ATO ideas. Gravity or float switch?

[ithk21620]

Same here if mine gliched for some reason. 200 gallons with a 16 gallon top off, but I keep mostly SPS and a huge SG change plus alkalinity swing would be a bleaching event for me. There's still a risk, but not as bad in my book. The double redundant switch makes me sleep better at night and on vacation. Better, not 100%. Lol

I don't run kalk so I worry less. If I ran kalk I would never run this system because the kalk would totally ruin the float valve.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I don't run kalk so I worry less. If I ran kalk I would never run this system because the kalk would totally ruin the float valve.

Totally agree.

 

[Hockeypunk1]

Great thoughts! Thanks a lot for all the ideas. I think I'm going to try the float valve hooked up to a 5 gallon bucket. I will then hook up the apex to either warn me or try the solenoid, but with 5 gallons it shouldn't be too bad if it does dump. I will also use my dosing pump for small measures of kalk until I fully transition to 2 part

 

[ithk21620]

Great thoughts! Thanks a lot for all the ideas. I think I'm going to try the float valve hooked up to a 5 gallon bucket. I will then hook up the apex to either warn me or try the solenoid, but with 5 gallons it shouldn't be too bad if it does dump. I will also use my dosing pump for small measures of kalk until I fully transition to 2 part

Just to let you know, I have yet to find a cheap solenoid valve that would work between the RO and the sump. Solenoid valves typically have metal internal parts that will not work with RO water (the Apex one included since I have reached out to Apex to verify). I wanted to install one so when I do a water change I can automatically shut off the top off because for some reason I always forget to turn it back on. If I happen to find one that would work I will let you know.

 

[Hockeypunk1]

Just to let you know, I have yet to find a cheap solenoid valve that would work between the RO and the sump. Solenoid valves typically have metal internal parts that will not work with RO water (the Apex one included since I have reached out to Apex to verify). I wanted to install one so when I do a water change I can automatically shut off the top off because for some reason I always forget to turn it back on. If I happen to find one that would work I will let you know.

Thanks for letting me know I never would have thought about that especially the apex one

 

[SethOF]

Just to let you know, I have yet to find a cheap solenoid valve that would work between the RO and the sump. Solenoid valves typically have metal internal parts that will not work with RO water (the Apex one included since I have reached out to Apex to verify). I wanted to install one so when I do a water change I can automatically shut off the top off because for some reason I always forget to turn it back on. If I happen to find one that would work I will let you know.

Something like this will work.

 

[ithk21620]

Something like this will work.

That valve requires a min pressure to operate so for a gravity fed float valve it would not work.

However I did find this valve the other day that would work

http://www.wicvalve.com/1-2-Inch-Pl...ir-Gas-Water-Solenoid-Valve-NC-2PCG-1-2-D.htm

 

[Hockeypunk1]

Something like this will work.

I was wondering if those would work but in the description it says not to be used in gravity feed situations. Also I believe it has to be normally open.

 

[ithk21620]

Here is the post I started regarding using solenoid valves and what each company said when I contacted them

Stainless Steel vs RODI
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Stainless-Steel-vs-RODI.296153/

 

[ithk21620]

I was wondering if those would work but in the description it says not to be used in gravity feed situations. Also I believe it has to be normally open.

The valve doesn't need to be normally open, you would just have power to the solenoid all the time which wouldn't be a big issue. The coils in most solenoid valves are made to be able to have constant power to them. The energy use is very minimal too since you are basically just powering a coil to keep the magnetic field

 

[SethOF]

That valve requires a min pressure to operate so for a gravity fed float valve it would not work.

However I did find this valve the other day that would work

http://www.wicvalve.com/1-2-Inch-Pl...ir-Gas-Water-Solenoid-Valve-NC-2PCG-1-2-D.htm

What about using a cheap submersible pump such as this for a little pressure.

 

[Hockeypunk1]

The valve doesn't need to be normally open, you would just have power to the solenoid all the time which wouldn't be a big issue. The coils in most solenoid valves are made to be able to have constant power to them. The energy use is very minimal too since you are basically just powering a coil to keep the magnetic field

Thanks. That makes sense. I think I'm just going to use a 5 gallon bucket so if it does dump all the water the impact on my salinity will be minimal. Someday I will upgrade to a larger top off. When I was setting this up I had a hard time getting the 1/4 bulkhead to not leak. I didn't realize that they don't make them for submerged applications. I used a rubber gasket I had laying around for a hose faucet for the inside/underwater part, then I used a bunch of teflon tape even with the gasket it leaked around the threads

 

[Hockeypunk1]

What about using a cheap submersible pump such as this for a little pressure.

I'm sure that would work. For my setup I was looking for simple but effective. I went from a 15 gallon fish tank sump with baffles and a hydor ato to a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank in the basement without baffles. My hydor with an aqua lifter pump couldn't keep up with demand and I was having to manually top off 3-4 gallons a day. I set up the gravity system and salinity is as steady as it can get. For now I'm going to set up some float switches to let me know if the gravity float valve fails

 

[ithk21620]

What about using a cheap submersible pump such as this for a little pressure.

That would work if you needed the pressure but it defeats the purpose of a gravity fed system. They make valves that don't require the pressure like the one I posted above.