For those wanting to add AWC, what's your plan?

[Buffalou]

Been sold out for months. Was told that a new system was coming but no timeline on that.

I got scared thought they went out of business so I checked them out and ordered several rebuild kits for pumps just to be on safe side!

 

[somekindabonita]

Stenner pumps are not as great as people make them out to be. I use them at work regularly, and they fail more often than they should for how expensive they are!

I have a DOS set up for our AWC. Mine broke within a couple weeks of use in a minor way. While support was great with Neptune, I didn't want to send the pump back for work when it operates fine. Your concern of lackluster equipment quality is definitely justified in my opinion. That said, I'll still buy apex equipment. It's overpriced, but gives me that piece of mind having the additional information on the system.

 

[KStatefan]

I got scared thought they went out of business so I checked them out and ordered several rebuild kits for pumps just to be on safe side!

I understand. I wish they would not have stoppes selling the Litermeter III until the new one way ready.

This is what I was told in July of 2020 from Spectrapure
"I’ll get more info as it gets released and out to the public but it’s in the works as we speak"

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Joe you are right on your tank a half gallon or a gallon per day is super quick and easy to do manually. And if you leave for a weekend you’ll be just fine. I invested in apex but have not set it up. Seems like a ton of money for a 15 gallon per month water change..

 

[RobW]

I thought it was decided that the maxi dose was discontinued. In either case, it's not available right now. As for the litermeter, I've looked at that option and if I'm understanding it correctly (and maybe I'm not), i would need the Litermeter III Precision Dosing System and a remote pump, right? Those two options things, together, will cost nearly $600. The Apex EL and DOS, as much as I'm currently attempting to avoid the Neptune ecosystem are $800. It's tough to buy a $600 AWC when for $200 more, I can get an AWC and basic Apex kit.

My first fish still have at least 30 days in the QT so I've got a whole lot of time to worry about this. I'm hoping something makes the decision easier. Either some big Neptune sale or the Maxi Dose or Versa pumps showing back up in the next month or two.

Oh, I did not realize that they discontinued those.

 

[robert404]

I'm planning on the Versa with extra sensors to ensure shut off happens when ATO is filled. I do have an open question I'm trying to figure out with the versa, and that is if I add a manual backup float valve in-line, does the versa have a pressure detection switch to turn itself off. I may email echotech on this one unless someone here knows.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I have used both Stenner dual head and Masterflex dual head pumps in the past. With any dual head setup, be prepared to maintain/replace the input/output tubing periodically as it will get blocked/clogged during use and the rates on the 2 heads will change over time throwing your salinity off. I always overlook that part, doh.

For that reason I plan to setup a DIY version of the Genesis Renew. My version will use a single metering vessel rather than 2, so that I don't have to worry about the volumes matching (if I had separate vessels). The inclusion of 2 automated 3 way ball valves will allow the 1 vessel to function as the waste/new water vessel depending upon the part of the process active. 1 valve on the drain and 1 valve on the vessel overflow.

I have not seen any DIY versions of this system before, so it should be a fun project.

Dennis

 

[Joe31415]

With any dual head setup, be prepared to maintain/replace the input/output tubing periodically as it will get blocked/clogged during use and the rates on the 2 heads will change over time throwing your salinity off. I always overlook that part, doh.

I haven't played with them enough yet, but it's my understanding that the Versa pumps, after they're done pumping will pump *backwards* just a hair (and they compensate for that the next time the pumps are turned on). The idea being that if the end of the tubing isn't in the water, drawing a little bit of air in will prevent a drip at the end of the tube which dries and leaves salt or residue from whatever you're dosing which will eventually clog the end.

If you have an ATO you could set it up to spray onto the end of the tubes.

But those only address clogs at the end. If this is happening within the tubing that would be different. If you overlooked that, you'll likely overlook this as well, but depending on your set up, it may (or may not) be easier to run plain RODI through the lines to clean them out.

 

[robert404]

That's a great idea. I will add another pump and after water changes run an RODI flush per se through the line to help mitigate that from happening. Noted.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I haven't played with them enough yet, but it's my understanding that the Versa pumps, after they're done pumping will pump *backwards* just a hair (and they compensate for that the next time the pumps are turned on). The idea being that if the end of the tubing isn't in the water, drawing a little bit of air in will prevent a drip at the end of the tube which dries and leaves salt or residue from whatever you're dosing which will eventually clog the end.

If you have an ATO you could set it up to spray onto the end of the tubes.

But those only address clogs at the end. If this is happening within the tubing that would be different. If you overlooked that, you'll likely overlook this as well, but depending on your set up, it may (or may not) be easier to run plain RODI through the lines to clean them out.

I am pretty sure it was not salt creep that was throwing things off for me. All ends were submerged, except for the final drain which was plumbed directly into a waste pipe. I think it is just grit and sand building up in the drain side pipe. Probably whatever had the misfortune to go through the Masterflex head over time. The NSW side should have been fairly free of particulate, so I expect it was just the drain side's flow rate slowing down over time.

This was with 1/4" hoses. Using larger 3/8" hoses might alleviate some of this, but I would still replace the hoses periodically.

Dennis

 

[User]

I have used both Stenner dual head and Masterflex dual head pumps in the past. With any dual head setup, be prepared to maintain/replace the input/output tubing periodically as it will get blocked/clogged during use and the rates on the 2 heads will change over time throwing your salinity off. I always overlook that part, doh.

For that reason I plan to setup a DIY version of the Genesis Renew. My version will use a single metering vessel rather than 2, so that I don't have to worry about the volumes matching (if I had separate vessels). The inclusion of 2 automated 3 way ball valves will allow the 1 vessel to function as the waste/new water vessel depending upon the part of the process active. 1 valve on the drain and 1 valve on the vessel overflow.

I have not seen any DIY versions of this system before, so it should be a fun project.

Dennis

theres a diy genesis renew on YouTube but it’s titled to avoid DCA. I used buckets and floats and looks ghetto, but it works



I’m also planning on a diy for my new system, but sticking with the 2 vessels- I’m using plastic cereal containers, with the square edges- as long as you put the float sensors, and the overfill outlet in the same place on each- metering will be exact.

I looked at a single vessel but the 3 way valves looked like a failure point and coding the timing on an apex was problematic

The outgoing waste water will go to a QT tank, so that gets acclimated to system water and daily WC too. I’ll set that up with a standpipe that leads to drain to take the displaced dirty water away

 

[Pistondog]

Trying 2 of these into the apex 24v ports


Will trial accuracy 1st, off-aquarium.

 

[User]

Trying 2 of these into the apex 24v ports


Will trial accuracy 1st, off-aquarium.

I did that for a 20 long Qt

in testing, every single run of a 3 minute test (x15- I’m a scientist and like data, sue me) gave me an error of 35%. Meaning, even if on an accurate timer, the same pump was putting out way different volumes on subsequent runs. I didn’t even get them set up anywhere near my tank.


the windings in the motor aren’t of tight enough tolerances to be useful. I ended up sending back 7 units over a month, and then had to get into the $75 range before I found some that were useful, but by then you can buy a jebao doser.

good for ATO though, and an easy diy with some floats and relays.

 

[Pistondog]

I did that for a 20 long Qt

in testing, every single run of a 3 minute test (x15- I’m a scientist and like data, sue me) gave me an error of 35%. Meaning, even if on an accurate timer, the same pump was putting out way different volumes on subsequent runs. I didn’t even get them set up anywhere near my tank.


the windings in the motor aren’t of tight enough tolerances to be useful. I ended up sending back 7 units over a month, and then had to get into the $75 range before I found some that were useful, but by then you can buy a jebao doser.

good for ATO though, and an easy diy with some floats and relays.

Thanks for the info, that's why we test

 

[pledosophy]

My plan is to put an overflow drain in my sump. Pump new salt water into the tank, when it is to full, the sump drain will drain it through the wall, out a pipe and to the sewer system.

Only one pump needed

I was concerned about doing it, but turns out it is actually very easy to do.

 

[User]

My plan is to put an overflow drain in my sump. Pump new salt water into the tank, when it is to full, the sump drain will drain it through the wall, out a pipe and to the sewer system.

Only one pump needed

I was concerned about doing it, but turns out it is actually very easy to do.

What happens when you turn you return pump off and the water back flows?

I’ve thought about doing this, but my sump is in the basement and I have 9 gallons of drain back. My return chamber rises literally 13”.

if I put an overflow in at waterline +2 gallons for AWC, I’d lose 7 gallons every time I turned off my pump and my ato would go nuts