|
A Membrane filter
Made of durable and washable material
Output of the membrane filter - crystal clear water
Constant Dripping of Clear filtered Water into the pond
Full scale Membrane Filter in Action
Video of constant dripping
|
|---|
What is Constant Dripping?
Constant Dripping is a common practice among koi hobbists. As the name suggest, it is a method to constantly replace pond water by dripping fresh tap water into the pond. This is done constantly over 24 hours everyday at the replacement rate of 5% to 10% of the total pond volume.
Why use Constant Dripping?
Our pond water is constantly added with waste product from the koi and sometimes left over food, falling leaves (for those out door pond), etc.
Without frequently remove these waste products, it will off-set the balance of the water as the dissolved organic compound builds up.
Benefits of Constant Dripping
Many Koi hobbists who practice constant Dripping will be able to testify that they experience much better growth rate than without using constant dripping. This is also the reason why those who breed discus practice up to 30% water change daily.
Besides the faster growth rate, they also find that their water is much cleaner and clearer. Their kois are more active.
Tap Water Constant Dripping verses Membrane Filter Constant Dripping
When you ask those who practice Tap Water Constant Dripping to tell you their water bill, they will tell you not to ask.
Another down side of Tap Water Constant Dripping is that you have to watch the chloramine carefully. Normal you need to install a activated carbon prefilter to minimise the effect of chloramine before the water drip into the pond.
With the advancement in City water filteration, the cost of membrane filtering becomes affordable to the masses and more available nowadays.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of Membrane Filtering?
Advantages are: 1st, cost saving in terms of water bill (I'll come to the calculation of running cost later); 2nd, no anti-chlorine is required; 3rd, Higher replacement rate of "New" water into the system after passing through a 0.02 micro Membrance Filter.
Membrane Filteration is not without disadvantage.
The disadvantages are: 1st, you need a relatively powerful pump (I use a 4000l/hr, 85watts pump to produce an outflow of 200l/hr); 2nd, you may need to wash the membrane twice a week or once a month (depending on the amount of fwaste produced by your koi) to prevent it from clogging up.
But not to worry as it is made of durable and easily washable material. Just spray jets of water onto the membrance strings and it's done in 5 minutes time.
This membrance filter differs from RO - Reverse Osmosis in that it is not so dense as to remove minerals from the water but dense enough to remove bacteria and viruses.
How much does it cost to run a Membrane Constant Dripping?
I use a pump which pumps in 4000l/hr at 85 watts.
The output of the membrane filter is merely 200l/hr.
This rate is good enough for me as my pond is only half a ton or 500 litres which means theoritically it will replace the whole pond in less than 3 hours.
But, practically this won't happen as the "New" water will mix with the "old" water by diluting it.
Okay, now come to the cost of running this Membrane Constant Dripping.
I run this pump at 85w per hour which is equal to 85x24(hrs)x30(days) = 61.2KWH (Kilo Watt Hour).
Based on the current rate of $0.2052 per KWH, the monthly Electrical bill is $12.56.
If I were to use Tap Water Constant Dripping at the same flow rate:
200 litres x 24 x30 = 144 Cubic Meters
At the rate of $1.37 per Cubic Meters, my bill would be $197.28 !!
This is excluding the water conservation tax.
The Membrane filter cost less than S$500 and can be used for up to 2 years without replacing the membrane. This work out to be less than S$21 per month or 83% savings.
Finally, click on video on the right to see the clarity of water with the installation of Membrance Constant Dripping.
Constant Dripping is a common practice among koi hobbists. As the name suggest, it is a method to constantly replace pond water by dripping fresh tap water into the pond. This is done constantly over 24 hours everyday at the replacement rate of 5% to 10% of the total pond volume.
Why use Constant Dripping?
Our pond water is constantly added with waste product from the koi and sometimes left over food, falling leaves (for those out door pond), etc.
Without frequently remove these waste products, it will off-set the balance of the water as the dissolved organic compound builds up.
Many Koi hobbists who practice constant Dripping will be able to testify that they experience much better growth rate than without using constant dripping. This is also the reason why those who breed discus practice up to 30% water change daily.
Besides the faster growth rate, they also find that their water is much cleaner and clearer. Their kois are more active.
Tap Water Constant Dripping verses Membrane Filter Constant Dripping
When you ask those who practice Tap Water Constant Dripping to tell you their water bill, they will tell you not to ask.
Another down side of Tap Water Constant Dripping is that you have to watch the chloramine carefully. Normal you need to install a activated carbon prefilter to minimise the effect of chloramine before the water drip into the pond.
With the advancement in City water filteration, the cost of membrane filtering becomes affordable to the masses and more available nowadays.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of Membrane Filtering?
Advantages are: 1st, cost saving in terms of water bill (I'll come to the calculation of running cost later); 2nd, no anti-chlorine is required; 3rd, Higher replacement rate of "New" water into the system after passing through a 0.02 micro Membrance Filter.
Membrane Filteration is not without disadvantage.
The disadvantages are: 1st, you need a relatively powerful pump (I use a 4000l/hr, 85watts pump to produce an outflow of 200l/hr); 2nd, you may need to wash the membrane twice a week or once a month (depending on the amount of fwaste produced by your koi) to prevent it from clogging up.
But not to worry as it is made of durable and easily washable material. Just spray jets of water onto the membrance strings and it's done in 5 minutes time.
This membrance filter differs from RO - Reverse Osmosis in that it is not so dense as to remove minerals from the water but dense enough to remove bacteria and viruses.
I use a pump which pumps in 4000l/hr at 85 watts.
The output of the membrane filter is merely 200l/hr.
This rate is good enough for me as my pond is only half a ton or 500 litres which means theoritically it will replace the whole pond in less than 3 hours.
But, practically this won't happen as the "New" water will mix with the "old" water by diluting it.
Okay, now come to the cost of running this Membrane Constant Dripping.
I run this pump at 85w per hour which is equal to 85x24(hrs)x30(days) = 61.2KWH (Kilo Watt Hour).
Based on the current rate of $0.2052 per KWH, the monthly Electrical bill is $12.56.
If I were to use Tap Water Constant Dripping at the same flow rate:
200 litres x 24 x30 = 144 Cubic Meters
At the rate of $1.37 per Cubic Meters, my bill would be $197.28 !!
This is excluding the water conservation tax.
The Membrane filter cost less than S$500 and can be used for up to 2 years without replacing the membrane. This work out to be less than S$21 per month or 83% savings.
Finally, click on video on the right to see the clarity of water with the installation of Membrance Constant Dripping.
