Building automatic water changer for my 550.

[Boydo]

Since doing 35% water change on the 550 gal 2 times a week is very time consuming I 'm going to try a auto system. I going to use the Kent Marine Deluxe Hi-S Maxxima 60 GPD RO/DI and use a controll valve to continually fill the aquarium at about 40 GPD. In the sump I'm installing a Ultralife float switch to controll a Eheim 1250 pump to pump the rising water out, this swuitch is apparently sensitive to a couple inches. At 40 GPD the effuelent pump should turn on 5-8 times a day to maintain the level in the sump. Since the RO/DI will remove everything from the water I 'm going setup a dosing system for black water and an automatic feeder so a little salt can be added. I'll be building next weekend, so any ideas or comments are welcome.

 

[rallysman]

Instead of using a valve to regulate the flow, I would use a rose garden drip emitter. They're cheap and pre measured. They can be found on this page http://www.rainbird.com/drip/products/emission/index.htm

I've been using the 1gph emitters with great luck.
You may find that you don't have to drip very much water to keep your levels in check. 1GPH keeps my heavily stocked 265 in check. I think 40gpd would be a great start. I'm using less water that what I was with water changes because it's easier to maintain the parameters than trying to lower them

Good luck and post a step by step thread if you don't mind

 

[CHOMPERS]

It sounds like you have a good system in mind. I'd love to see detailed steps when you build it. You might like some ideas of what I came up with.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29912

 

[Boydo]

rallysman Instead of using a valve to regulate the flow, I would use a rose garden drip emitter. They're cheap and pre measured. They can be found on this page http://www.rainbird.com/drip/product...sion/index.htm

Thanks, great idea, and I will keep updated as I build this.

CHOMPERS It sounds like you have a good system in mind. I'd love to see detailed steps when you build it. You might like some ideas of what I came up with.

Good plan! I going try something a little different, I'll take pics of progress, I 'm curently waiting for parts.

Thank You,

 

[Boydo]

Got my parts and built the system, and it works.......
Here's the RO/DI unit, I installed in my mechanical room behind the furnace the output is controlled by input pressure. It's currently set at 35 gal/day and can go as high as 60 gpd.

This is the sump on the left there is a small white float just to the left of the foam, this controlls the output. The RO/DI water is constantly filling the main tank at the disired rate, as this occurs the sump level rises lifting the float which turns on a Ehiem 1250 that pumps the water to the sewer. This pumps approx 1 gallon at a time out, I may install a timer aswell which would enable the pump to run for only 5 or so minutes an hour which would probably increase the float switches life. I put a chemical tank ( hanging in the middle of sump) that will drip or dose the tank with black water, and not shown yet is an autofeeder converted into a salt doser for trace elements. This is my first trial of a system like this, I'm confident it will work great once I work out the bugs. I want to install a electric shut off valve for the RO/DI so that in the event of power failure the water supply would be shut off so the sump wont over flow. In the event of a float failure I will install a high level alarm. I 'm working on designing a system that in the event of a high level alarm the water supply will also be shut by the electric shut off valve.

Comments or ideas for improvement are welcome.....

 

[CHOMPERS]

Instead of a timer for the drain pump, use a float switch. They are very reliable as long as you do not over load them. Don't use a timer because that will not regulate the water. If the something bad happens such as a ruptured diaphragm and the system floods, you want the float valve or float switch to automaticly drain the excess. If it is on a timer, the system will flood.

You can also use a float switch to shut off or turn on a valve for the RO unit. If the water in the pump station fails to drain the float switch could close the valve. You could also use an irrigation valve that is always kept open when the power is on. In the event of power being disconnected, the valve will automatically close.

 

[Boydo]

I'm currently using an ultra life float switch for the out going water, I just thought that if I added a timer to the circuit with 5-10 min on time an hour the pump would only run once an hour removing 2-3 gallons rather than turning on every 5 minutes to pump out a liter or so. I was thinking that if I could minimize the on/off functions a little I get better life out of the pump and the switch. I really like your irrigation timer Idea, I'll be picking one up today. I'm going to use another ultra life float switch as a high level shut down. This switch will energise the irrigation valve to the open postion before the RO/DI. This will work for two things if high level ( outgoing pump failure ) is present the incoming water will be stopped and It will also close the valve in a power failure.

Thanks for the help Chompers,

 

[Boydo]

The system is finished now with all shut downs for high/Low level and power failure. I'm noticing that the water from the the RO/DI has a lower Ph than expected at 5.0, I'm concerned that this will bring the whole tank lower than I want it. I was considering adding coral calcium to the sump to help buffer, then I had an idea. I tested the water from the waste water from the RO/DI line and it has zero chlorine and a Ph of 7.5 since this water goes through the first two stages ( per-filter and Carbon ), I was thinking of running them both to the tank which would maintain a stable Ph. Could there be any down falls to this? Thinking it over, using both lines there should be zero chlorine and still have a 50 % decrease of crap in the water then straight out of the tap, maybe this is the better way. Also the good water line is doing 31-34 gpd and the waste line is 20-25 gpd for a total of 50-55 gpd.

Ideas.......

Thanks,

 

[Boydo]

Well, I just talked to marine depot tech and they said there should be no bad side effects teeing the two lines together, other than a 2-10 % increase in tds and all chlorine will still be removed. So, I tee'd them together and set the rate at 45 gpd which gets the filtered waters Ph up to 7.0 ( from 5.0) and the tds is at 30 ppm, down from Ph 7.5 and tds 230 ( tap water) going into the RO/DI.

 

[kev82]

Why don't you guys just put an overflow on the sump to remove the excess water?

That's a completely autmated solution that doesn't rely on electricity, valves or anything like that.

I'm using a setup like that on my guppy breeding setup, drip emitters on a timer (solenoid), adding 0.5 gallons every 4 hours to my 10gal growout tanks. The excess water then just goes down the drain with the help of a overflow on all the tanks. Pretty much the same setup as you guys would need, except the overflow would be on your sumps.