Setting up a DIY auto-top off - need opinion on water lines

[Capslock]

Hello,

I am setting up a DIY auto top off for my RO water since leaving the apt for more than two days turns out to be a problem.

Anyways this is the setup:
A float switch to turn reservoir pump on/off determined by water level
Pump to take water from reservoir into tanks baffles using airline tubing (1/4" i believe)
- 1 line going from reservoir to pump, 1 line from pump to sump

What I need opinion on is how can I set up the line in the reservoir to stay at the bottom of the reservoir.

At first I thought weight or tape but the tape I can imagine would release toxins undesirable for the tank and the same goes to a weight.

I am imagining drilling a hole into the bottom of the reservoir with a shutoff valve so I can transport the reservoir to re-fill as needed. What parts would I need to do this to make it water proof?

Do you have a different idea?

 

[kaskiles]

Can't you just use a really small power head in the reservoir, and connect tubing from it into the sump?

Plug that power head into the float switch electrical outlet. I think the power head will want a tubing a little larger than airline, but nothing unavailable at the home stores.

It might get messy this way when you want to transport the reservoir though, because you'd have to unplug the power head and remove the line from the sump; or pull the power head from the reservoir...

You'd need a bulk head fitting on your reservoir to make a connection at the bottom. Might be a pain for a round sided (5 gallon pail) reservoir though for a bulk head fitting.

 

[Capslock]

kaskiles,

I have thought of the powerhead idea - i found this small pump for only a couple of bucks so i figured I would run with it.

Your sugestions for the bulkhead I think are accurate - I am in the middle of finding something with a flatter side than the round bucket but since the main tank is in the middle of our apt I am trying to minimize clutter.

 

[camaroracer214]

i keep hearing horror stories about top off switches/float switches failing and whatnot. if the switch fails, then your system could get flooded with freshwater and kill everything, or flood your floor.

here's how i'd do it:

-purchase a cheap timer
-purchase an aqualifter pump, or small powerhead that only puts out a few gallons per hour
-fill up a five gallon bucket, or something more pleasing to the eye, with ro/di water treated with a pH buffer
-hook up the pump to the timer
-set the timer to only allow the aqualifter/powerhead to only run for a few minutes every few hours (or whatever your needs are)
-fill the top off water reservoir when it gets low

 

[Entacmaea]

Hey there, I've built a few DIY auto top-offs that work with no moving parts, no powerheads, are more accurate than pumps/timers and are more reliable. The only caveat is that the level of the reservoir has to be above the level of the sump water, in order to drain by gravity. Here is the link to how to build it (it is basically a "nurce" system")

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dynami ... index.html

Sorry about the long link. The reservoir doesn't have to be a jug, it can be any rigid walled vessel. I've used 10-20 gallon glass aquariums with acyrlic tops siliconed in place.

This system is the only one I have come across that is fool-proof, no failure points once set-up!

Hope this helps...

 

[Capslock]

camaroracer214,

Good points you laid across. The pump that I have is small and pumps out a stated rate of 3.5 gph. So far it has been working great but I will keep the timer in mind.

Entacmaea,
I have actually read that article 3 times. I decided not to go that route for aesthetic reasons, if there is going to be a jug just sitting there, it would be best to be on the floor and out of the way instead of risen and have it seen from everywhere in the apt.

 

[Entacmaea]

It would only have to be about 12" off the floor to work- not much different from just having it sit on the floor. But I understand about your concern for aesthetics. The gains in reliability and ease of use were worth it for me.

 

[kaskiles]

For the top-off / float switching failures:

So if the switch got stuck in the low sump water position, it would leave the pump on and drain the reservoir?

So that means I'd have to keep my reservoir water volume low enough to not overflow the sump. But then I'd still have a potentially dangerous salinity swing, due to adding way to much RO water.

Darn, I shouldn't have paid for the float switch. I already had a timer I could have put the power head on...

 

[kaskiles]

For the flatter side sump:

I'm using an 8x8x16 inch acrylic cube from Glasscages:
http://glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=25
It fits in my cabinet nicely next to the sump, unlike the 5 gallon pail, but it only holds about 4 gallons.

It has the flat sides, so I guess it could be drilled for a bulkhead.

If you bought the extra top, you could drill a small hole it in and set your pump on it. Then just run your airline suction tube from the pump inlet, down the drilled hole into the reservoir. Just like a five gallon pail lid with a hole in it.

For either reservoir, use one of those suction cup airline tubing holders to keep the suction line down on the bottom side. Or a blob of aquarium silicone sealant.

 

[zkeith]

That is very usful information. I will be settng up my auto topoff in the near future and this info will help me out tons.

 

[brandonberry]

As long as you use 2 float switches, you shouldn't have a problem with flooding due to a stuck switch. It is extremely unlikely anyway. The only problem I ever had with a single switch is when a snail crawled onto it. That brings the next point, create a barrier to keep animals away from the switch. I just used a piece of a disposable food container with holes drilled in it. I basically just use this setup and a small powerhead as mentioned in one of the posts above. If you plan to use limewater in your top-off, airline tubing will drive you crazy because it will clog easily. I wouldn't try to make the container removable. I'd just get another container for storing water and siphon or pump it into your top off reservoir as needed.

 

[Capslock]

I did think of the snails bit but my float switch is in the sump near the return pump so no need to worry about the snails unless I do this:

My thoughts were this; my biggest scare is of course overflowing the tank so I thought it would be appropriate to have a float switch on top of the display tank.

I imagine wiring it between the sump float switch and the pump itself. This switch would be in "always on" mode unless the water rose to a certain level. Essentially what this would prevent is if there was a power outage and the siphon broke in my overflow box

What are your thoughts?

 

[mr_X]

my tank will never overflow, no matter how much water i add to the sump. it will, however, change salinity drastically if i constantly add freshwater and overflow the sump. a float switch in the display won't do anything for you.

 

[Capslock]

Hmmm,

interesting Mr_X

my problem is I use an overflow with 2, maybe 3 (I do not think the 3rd is active) U tubes

I have tested this before I put anything in the tank, the siphon has about a 20% chance of breaking I have noticed, but I have also noticed that there is always 1 that runs.

 

[mr_X]

so, you think in the event of a power outage, your tank might overflow, and that is why you want to put a float in the display?
i was under the impression you wanted to install it there as another failsafe in the event that the auto top-off malfunctioned.
i guess that might help. but after all of that, doesn't it just seem alot easier to get the tank drilled?

 

[Capslock]

it might be easier to get the tank drilled but since there are critters in there now, a fish, lots of live rock and sand it seems like that might be a difficult endeavor, also since its back is against the wall.

 

[mr_X]

in hindsight..having both drilled and undrilled tanks, i'd do whatever it took to make some holes in it, so i wouldn't have to deal with the possibilities/probabilities of mechanical failure.

i'd take the critters and toss them all in a QT. lower the water level just enough so i could slide the tank out a smidge temporarily, glue some kind of cut-to-fit tupperware below the drill spot to catch any falling debris inside the tank, and drill atleast 1 hole.
i think it can be done with minimal trouble.....just a thought :wink:

 

[Capslock]

Mr_x,

Ill toy with that idea, we will see what happens this coming month with life to see if that could fit in the budget - I dont know if I would trust myself to drill holes in the glass myself.