Simple auto water change

[a.t.t.r]

Is this dosing pump setup still running well for you?

yup

 

[nallured]

yup

Glad to hear it! I’ve been wondering if Jeboa dosing pumps could be reliable for use in an ATO setup on a new tank we’re planning. Have you had any concerns or issues over the last year and a half you’ve been running it?

I’m not sure what the difference is, but they have a new version out, the MD-4.4.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Glad to hear it! I’ve been wondering if Jeboa dosing pumps could be reliable for use in an ATO setup on a new tank we’re
Planning. Have you had any concerns or issues over the last year and a half you’ve been running it?

I’m not sure what the difference is, but they have a new version out, the MD-4.4.

besides it looking like they moved away from the standard pump head that you can get for next to nothing when you need to replace it. I doubt they changed much maybe they updated to work with 5gh wifi? Heres the thing my set up does not rely on the accuracy of the pumps to match incoming and outgoing. It uses a siphon that forms and a check valve. The outgoing pump runs 1/5th as much as the input pump so in theory the incoming pump should wear out first and I will replace both at the same time.

 

[nallured]

besides it looking like they moved away from the standard pump head that you can get for next to nothing when you need to replace it. I doubt they changed much maybe they updated to work with 5gh wifi? Heres the thing my set up does not rely on the accuracy of the pumps to match incoming and outgoing. It uses a siphon that forms and a check valve. The outgoing pump runs 1/5th as much as the input pump so in theory the incoming pump should wear out first and I will replace both at the same time.

My drain (tapping into an existing bar sink drain) is going to be at a higher elevation than my sump, so siphon won’t be an option…

Based on your experience, do you think these pumps can be calibrated closely enough that salinity could be managed?

If it’s just a matter of making a salinity adjustment once a month or so, it should be manageable.

 

[a.t.t.r]

My drain (tapping into an existing bar sink drain) is going to be at a higher elevation than my sump, so siphon won’t be an option…

Based on your experience, do you think these pumps can be calibrated closely enough that salinity could be managed?

If it’s just a matter of making a salinity adjustment once a month or so, it should be manag

In your case I would simply set the water level intake to be slightly above your ATO level. Then for ever gallon you pump in set the other one to "pump out" two (will mostly be sucking air). If you are doing large water changes these pumps are not the right choice. I am doing a max of half gallon per day.

 

[n2585722]

My drain (tapping into an existing bar sink drain) is going to be at a higher elevation than my sump, so siphon won’t be an option…

Based on your experience, do you think these pumps can be calibrated closely enough that salinity could be managed?

If it’s just a matter of making a salinity adjustment once a month or so, it should be manageable.

I started using two dosing pumps and the Hydros Auto water change regimen. I set the drain time and when the water change starts the ATO is disabled since it is also a part of the regimen. I have mine set to drain for 12 minutes. then the fill pump runs until the full sensor is wet. This is the same sensor that the ATO uses. I have my drain output attached to the kitchen sink drain. The pumps are in my garage and the tank is 35ft away. So the tubing is run up into the attic and down inside the wall to a wall plate at the tank. Then to the tank stand and to the sump. Also I do three changes a day instead of one. The pumps are currently set a 60ml a minute of flow.

 

[nallured]

In your case I would simply set the water level intake to be slightly above your ATO level. Then for ever gallon you pump in set the other one to "pump out" two (will mostly be sucking air). If you are doing large water changes these pumps are not the right choice. I am doing a max of half gallon per day.

I am planning for about 3 gallons per day total water changed, but assumed it would need to be spread out over several intervals to avoid fatigue on the pumps.

I suppose with 4 dosing motors on the unit the load could be split in half.

Do you think that’s too much to expect from these pumps?

 

[nallured]

I started using two dosing pumps and the Hydros Auto water change regimen. I set the drain time and when the water change starts the ATO is disabled since it is also a part of the regimen. I have mine set to drain for 12 minutes. then the fill pump runs until the full sensor is wet. This is the same sensor that the ATO uses. I have my drain output attached to the kitchen sink drain. The pumps are in my garage and the tank is 35ft away. So the tubing is run up into the attic and down inside the wall to a wall plate at the tank. Then to the tank stand and to the sump. Also I do three changes a day instead of one. The pumps are currently set a 60ml a minute of flow.

Which pumps are you running?
Also, is there a controller managing the water change regimen?

 

[a.t.t.r]

I am planning for about 3 gallons per day total water changed, but assumed it would need to be spread out over several intervals to avoid fatigue on the pumps.

I suppose with 4 dosing motors on the unit the load could be split in half.

Do you think that’s too much to expect from these pumps?

Go with a larger dosing pump not one with the tiny heads like these have. The system mentioned above is great if you can’t use the siphon Method but it is expensive (for what it is). You can also just use standard pumps as long as you make sure they are setup to not continually siphon.

 

[n2585722]

Which pumps are you running?
Also, is there a controller managing the water change regimen?

The two AWC pumps are Intllab pumps. I have had them for a few years. The ATO pump is a Hydros dosing pump. Those have a fixed flow rate of 43ml a minute. I think the pump head tubing is lasting a lot longer than the Intllab tubing. When I used the Intllab for ATO the most I would get out of the tubing before it would split and leak was around 8 months. The Hydros on ATO never split but I did change it after a year. When I removed it I had no signs that it was going to split any time soon. I think I will leave this tubing in longer this time.

Yes, the pumps are controlled with my Hydros controller. I am using drive ports which are 12v DC output ports to drive the pumps which are also 12 volts. The Intllab pumps I had to make the cables to go from drive ports to the DC plug. That was back before Hydros released their dosing pump which is made by Kamoer.

Below are three screenshots of my output settings for the water change output. This output control the drain, fill and ATO pumps. I do not use a low level input since i am using the drain time instead. I also didn't set a leak input here since I have more than one and use a different method. The forth screenshot is the schedule setup for the water change. There are three during the day. The first one is at 7am, the second at 1pm and the third at 7pm.