I just need to stop being lazy and set mine up. Still a long way. :(
Automatic Water changes. It doesnt get any better then this.
- Thread starter AquamanE
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About breakout boxes, I think I'm just going to buy the cord and run the bare wires to the 12v relay as needed. Cap off the rest till I need it.
Lucky me I guess, my mixed tank will be on the back side of the tank and I'll be running a second a PM1 for a second pH/CaRX probe reading.
Lucky me I guess, my mixed tank will be on the back side of the tank and I'll be running a second a PM1 for a second pH/CaRX probe reading.
Acrononomus
Well-Known Member
It would be nice if one of the members who have this setup could make a little tutorial for everyone with questions, it's no doubt a sweet setup , props to whomever got it started, also would be great to get some links to everything we may need to do a setup like this. Very much appreciated, and sweet brainstorming everyone !
OP
OP
AquamanE
Well-Known Member
Acronomus- The first few pages look at my set uo and Dr Thompsons set up. We have both been running it for a few months now. All is described there.
The other guys have found more economical pumps, and seem to have had success getting them to work, but havent seen any info on an actually working system.
AquamanE here is putting in a presentation for our club. Lucky us... that's if he doesn't put us all to sleep. LOL
I was at Eddie's house and saw his set up yesterday night. Simple and clean is all I have to say.
I was at Eddie's house and saw his set up yesterday night. Simple and clean is all I have to say.
Your not going Steve?
Softylover
Active Member
Question. I am setting up an auto water change, and was going to use two aqua lifters, and float switches, one turns a pump on for water change, then when it his the low, turns on to pump back in.. Any foreseeable problems?
Softylover
Active Member
All going the the rke
OP
OP
AquamanE
Well-Known Member
Softy- Please explain more.
Pump one takes water from where to where. When does pump 2 turn on and pump water from where to where?
My concern with aqualifters ( ive used one, and still do, for many years for my ATO) is that they can be inconsistent with regards to accuracy. For an ATO its not a problem since they will keep going until a float switch shuts them off, sometimes its a few minutes, sometimes its an hour.
However...for an AWC you need both pumps to deliver the same amount in with fresh water as much as is going out with old water. Aqualifters are diaphram pumps, any little bit of crud will change their output. This needs to seriously be taken into consideration when planning your AWC system.
Is it impossible?...no. Is it reliable? not sure.. your float switches would have to be very accurate. and you will need a few safety parameters set into your controller to make sure all goes well.
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thadscottmoore
Community Member
I did this with my pico tank. RKE programmed to turn off the ATO and start drain pump at X time for a limited time frame- the drain pump off signaled the input pump to function filling up the tank to float switch - desired level reached- float switch would turn off the input pump- this was also set on a time frame alarm- 30 minutes after complete water change - the ATO function would resume function. also, set up float switch in the fresh salt water- if it got low- the process would not start and an audible alarm would notify me to check it out and do routine service. also, I had to make the anti siphon device to prevent any farther flow from the display tank from occurring. anti siphon device looks like this one:
utilized a test transport vial.
Softylover
Active Member
I did this with my pico tank. RKE programmed to turn off the ATO and start drain pump at X time for a limited time frame- the drain pump off signaled the input pump to function filling up the tank to float switch - desired level reached- float switch would turn off the input pump- this was also set on a time frame alarm- 30 minutes after complete water change - the ATO function would resume function. also, set up float switch in the fresh salt water- if it got low- the process would not start and an audible alarm would notify me to check it out and do routine service. also, I had to make the anti siphon device to prevent any farther flow from the display tank from occurring. anti siphon device looks like this one:
utilized a test transport vial.
Did you use a reefkeeper.. This is what I want to do with the aqua lifter pumps...
Softylover
Active Member
I plan to have old water go to drain and new come from under tank., aqua lifter can do 3.5 gallons an hour and I only want to do 2 gallons. Float switch to stop draining and float switch to stop filling.. Make sense
Softylover
Active Member
Just not sure if the pumps will work to pull water from under tank up 4ft to in tank. Plan to hang it on the tank top
Sacohen
Valuable Member
The way I'm reading it you are going to remove water from the tank or the sump to a bucket or drain once you reach your low point the removal aqualifter will stop and the replacement aqualifter will start and continue until you reach the high ATO point.
The only problems I see are...
1) One of both of your ATO switches fail and you either empty the sump completely or overflow the tank/sump.
2) Your replacement Aqualifter fails so you have removed water and have no way to replace it until you get home and manually take care of it.
The problem with an Aqualifte as opposed to a peristaltic pump like the ones described here is if you turn off an Aualifter and there is a siphon going it will continue to siphon until air gets in the line. The peristaltic pumps will stop if the intake is higher than the outlet and under water.
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Softylover
Active Member
I will be setting max times so say takes 30 min, pump can't be on longer than 40, that will prevent pumping tank dry and over flow,
I also considered and extra float switch so that if it is tripped all pumps are off aka not Ato, or water change pumps... Kinda safety... Still worried that the aqua lifter won't hold up
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