RODI overflow does seem to happen to a lot of people but is totally (well, almost totally) avoidable. Look into getting one of these Kent Float valves for your RODI container. It would have saved your bacon ;-)

http://www.kentmarine.com/products/float-valve-kit.htm

If you get one, keep in mind that you should not use it as a primary shut off. You should still shut off the primary source water goig into your RODI unit when you are done making water. If you souly rely on the float valve you will get frequent on/off cycles from your RODI (from evaporation of your reservoir) which will prematurely exhaust your membrane.

Hey right on .
I meant to say that i " did not have a timer set "


I didnt realize that the float valve setups where purely mechanicle . SO this kent float valve will actually shut the supply off completly to the RODI unit . Or does it just block the RODI water (after filtration) into the brute can, yet continue to put wast down the drain..

Thanks on the info . when i do get this . I will use it as a safety backup. ANd still try and remember to turn off my manual supply valve to the whole unit.

Haven't had a spill again since I started using this.

Ok looks simple . But how does that prevent your house pressure from still pushing throught the rodi and out the waste tube ?

or does it just shut of the pure line , and continue to flow out the waste ?

thanks for the pics and input all

Just shuts off the pure line. Isn't that what you want so you don't spill? The primary still needs to be shut off manually if you want also want to stop the waste water flow.

No, the float value will not shut off the supply/source line to the RO/DI, just the output. This just blocks the RODI water (after filtration) into the brute can. This is enough to prevent the reservoir from overflowing. However, as i said earlier, if you still leave your source water on, evap in the brute can will cause the float valve to drop just enough to cause the RO/DI to kick in again for a very short period of time and this will happen continuously throughout the day which will wreck your membrane. You still should shut off the source water into the RO/DI when you're done making up water.

awesome .

I completly understand now .
Thanks for the help . everyone

unless Kien you have a Solenoid for the input of the water coming in.

well that is what is saw ..

The kent one has a solenoid . is that a means to shut off RODI supply ?

eg , the one Reef Pilot posted . if that is the complete assembly . clearly just shuts off the filtered water

I have the exact same Kent float in my reservoir and mine did not come with a solenoid. I don't have a solenoid on my input line so you can probably install this Kent without it. I suspect they've simply started to supply you with the solenoid in case you want to put it on the input as well.

MY RO/DI unit has an Automatic Shut Off Valve, so shuts off the supply water when not in use and saves the membrane. Here is how it works. I have 2 pressure storage tanks, too, so always a good supply of RODI water on hand.


What is an ASOV and what does it do?
Automatic shut-off valve is a must. It saves water, extends filter life, and improves the performance of your unit. As the storage tank fills the pressure inside increases, when the pressure equals ½ to 2/3 your feed water pressure, the water to the system is shut off. No waste. Since you subtract the storage pressure from the operating pressure, the storage pressure needs be limited.
What is ASOV?
The automatic shut-off valve. This valve allows your system to turn off the water supply, using pressure from the pure water side of the system. Then the automatic shut-off valve will turn off the water supply to the unit,whenever there is sufficent pressure on the pure water side of your system.
ASOV - How it works?
The automatic shut off feature works this way. The pure water runs right to left or left to right across the top of the valve, the side with the screws visible. (The right or left depends on how you are viewing the unit) Then the filtered water runs right to left or left to right across the bottom of the valve. When the pressure on the pure water side of the system builds to 60% of your home water pressure a small piston is pushed down and closes off the supply water. The entire unit shuts down shortly. We offer LIFETIME replacement on that part. It is the only real moving part on the system. You need to see if the screws on top of the valve can be snugged up, if that does not cure any the noise we will send a new ASOV right out. System shuts off when the tank is full or the line from the reef line is shut off.
How to Install ASOV?
Looks very complex, but is really very simple. The water is simply traveling across the valve from left to right or right to left depends on how you look at it. Pure water travels across the top of the unit, the filtered water across the bottom. The valve has a top and a bottom. The top is the side with the (4) screws visible. The bottom has no visible screws and is marked in and out. The bottom of the valve is connected between the pre-filters and the membrane. Water from the pre-filters is directed to the ASOV(in). The filtered water continues from the out of the ASOV to the membrane end with only one connection, the membrane water inlet. So the bottom of this valve got in between the filters and the membrane. The top the side with the (4) screws connects across the pure water line, from the membrane pure water outlet. The pure water outlet of the membrane is on the membrane housing end with two connections. One connection goes to drain and the other is the pure water. The drain connection is not the one you want. Once you have located the pure water line, cut it and install the automatic shut off valve. Now the pure water path is interrupted by the ASOV as well.

Saw a couple nasty worms while looking at the tank with the wife .
so i grabbed the rock and attempted to remove to with tweezers . they broke
turned out that they are just the simple bristle worm . sorry dudes .

Basically had a mini newb panick attack .. life goes on

Just read through your build. It's Jon from Blueworld, we spoke a while ago when you were getting your roots here in town. Build is looking great so far. Looking forward to seeing it running!

thanks Jon

Water in on feb 8
Shrimp on on Feb 9
Added 3 lbs live rock Feb 10
added 10lbs live rock feb 11

Also started dosing microbacter 7 on feb 11 . 5 caps each day . with skimmer off for following 4 hrs.

First shrimp is covered in a woolly coocon .

Did another water test today .. I think all params are still zero ,Ammonia may be up a wee bit , cant tell .

Feb 14. tossed in another raw shrimp ... what the heck lol

I know it says it in the instructions, but have never turned off the skimmer after dosing. And I dosed MB7 pretty heavily when I first started with bio pellets. My skimmer didn't act up, and the MB7 still always did its job. But I dose it directly into the display tank, not the sump.

Those API test kits suck. Its ok for the cycle, but once you get past that, invest in better test kits.

I personally use the Red Sea ones since they've got reagent refills. Salifert and Elos are also really good.


MC

thanks for the advice .
Ya i figured i would do some reading on what kits are best once i was done just my cycle ..

on antother note .

REading about this Microbacter 7 stuff.
It clearly says it keeps nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels low . Can this affect my cycle ..

Guess i am trying to ask . if dosing this like reccommend and all that bacteria is working will i even see an Ammonia spike at all . I know i have die off on my transported LR. as well as i clearly have a rotting shrimp ..

Is this stuff so affective that i will test all zeros . then suddenly start seing Nitrates .

?

ok
7 days in ,
I now have 2 rotting shrimp ..
Still all readings are zero .. or so close i cannot tell .

I have also been running my light now and my few peices of coral still look great .

Jon, sounds like your tank is moving in the right direction. Btw, your blue led strip can be better used over your tank... You may get a better enjoyment out if your tank and corals. :biggrin:

APIs don't "suck". Their ammonia and nitrite are really accurate and that's what any beginning tank needs to be tested. APIs nitrate are also good but not for lower ranges (below 10ppm). I even use their alkalinity and calcium and have never given me any "false" reading :). Yes, may not be as accurate as expensive test kits but good enought o keep things in check.

But yes there are better kits and Salifert and Elos are always clear winners.

Since you do have a big tank along with all macro rocks, it might take a while to even kick start the cycle. With microbacter7, its just going to help you establish the bacterias quicker and depending on your tank's environment, might cut short the cycle (can't comment on how short since that's a tough variable to predict). Maybe the volume of water is diluting the organics from the rotting shrimps and hence you are not getting any reading. Give it some time. When you see the whole shrimp turn into a cotton ball like thingy; you should be getting some spikes!

It's been quite a while since I cycled a new tank. But as I recall, the ammonia showed first followed by nitrite shortly after, and nitrates stayed zero for quite a while. But finally when the nitrates started to show, and they showed high, the nitrites and ammonia then went to zero.

So if you have never seen nitrites or nitrates, I would say your tank still hasn't cycled.

It took me a few months to cycle that tank, but that was before I was using MB7, and initially only had dry rock, no live rock.

YA .
I just have that beginner angst ..
the Two shrimp that are in there are wrapped in an alien cotton cocoon. But I will continue to let them rot .

1 of the peices of live rock i got from Blue world has some really short looking brown hair sprouting on one part of it . in addition to some green leafy nubs on another part .

Today i spent the morning wiping down all the windows in the front of my house . Crazy amounts of moisture building up in my house as a result of this hot tube .. fish tank .

Wayne , was thinking of adding those led strips , but they are all coroded inside and in general are not very attractive .. I think i will just use the MH untill i can afford some nice accent leds to add or switch out the hole Jambalaya to an all LED rig .

It appears this waiting for a cycle thing is easier said then done .....

thanks again for the input everyone
checking Canreef for inputs on my thread is all i have now that the tank has to site haha

Welcome to the fun part ;) I did my cycle in a totally different way and didn't interact with canreef during that time since I was sure to get flamed :lol: Oh wait...I think I never had any major cycle even! Just one tini tiny bit! :razz:

Another update ..

Been 16 days , I have had a very small brown diatom bloom on the sand and marco rocks .
Little bite of hair growing on some of rock that i got from the LFS.

NOTHING at all as far as ammonia , nitrites or nitrates. Even had the water tested at the LFS.
Almost done my 2 week start up dose of MB7 . there are tons of pods and worms and astrenia stars all over the place . I have added a bunch of Zoas and some Ricordias which seem to be doing very well .

I added 2 generic snails , and 1 hermit crab . they have been in for a week now and still goin .

here is some pics
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0957.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMG_0958.jpg

What did you do MRHASAN to experience no cycle ?

I used fully cured live rock and hence no cycle; just a tini tiny (my clown survived through) to adjust the bioload and that's all.

Since you are having algae bloom, that mean's either:
1. The macros are leaching phosphates
2. You are actually at the end of cycle (which I don't think so since you system is mostly dryrocks but then again, I might be wrong since you have used MB7)

ya , I seem to have a very hard time finding info on new tanks with the use of MB7

Two Large prawns have completely disappeared , rotted away to nothing .
And yet i still test all 0's

I do have about 10 pounds of rock in there as well .. came out of a couple year old tank and where 100 percent covered in coraline. so maybe that helped .

i dont know lol just going to keep putting along . maybe add a fish soon , see what happens

Different tank cycles differently. Maybe you tank is cycled with the bioload you have provided. There's are just lots of possibilities at your current situation.

If you plan on adding fish, don't add damsel :P

I would keep an eye on your po4. I used marco rock and experience a terrible bout of hair algae from them leaching phosphates. So far your planning seems good. Diatoms will go away after the silicates in the sand get used up. As long as you add in your fish slowly. I bet you could add in a hardy smaller one or some more cleaners

Sort of the natural cycle, Tanks are never really "cycled".

First of all, welcome and a water alarm works good to.

I just rigged up a normal closed solenoid valve and a timer today no more floods here :biggrin:

First of all, welcome and a water alarm works good to for preventing floods. And everyone on here is giving u good advice. I personally would take some water into blue world and get Jon to test it for you, as I haven't had great experience with API test kits, well they suck really. Salifert all the way baby! ATO, Yup a must have, controller-nice but not nessesary, float also nice. Maybe some supplement t5- ATI blue plus bulbs,or led's for the most desirable blue look. And makes the corals flourecense so sweeeeeet! Nice job on the stand to, and the Chev is rad!

water alarm is not a bad idea. I saw these little 14 dollar jobies today at Van Isle water . the where just self contained things the size of a roll of film .. If you can remember what that is .

To metal contacts on the bottom . when they get wet . buzzer goes off.

Mike-Fish .
thats a simple idea actually . I have been using the timer on the stove but i like that .
Could use that concept for the main feed into the RODI and have a mechanical float in the RODI container as well .


**tank update .

Got a tunze ozmolater hooked up to my tank . Its working great . super easy to install. Now I need a bigger top off water holding container lol .. I am just filling my little one twice a day now instead of the sump ....

Picked up a scarlet hermit , couple more snails and a skunk cleaner shrimp .
Also got a few more peices of really nice live rock from Wayne .. :biggrin:

fish will be soon .. cant wait

Scarlets are awesome IF they are true scarlets. Many stores sells the typical red legged ones as scarlets. They are very mild, don't fight and great scavengers. Sometimes, they just need a little bit of push to work since they are probably the laziest hermits out there :P

Yeah super simple to do I have the valve on the supply line ( copper valve) hooked up to a timer that's used for lights ( hard wire) unit I also have the power to the ro on it as well to minimize the chance of running the boost pump dry. All the parts probably cost about 100$.

ok , well Tank has been running smoothly .
Did a few small water changes .. I need to come up with a better way of doing this . I end up with water all over the place lol.

Still doing my water tests .. I have yet to say any ammonia, nitrite , and i think i may have a little nitrate .. still cant tell .
I added a shrimp 10 days back , it is eating well . All my snails are happs , as are my 2 hermits .


The few corals that i added 3 weeks back are doin great . ! .
I Have since just recently received some amazing SPS corals from a good friend . So they got placed yesterday.

I hope to also be getting a few fish this weekend as well .

The BIG news in my build . Is the the following equipment is purchased /.

First
Vertex Libra .. Over the top i know . but sure does look cool .
Full apex controller .. with temp and ph probes .
Picked up a set of test kits , so i can start to watch water prams .
Also got a hanna checker which i try out soon ..
And on stand by i picked up a phosban 150 to put in place if needed ..

Also order my new LED light set up ..
any guesses on what I chose ? ( those of you that know already shhhh?

I would like to thank Spencer at Blueworld Aquariums here in Vic for working with me on my order. Was a good transaction and will be happy to shop there in the future . :biggrin:
Also order my new LED light set up ..
any guesses on what I chose ?

some pics to keep everyone interested
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...G_00000036.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...G_00000034.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...G_00000033.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/...G_00000037.jpg

Things i have learned ..
1. You cant put a new filter sock in the sump ... o my god skimmer went nuts within seconds.
2. My mag drive 9 is louder then i would like .
3. I have to come up with a easy method of doing water changes ..

thats all folks

From all the fancy equipment you are getting; I strongly believe that you bought mitras :P Right? ;)

Your going to jave to come over sometime soon to get a few more things to fill up that tank!

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

well since no one else is playing along ..
Yes Mrhasan .. i did indeed order myself a new black mitras .

So it should be here early this week .. I am excited .

Some news on my vertex libra ..
I opened it up and did a test run on all 3 pumps .. Pump number 1 was very rough sounding .
Took it in to have it looked at and they confirmed the issue and are ordering me a replacement .
Looking forward to getting that back and start watching my water prams .

I need to come up with a small cabinet to place next to my tank to house the doser , controller and doser containers .
I really want to keep all those fancy electronic items away from the humid salty air under the tank..

Anyone have any ideas for a tank side cabinet ?