opinions on my auto water changer design

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
clekchau said:
i can do that, but didn't think it would be a factor as the pump that drains runs about once every hour for less than a minute. by that time most of the water has been diluted back into the main tank.
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Ok yeah, if it's only running for about a minute it should be a non-issue.
 
jcardona1 said:
You're not getting it because it impossible to do, it won't work, and defies all laws of physics and gravity LOL! You can't add secondary overflow to the tank and expect it to flow only the amount of water you put so that it doesn't go down to the sump. It's just not possible.
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exactly thanks for confirmation, i thought i was going crazy...
 
Dan F said:
I like this valve, I have used them for years without issue:
http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Aquarium-RO-Water-Purification/I/Sump-Floating-Valve.aspx

To use this you would plumb your incoming water through your filters and into the float valve. A small pump in the sump is plumbed to your waste (sewer) pipes or out into the yard. You can either have the water dump intermittently using a timer (easier for small tanks) or continuously. No additional sump pumps, float switches, solenoid valves, et cetera. I am always a little perplexed when I see complicated water change systems using hundreds of dollars worth of switches, valves, and other doo-dads. A float valve, timer, and powerhead will cost under $100 and is relatively simple to set up and run...
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the only issue i see with the float switch idea, i have the outflow thru 4 drip emitters, i don't see how i would connect the outflow of the float switch to the drip emitters can you run 1/4" tubing on the outflow? i think the direct closing solenoid valve is better piece of mind now that i think about it.

regarding cost, total cost to date is less than $120 although thats using a mag7 pump i already had lying around, $60 for chlorimine filter, $16 for drip emitters, tubing, sediment filter, $45 for vertical float switch. i don't think the system is that complicated but fairly straightforward ... but what do i know :)
 
clekchau said:
the only issue i see with the float switch idea, i have the outflow thru 4 drip emitters, i don't see how i would connect the outflow of the float switch to the drip emitters can you run 1/4" tubing on the outflow? i think the direct closing solenoid valve is better piece of mind now that i think about it.

regarding cost, total cost to date is less than $120 although thats using a mag7 pump i already had lying around, $60 for chlorimine filter, $16 for drip emitters, tubing, sediment filter, $45 for vertical float switch. i don't think the system is that complicated but fairly straightforward ... but what do i know :)
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It wouldn't work with the drip emitters. You'd have to set it up based on timing, and measuring how much your pump drains in XX minutes, then set up your intervals based on that to get the total amount of water you want changed per day.
 
jcardona1 said:
It wouldn't work with the drip emitters. You'd have to set it up based on timing, and measuring how much your pump drains in XX minutes, then set up your intervals based on that to get the total amount of water you want changed per day.
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ok now that sounds like a pain i will stick to the direct closing solenoid idea...
 
clekchau said:
i guess i'm not getting it... i already have overflows from my tank to my sump, to accomplish what you are referring to i would need to add another external overflow and insure it is positioned to drain with excess water. but since i have a sump already, that is where the water line... am i missing something?
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Its simple all you would need is to setup a single siphon tube either 1/2",- 1" depending on how much you decide the incoming water rate is. This would have a valve so you can fine tune exactly how much drains out to flow at the same rate as the incoming water. So if the outlet is flowing at the same rate as the incoming water how would more water drain to the sump?
 
MyGiants said:
Its simple all you would need is to setup a single siphon tube either 1/2",- 1" depending on how much you decide the incoming water rate is. This would have a valve so you can fine tune exactly how much drains out to flow at the same rate as the incoming water. So if the outlet is flowing at the same rate as the incoming water how would more water drain to the sump?
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That would be way too difficult to fine-tune. Not enough and you flood your sump over the course of a few hours. Too much and you run the system dry. Too risky.
 
MyGiants said:
Its simple all you would need is to setup a single siphon tube either 1/2",- 1" depending on how much you decide the incoming water rate is. This would have a valve so you can fine tune exactly how much drains out to flow at the same rate as the incoming water.
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its simple if the flow was consistent and requires little adjustment but what you are proposing you need to fine tune exactly what is coming in with what is going out thru two valves and the flow will vary. with the way its currently set up, whatever comes in goes out and i can adjust from 1/2 gph to 8 gph or even more if i add more drip emitters which i'm tweaking now to get the best flow rate, i guess i see this setup as fairly low maintenance even with the added solenoid fail safe.
 
MyGiants said:
It wouldn't be that hard to do. OK so lets take a look at the other option of letting the water go to the sump. You will still need to control the flow water from the pump to the drain at the same rate as the incoming water. To me your just adding another pump that isn't needed.
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Huh? Not at all. That's what the sump pump on a float switch is for. When the water level in the sump rises and triggers the float switch, it turns on the drain pump until the water level drops down to normal. When it rises again a few hours later, the pump gets turned on. There is no need to figure out anything as far as rate of incoming water.

The issue with this is what is the power goes out or the float switch fails, you need a solenoid to do two things:

1) cut off the flow of water if the float switch/drain pump fails and the water level in the sump begins to rise beyond the float switch
2) cut off the flow of water if the power is goes out
 
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