Automatic Water Changer

Danger_Chicken

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 22, 2008
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Baltimore
DIY Automatic Water Changer
I just setup a 220gal tank and I wanted the maintenance to be as easy as possible; so, I added an automatic water changer to the tank during setup. There are dozens of ways to do this, some easier, some cheaper and some probably better; below is how I chose to do it. I was also fortunate enough that my tank is built into the wall backing to an unfinished laundry room. The total cost was around $750, this design could be modified to be done much, much, much cheaper. At any rate, it should serve to give others idea’s how to build one.

Requirements

I had several requirements for the water changer:
  • Completely automated
  • Scalability - the ability to adjust the amount and frequency of water removed
  • Safeguard concerns for the fish and my house:
    • Temperature
    • Chlorine
    • Completely draining the tank
    • Flooding my house
Parts List
  • Drain Pump - Rainbow Quite One 1200
  • Shut-off valve (2) – ½” ASCO Series 8210 120v
  • Mixing valve – ¾” Watts L1170-UT M2 Threaded Lo-Temp Mixing Valve
  • JBJ ATO Controller
  • AquaController Jr
  • Timer (2) – Intermatic 7-day 7-event digital heavy duty timer
  • Plumbing (various)
Safeguards

All of these are not 100% fool proof
  • House water is plumbed directly to the sump. Hot and cold water are mixed with a temperature mixing valve to keep the incoming water temp consistent with tank water temp. AuqaController gives Temp and PH readings. Picture 1
  • The chlorine from my house is very lower (nearly undetectable with hobbyist test kits). The filtration specialist at the Baltimore National Aquarium told me that based on the amount of water I’m changing chlorine will not be an issue. Still being the nervous type, the fresh water gets added to the sump directly on top of the pump that feeds my UV sterilizer. Also, plenty of aeration while the water falls from the sump returns back into the tank.
  • The drain pump sits in the tank about 8” below the water line. There is a tube connected to in that runs behind the background that will not allow the tank to drain more than 55%. Shut-off valve on drain pipe stops any siphoning of the tank and any backwash from the house drain line.
  • The most troublesome and least secure of my setup is protecting my house from flooding. The clean water is controlled by a float switch on the JBJ ATO; while draining, the sump pump is shut-off after the tank level has dropped below the overflow. This is to keep the sump from completely draining to leave enough water to flow through the fluidized sand filter, as well as keeping the sump pump from running dry. The JBJ ATO is only given power for 20 minutes to lessen the damage if the float switch were to fail.
I would be happier if the sump pump was controlled from a float switch. I have an extra one for the JBJ ATO and the AquaController can use the serial port to operate from a float switch, but creating the cable is out of my league, so until I read up on it or get a friend to help the idea is on the shelf.

Operation

60 gallons changed once a week – start to finish 40 minutes. (Can be adjusted from 1-110gallons, 1-7 days a week, as needed per bio-load) The below times were chosen because this is when I'm home and likely to be near the tank in the event of failure.
  • 1:00am circulation pumps turn off (AuqaController) Picture 2
  • 1:00am drain pump turns on and drain pipe shut-off valve opens (Intermatic 7-day timer) Picture 3, 4 and 5
  • 1:04am Sump pump turns off (Intermatic 7-day timer)
  • 1:20am drain pump turns off and drain pipe shut-off valve closes (Intermatic 7-day timer)
  • 1:20am JBJ ATO Controller is powered on (AuqaController), float switch (connected to JBJ ATO) in sump opens shut-off valve on house water (It’s allowed to power on daily if needed for evaporation, this works well since the AquaController doesn’t do 7-day programming) Picture 6, 7 and 8
  • 1:21am Sump pump turns on
  • 1:40am JBJ ATO Controller is powered off (tank fills in 15min, float switch in sump shuts off water when tank and sump have been filled)
I’ve run this three times now, once manually to test functions, once manually to time operations, and once automatically. The only hitch so far is the JBJ ATO has a feature that turns the water supply off after 3 minutes, it some sort of safety feature – I read about it once but need to find that info again because it’s not mentioned in the manual (of sorts) that comes with the thing. The work around is to power it off and on again. I’ve programmed the AquaController to do that and will test again next week.

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Danger_Chicken

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 22, 2008
1,620
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Baltimore
Obviously I do find it necessary:nilly: I can make more money, but not more time! There is also the enjoyment of designing and building it. I enjoy my fish tanks but I don't want to spend hours and hours working on them every week. I've just cut a huge chunk out of my maintenance time. It'll never be maintenance free but it's about as close as it can get - as far as I know. If I could figure out a way to clean the gravel and filter automatically I would :headbang2 Any one have idea's?

I'll keep feeding them myself, I like that part.
 

Nic

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Oct 8, 2005
15,790
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outside philly
well if chlorine is that low and you wanted to be safe and you spent all that money.... why didnt you just add a 20$ inline carbon filter to remove it.... set up sounds good but seriously all that money involved and water company can up the chlorine dose at any time pending on anything massive rain storm change of seasons etc....
 

rmorse

Gr8 Stalker
MFK Member
Feb 14, 2008
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Great Mills, Maryland
Where in Maryland are you? I would love to come check it out... Send me a message
 

Nic

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Oct 8, 2005
15,790
14
119
outside philly
Li went dosematic pump he live in MD and went that way cause of chlorimines.... you have no chlorimines in your water....
 

WyldFya

Baryancistrus demantoides
MFK Member
Dec 23, 2005
20,791
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132
Moscow, ID
joeyballz;1923379;1923379 said:
Obviously I do find it necessary:nilly: I can make more money, but not more time! There is also the enjoyment of designing and building it. I enjoy my fish tanks but I don't want to spend hours and hours working on them every week. I've just cut a huge chunk out of my maintenance time. It'll never be maintenance free but it's about as close as it can get - as far as I know. If I could figure out a way to clean the gravel and filter automatically I would :headbang2 Any one have idea's?

I'll keep feeding them myself, I like that part.
A son, daughter, or both will suffice to getting the gravel cleaned. :D

Great looking Auto water changer.
 

CHOMPERS

Silver Tier VIP
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Apr 28, 2006
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Sunnyvale Trailer Park
When you publish in a color that is not compatible with skins that you are not using, you elimintate those people from your thread.
 
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