Help me set a drip rate

[Flanders]

I am going to quit using bionic (more or less) this weekend and begin dosing kalk using an IV dripper. I lose about 1.5 gallons a day to evap and would like to dose constantly - not just during the night. Two reasons for this: 1. Anything I can screw up, I will screw up. I only want to have to mess w/ the dripper every two-three days. 2. I'm not that concerned about pH swings b/c I run reverse lighting.

Can anyone give me a drip rate that would more or less equal 1.5 gallons a day? Or a reason my plan totally sucks?

TIA.

[Flanders]

OK - how about optimum drip rates for Chinese water torture? :lol:

[isildursbane]

Without knowing the size of each drop, it is really hard to say, but if you were to take the IV dripper and let it drip into a measuring cup, you could figure that out. The idea is to count about how many drops you are getting per minute, then use a timer to measure how long it takes to fill up one cup, or 8 fl. oz., or any other set amount you wish (Tablespoon, teaspoon, etc.) Then you can use conversion factors, just search the internet for conversion factors, to figure out exactly what you need to reach the 1.5 gallon per day mark.

Just a word of advice, as the level in your container goes down, the pressure at the exit to the dripper will decrease accordingly. Therefore, the lower the level, the less flowrate, Q, you will receive. This will make adjusting the flowrate for a longer period of time a little trickier, but not impossible.

I dose Kalkwasser myself, using gallon plastic milk jugs. I used to plug the small hole in the bottom with a toothpick, but I got so tired of having to unclog the hole, that I just put the jug in place, pull out the toothpick, and just let the whole gallon drain into the sump. I have not noticed any detrimental side effects as to pH swings, but I do worry that the calcium is building up on my sump pump and might have caused a failure I had. If you are worried about too much change in pH, just make the whole as small as possible.

Hope this helps,

Philip:rollface:

[Vinny Kreyling]

Here goes-- 1.5gal= 192 oz/ day. divided by 24=8 oz/hr.
1oz=29.6ml x8=236.8ml/hr.
236.8divided by 60=3.946666ml/min
SO- If you dose 4ml/min you should wind up withslightly over 1.5 gal/day.
Now I need a drink.:bum:

[Flanders]

Phillip - thanks for the info and advice. It does help, a lot, and it is appreciated. And Vinny, you rule, man! I OWE you a drink. Whereabouts is Hicksville?

Thanks a lot guys. :)

[ri]

Flanders,

The IV dripper I have is rated at 15 drops per mL. Don't know if that helps you at all...

ri

[Rebels23]

Hey Flanders,

So how has the Kalk dripping worked out for you?

Rebels23