My $25-$35 semiautomatic water change system!!

[ScubaSkeets]

I just finished my $25 (plus parts i had laying around) DIY (semi-)auto water change system!!
I purchased 2 cheap pumps from Amazon (2 for $25). One pump is in the sump and the other one is in the new water Brute. One vinyl tubing is run along the floor board between the sump and the water mixing station/drain. A t-fitting is placed towards the end with one section of tubing going to the drain and one section going to new water. A check valve keeps old water from going into new water.
I have a smart power strip that I will put the procedure on (turn off aquarium equipment, wait a few minutes for the water to drain into the sump, turn old water pump on, run for a few minutes, turn old water pump off, turn new water pump on, fill sump to correct level, turn off new water pump, turn aquarium equipment back on)....or this can all be done manually. I may add a cheap float valve to the sump to stop the new water when it reaches the correct level in the sump

 

[piranhaman00]

Watch for siphons

 

[twentyleagues]

I just finished my $25 (plus parts i had laying around) DIY (semi-)auto water change system!!
I purchased 2 cheap pumps from Amazon (2 for $25). One pump is in the sump and the other one is in the new water Brute. One vinyl tubing is run along the floor board between the sump and the water mixing station/drain. A t-fitting is placed towards the end with one section of tubing going to the drain and one section going to new water. A check valve keeps old water from going into new water.
I have a smart power strip that I will put the procedure on (turn off aquarium equipment, wait a few minutes for the water to drain into the sump, turn old water pump on, run for a few minutes, turn old water pump off, turn new water pump on, fill sump to correct level, turn off new water pump, turn aquarium equipment back on)....or this can all be done manually. I may add a cheap float valve to the sump to stop the new water when it reaches the correct level in the sump

Yea I'd add the float valve as safety. Also you may push more water out of the sump then how much you return based on head pressure. You may have to worry about the syphon effect too, Have you thought about that or actually run this yet?

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Watch for siphons

I forgot to say that I have a plug on the drain end of the tubing and the check valve on the new water end will avoid the siphon going that way. If siphon occurs occurs the other way, I'll just have to remove the pump when I'm not doing the water change or put a simple gate valve on the tubing. May turn out to be not 100% fully automatic but sure beats the way that I have been doing water changes for the past several years.

Yea I'd add the float valve as safety. Also you may push more water out of the sump then how much you return based on head pressure. You may have to worry about the syphon effect too, Have you thought about that or actually run this yet?

I tested it without the float valve in the sump. Putting a mark at the water level before removing water, and then replenishing to that mark. Worked fine.
Like I said on my other reply, it may turn out to not be 100% automatic, but it sure beats the way I have been doing water changes

 

[twentyleagues]

I forgot to say that I have a plug on the drain end of the tubing and the check valve on the new water end will avoid the siphon going that way. If siphon occurs occurs the other way, I'll just have to remove the pump when I'm not doing the water change or put a simple gate valve on the tubing. May turn out to be not 100% fully automatic but sure beats the way that I have been doing water changes for the past several years.

I tested it without the float valve in the sump. Putting a mark at the water level before removing water, and then replenishing to that mark. Worked fine.
Like I said on my other reply, it may turn out to not be 100% automatic, but it sure beats the way I have been doing water changes

With 10 tanks trust me I understand. Just wasnt sure you thought of everything. I wish I had someone to say " hey my guy did you think of this?" before I made the mistakes I've made. I've got a system kinda like yours but its mostly gravity. I can do all 8 of my fresh water systems in about 2 hrs that includes an hour for my 300g pond. I do 50% on those tanks. My 30g salt takes about 15min, and my new salt tank havent had to do 1 yet but I'm guessing about the same a little longer to fill because its about 120g total.