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View Full Version : Looking for cheap & easy auto-topoff


wayner
12-09-2002, 10:22 PM
Right now I have my ro/di filter draining into a 22 gallon rubbermaid container, I want to set something up so I can have the water from the container go right to the sump, if I can do this, I might even be able to mix kalk directly in the container and cover it., I think I evap approx. 2 gallons a day, came across this on Reef Central.

What do you think, any safer/better ways?, need something simple & reliable, I'm far from a plumber.



cheap and easy autotop off

My buddy uses a litermeter on his tank and I went to buy the same until I found out that they quit making it and the new model won't be out til the end of Oct.
So after checking his out I came up with an idea.I use digital timers for my lighting and also for the pumps on my ponds and they can be set to the minute(homedepot 17$),I used one of these with a small powerhead with the exaust reduced down to airline tubing and run it around the wall in my fish tank room to the sump.I turned it on and filled a bucket with the amount I add everyday (2 gals for my tank) and timed how long it took(13 min.) to fill that much.set the timer to run for 13 minutes once a day.No float valves to stick or expensive pumps to buy,probably could be hooked to a Neilson reactor(I use a calcium reactor) total cost about 25$.I also put a mark on my sump where the water level should be so I can vissually check that the level is right and with my water testing once a week no need to add manually everyday.

Delphinus
12-09-2002, 11:21 PM
Humidifier float valve from Revy or Home Depot for about $12 ...

Or a Kent float valve for a little more (a little more robust product)

Works best if you drill a wall for the valve to mount onto (BTW I have a glass drill bit that will work if you want to go this way), but, if you really don't want to do that, you can work around that.

One way is to take a piece of scrap acrylic or glass and drill through that, then silicone that into your sump.

On my 50g, I just took a piece of 3" PVC and made a tower that sits in my sump. For the base I just used a toilet flange. Works like a charm.

I can try to take some pictures and show you. Very easy to set up, and inexpensive, but EFFECTIVE. You can even use them for adding kalk...

StirCrazy
12-09-2002, 11:36 PM
this is the one I did
http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1945

it cost 25.00 for the kent float valve, and 11.50 for the jug and 5 gal of RO water. then another 10 bucks for the fittings and valve. for a couple bucks more you could use a 20 gal rubbermaid for the water storage instead of a 5 gal water jug. (this is what I am doing now)

Steve

Dorkel Marine 1
12-10-2002, 04:22 AM
Delphinus, I would really like those pictures. Not to mechanical. I need a picture. Thanx in advance.

wayner
12-10-2002, 06:54 PM
Tony:

I'd like to see some pictures also, better still, I'd like you to come over & rig it up. (lol).

Delphinus
12-10-2002, 08:46 PM
I can do both. I snapped some pictures last night and transferred them to my PC this morning but I didn't have time to "webify" them this morning. So, pictures forthcoming.

Wayne, I'd be more than happy to come over and help out. I may not be able to do much well, but float valves and drilling I can do. :) Besides, I want to see this new table of yours, very jealous, I've never been able to get Jayson to sell me a table despite years of whining and pining for one... :)

wayner
12-10-2002, 09:04 PM
Sounds good Tony, maybe you can send me a private message with your phone number and we can discuss what I need to purchase, setup, etc., I'll have a couple of frags for you for helping, if you want of course.

The table is just a frag right now, about 2", but already i'm seeing color change and good polyp extension, I have it up fairly high under a 400W Radium with good flow, you'll have to wait a while for a frag of this one.

BC_Grl
12-11-2002, 03:20 AM
Steve, how long does that 5g jug last? Are you re-filling it every week?

StirCrazy
12-11-2002, 04:14 AM
I was filling it ever two days don't forget I have the surface area of 3 tanks to evaporate on me so my consumption was and is kinda high.. I now have a 18 gallon jug on there and I go a week easy on that.

Steve

Jack
12-11-2002, 05:03 AM
Hey Steve,

Ya, nice auto-top off. Gives me a good idea that I can work off of (in other words, copy :lol: ). I have a question though, how did you get that 1/4" line fitting threaded into the jug? Ever thought of dripping kalk? or do you have a reactor?

Also, I was looking at those exact same rubbermaids (the ones with the wheels) everything looks good but the wheels concerned me. I was thinking it might leak there from the stresses caused by wieght of water. What do you think? Would these be good sump tanks? I might just use two of them exactly how you did, one for refugium, one for auto top, and then a large one for a sump. Let me know what you think, thanks.

StirCrazy
12-11-2002, 05:07 AM
jack look at the bottom of the rubbermaids.. I have foam under themand the wheels are actuly not touching the surface :wink: the lids on the 5 gal are threaded so you need a bushing to go from that size to a 1/4" pipe thread then you just use a john guess fitting to conect the hose.

Steve

Jack
12-11-2002, 05:09 AM
Bingo, ok. I knew it was easy, I just couldn't see from the picture. Thanks.

Delphinus
12-11-2002, 06:36 AM
Here are the pictures I promised. Sorry it took me so long. I've been away all evening and my computer crashed several times while trying to upload from the camera. Dang, I need to retire this piece of junk...

I can't add a whole lot to what Steve has already detailed in his very informative thread on the same topic.

Anyways here are some pictures from my 75g (first two) and my 72g that I'm still currently putting together. I can't take a picture of the standpipe in my 50g, it's too hard to get in there. Suffice it to say, it is kind of the same idea as Steve's white acrylic mounting bracket, although instead of a square, mine is a piece of 3" PVC, and since it's round I can't silicone it to the side of the sump -- instead I used a toilet flange as the "foot" and it is relatively stable. Only problem with the pipe is that it is a bit buoyant, and requires a weight on the top to keep it from moving around. I just have a piece of 2x4 jammed in between the pipe and the top of my aquarium stand.

My 75g uses a Kent valve drilled through an acrylic bubble baffle on the last compartment. You need a hole 5/8" for the Kent valves although you might be able to squeeze the valve through a 1/2" hole but it will be tight. The bucket has a 1/4" tubing bulkhead from a hydroponics store. Cost of the valve, about $30, the bulkhead about $5, tubing and bucket (in this case a kitty litter bucket, which I have several of, with 3 cats :) ), maybe another $5 to buy that stuff, so in total about $40 if you had to buy everything from scratch. Since this one is drilled through acrylic any hole saw/drill bit of the appropriate size will do.

My 72g (which as you can see doesn't yet have a reservoir, as the tank is still a work-in-progress), uses the Home Depot/Revy humidifer float valve (about $12, and I happen to have a few lying around, so not really any cost out of pocket right now). The real trick on this tank was that the hole is drilled through the glass sump wall, so you need a glass bit (the real expense). For these valves, a 1/2" hole is plenty, but since my bit is 5/8" (because I originally bought the bit for the Kent valve), the hole ends up being slightly larger than it needs to be (I just filled with silicone). So, total cost here (not looking at the cost of the drill bit, which I had anyways), is less than $20.

The one thing to take note of, you need your hole for the valve to be about 2" higher than where you want your water level to be. I forget the exact value for the Kent valve, I think it is a little bit less, but in the same ballpark. For the humidifier float valve it is exactly 2".

Anyways if anyone in Calgary wants a hole drilled through glass the offer stands, it's just a question of finding the time to get together (and me remembering to bring my tools). (Ross got tired of waiting for me, but look how much fun he had :P )

http://members.shaw.ca/hobiesailor/temp/sump-topoff1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/hobiesailor/temp/sump-topoff2.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/hobiesailor/temp/sump-topoff3.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/hobiesailor/temp/sump-topoff4.jpg