Electric water changer on a timer!

[Mr Cracker2u]

This maybe a rehash but it's one of the coolest things I've put on a tank!!!
It's pretty simple to set up but not the cheapest.
1- pump on a timer to remover waste water.
2- water tap in back yard so I can hook up a hose and recycle the water
3- electric float switch set to minimum sump water hieght
4- sprinkler valve
5- 24 volt power converter
6- water filter to remove chlorine
Wire the float to one side of the power supy to the sprinkler valve. Conect the waste water pump to the timmer. When the pump kicks on it drains water. The float switch turns on when the water gets to the lowest piont and starts filling. I have it set up to change about 25 glns a day at 5 minutes twice a day. The digital timer has a battery so it doesn't have to be reset on a power outage.

 

[fishlover88]

that is a sweet little set up, wish i had the space to do something like that. kind of hard to do on the second story. but love the diy sump, drawers make changing media easier

 

[Mr Cracker2u]

To tell you the truth it's mostly stuff I have seen here on MFK. I've picked up more ideas from this site in the last six months since I found it then I have in the last 6 years......LOL........... Even when I went to monthly meetings for a local reef club there wasn't this much info.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Water changers are really nice for salt setups. They need to be tailored to operate with a manual start switch rather than coming on automatically so the system does not add fresh water if you forget to add salt. Also a small pump should be added to the fill tank to mix up the salt.


For what it is worth, consider a float switch to operate your waste pump. Timers don't have a failsafe and don't know if the waste tank needs to be emptied for an unpredicted circumstance. A float switch will turn on the pump EVERY TIME the tank is full and will shut the pump off as soon as it is empty.

 

[Mr Cracker2u]

Chomper it's a 240 gln fresh water tank with a 100 gln tank/sump holding about 25 glns. The waste pump is on the timmer with a battery back up. The only way for the fresh water to enter is if the float drops to the lowest operational water level in the sump. The sprinkler valve seloniod can't open if there is no power. The waste pump can't turn on if there is no power. Niether can work if the other isn't working they are on the same curcuit. It has to pump water out for new water to enter. Fool proof, I'll find out, theres always a glitch. Changing water out like a drip system only with a 12 gln volume X2 a day is what it does.

 

[Mr Cracker2u]

I found a glitch when I hooked up the hose to water the yard. The hose created a slow siphon when the waste pump shuts off.
Solution
1- drill a small hole a few inches above the water line as a vacum break.
result- water squirting all over
2- I used a short peice of 3/4" vinyl tubing left over from the main return pumps. I cut a piece out contoured to fit tight against the 1/2" pvc. Then I slit the top ring section so it can snap around the pvc. Hose clamped it ln place. No more siphon or water squirting. So far so good.

I also have a pic of the waste water copper pipe going through the wall. I put a 90 at the wall and about 4" up I put another 90 so I could secure the pipe to the block inside the house. This makes the hose bib set up very sturdy.

 

[Mr Cracker2u]

This set up is working great. The sump water level is always within + or - 1/4" of the desired level. adding 12 or 13 glns at a time is not causing temp problems. I can't hardly walk by the tank without wanting to push the button to turn it all on!!!!! It's like a sump party every time it starts up.....LOL....... Thank All of You MFKers for the idea's!!!!!!

OK now how long does this have to run with no problems to be proven technology?????? ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dr Joe]

They're still having problems with the wheel and that's been around for awhile

Looks good tho.

Dr Joe

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