for the drip system and where are you draining your water? I love that filter.

[@TimsBitsnPieces]

So why don't you buy a screw thread adapter and screw thread cap and then you can change out only the carbon each time instead of making a whole new filter each time ??

[@TheFishNerd]

That's what I did in the second half of the video.

[@joeprovenzano4362]

Ok so I have the entire system ran. Front to back start to almost finished. I have one question won’t the activated carbon also flow through the outlet into the tank or clog the tubing

[@TheFishNerd]

The carbon itself shouldn't clog the tubing but you do want to thoroughly rinse it or else the carbon dust will clog the emitters.

[@beast_gago2660]

Thank you for this information I want to make a huge fish room in my garage but for pvc pipe get the threaded version get threaded end cap and teflon tape to make a water tight seal but you can always open it when you want to

[@nycbettas5792]

Good stuff, perhaps you already explained this on another video, but how do you feel with water temperature. Do you have heaters in the tank?

[@TheFishNerd]

I have heaters in a few tanks that I keep above 80 degrees F. For the rest of my tanks though, I just have the room heated to about 80.

[@lightningdt1]

How much carbon and what kind???

[@TheFishNerd]

Enough to fill the tube. Just any activated carbon.

[@CrowntailHalfmoon]

Hi Sir Great design Could u do a follow up on how you have the connections from incoming water with regular and the outlet from the carbon filter to the tanks. Also what type of carbon do u use and how do u test for chlorine and know when i replace the carbon? Thank you in advance

[@TMAquatics]

Do you still use this DiY carbon prefilter? How often do you have to replace the carbon? Is it fairly effective at removing the chlorine?

[@TheFishNerd]

I do and it is effective. I have no chlorine at all. How often you need to change it depends on how many gallons per day you’re running through it. Myself, I try to shoot for six months to play it safe but I’m sure it’d be fine for much longer at the rate of flow mine has.

[@zinglebluesun]

Does your tab water have chlorine or chloramine? Thanks

[@jenniferw8963]

Where can i get high quality carbon to filter my water at home for drinking? I want to make a slow drip filtering system for drinking water. It's supposed to get rid of chloromines even when you do it really slow. A gallon in a few hours would be good. Right now I am paying $20 per month to make about 2 gallons of distilled water here at home.

[@TheFishNerd]

I honestly have no idea what to recommend for drinking water.

[@NightFlight1973]

@@TheFishNerd Recommending actions regarding potable water is a liability. Just don't.

[@TheFishNerd]

I didn’t. :)

[@HighTower345]

Great video, thank you! I watched a few videos on auto water change systems and yours seems like the best for me. Where do you buy your carbon? I have a rack with 16 tanks (not on central system) so I need 16 separate drip emitters, do you think using that regulator would provide enough water to drip into 16 tanks with the .5gph emitters? Did you use any type of back flow preventer?

[@TheFishNerd]

I just order my carbon on amazon, whatever’s cheapest per pound. I think the regulator would provide plenty enough pressure for 16 emitters. I didn’t use a check valve because I have the line running down from the ceiling to tanks that are all at the same height. If you’re running the emitters to tanks at different heights, I definitely would recommend check valves.

[@jessicaspaid198]

When you went to open it back up did you have any problems untwisting it with the water lines attached?

[@TheFishNerd]

Nothing too bad

[@WichitaFallFishKeeper]

Thanks for the links. I saved them for future projects next year. Thanks!

[@TheFishNerd]

+Wichita Falls Fishkeeper cool! No prob!

[@abnercalegari]

Great video! Barbed adapter link is broken. Any idea how this might work on a saltwater set up?

[@TheFishNerd]

Not sure how to pull it off for saltwater. Probably better to set up an RO/DI unit to empty into a large water container that you could then mix your salt into and have a pump set on a timer to pump water from the container into your tank.

[@bigjayinga]

Great video, how long you think it will last?(carbon)

[@TheFishNerd]

+Lets Get It Fitness A.K.A Bigjayinga it's lasted me six months so far. I'm about to change it out just in case though.

[@jenniferw8963]

That's how I play with my dog as well, tug of war :) We tie two old holey socks together .. works very well! They last longer than the rope too and are free.

[@TheFishNerd]

Lol tug of war comes in handy when they need to let off some energy and the weather is bad.

[@jenniferw8963]

@@TheFishNerd Yeah my dog loves it :)

[@jessicaspaid198]

Maybe you could run a second one that you use for testing the chlorine so you can know exactly how long these last.

[@TheFishNerd]

I've thought about testing in an empty tank to see if the drip is slow enough that the chlorine gasses off on it's own

[@jessicaspaid198]

The Fish Nerd that sounds like a good topic for a video series!! Experiments by the fish nerd

[@gary8297]

I can teach you how to pvc weld if you would like

[@gary8297]

sanding works better than pvc primer.

[@AquariumThoughts]

How much activated carbon fits in that tube?

[@TheFishNerd]

No idea. But a lot. Lol

[@AquariumThoughts]

@@TheFishNerd more or less than 5 lbs? I hope just 5lbs, otherwise I need to order more.

[@TheFishNerd]

Oh less than that for sure

[@AquariumThoughts]

@@TheFishNerd awesome, thanks. Now I just need to figure what to do with extra carbon and fear how big 5 lbs of carbon really is. 😃

[@AAGWproductions]

Thank you!

[@TheFishNerd]

You’re welcome!

[@shotgunsmachetes8817]

u rock

[@TheFishNerd]

+shotguns machetes thanks!!

[@johnhayes9437]

what type of carbon ...any brand or mesh size... activated or catalytic ....

[@TheFishNerd]

Activated carbon. Whatever’s cheapest on amazon.

[@johnhayes9437]

OK...I've been doing some research on the types and processes. lots of positive research on plain old activated carbon . If a sediment filter is used before your carbon filter, the life of the carbon can be extended greatly... and in some cases, with a certain type of chloramine, monochloramine, almost indefinitely

[@brans7269]

@@johnhayes9437 what kind of sediment filter are you using before the carbon?

[@johnhayes9437]

I'm using 2 actually . a one micron sediment filter, which is most important and may extend the carbon life almost indefinitely under the right conditions ,... and 2.) I actually use a carbon block cartridge filter before my 2" pipes. First pipe about 30" long and second pipe 48" long. Been running the system for almost a year now and will need to change the 1 micron filter soon. Not expecting to have to change the carbon block, definitely not expecting to change the carbon in the 2" pipes for a long long time.

[@rohans3447]

@@johnhayes9437 this will remove chloramine too??

[@vincevengeance9755]

super glue!? wow you are the best man! hahaha.

[@TheFishNerd]

Vince Vengeance haha! Super glue and duct tape and you can fix anything. Lol

[@vincevengeance9755]

yeah..those are like the universal mother of all glues. going to built a drip system soon. do you think those plumbing used by home drinking water filter like those RO water system can be used to connect to my aquarium for the drip system? i mean the RO connectors and valve parts.

[@vincevengeance9755]

anyway, may i know how long can the carbon last? how many months? i'm afraid should the carbon failed one day and my fishes are dead. night mare.

[@TheFishNerd]

+Vince Vengeance I've gone as long as about 5 months using that much carbon and running 36 gallons a day through it. I haven't tried to see just how long it would last for the same reason, don't want to find that limit and kill my fish.

[@TheFishNerd]

+Vince Vengeance I imagine those parts could work. I've never really worked with them before though so I can't say for sure.