I need 'temporary' automatic water change ideas...

[TheLost]

My new Reefer 350 is currently cycling and I'm trying to figure out a good 'temporary' automatic water change system.

I say temporary because I plan on setting up an Apex+DOS AWC system but that's a not in the budget for a few more months (Kids + Sports = Poor house)

My tank is on the main floor and my water station is in the basement directly below it. The original plan is to run three 1/4" lines down the wall to the basement. Two for the AWC (fresh salt + waste) and one for RODI (ATO)... The plumbing isn't an issue since I already have the holes and drain access.

What I'm trying to figure out... is a cheap (lower cost) manual water change solution using those 1/4" lines so I don't have to haul buckets for the next few months.

My current idea is sourcing two small pumps that can be connected to the 1/4" lines. When I want to do a WC I just clip the waste line into the display tank and pump out ~15g... I then just do the reverse and pump fresh saltwater back up. My problem with this is the time it would take (15g through a 1/4 line could take a few minutes) and I would have to convince a kid/wife to help every time.

Does anybody have any better ideas?

My budget would be anywhere between FREE and a few $hundred.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

https://www.amazon.com/bayite-Diaph...=gateway&sprefix=diaphram+pump,aps,293&sr=8-3

To go cheap, you could use some of these 12V pumps. Flowrate through 1/4" line will always be very slow. If you're going to set up an APEX and DOS, I wouldn't want to spend a few hundred on a temporary set up. I haven't used them personally myself, but was planning on it until I set up my current AWC. You'd just need to make sure the flowrate in and out of the tank is the same if using two pumps. You can adjust the flowrate by increasing the line length (increasing resistance and lowering flow).

My AWC set up was free, but that's only because I got a set of masterflex pumps from my work for free. The masterflex pumps are arguably better than the DOS because they are industrial grade and continuous duty. They are not cheap though, however if you wanted to go that route, you can find them used on ebay for a couple hundred. Just make sure it's in working order before you buy as replacment parts are expensive.

 

[BeejReef]

Hmm.. why two pumps? Do you not have access to a drain line in the basement. If you do, add a P-trap and a T and you can siphon straight into the drain line. Then just one pump, perhaps even your mixing pump (if it has enough head) pumps water up to the DT.

I use this to turn the pump on and off so I don't have to scream to wife or kids to "ok.. turn it off... TURN IT OFF!!"
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Con...outlet+remote&qid=1559231646&s=gateway&sr=8-3

 

[dhuynh]

Get a 2nd ato and connect it to your fresh saltwater supply.

Unplug your freshwater ato.

Siphon tank water using 1/4 lines to your drain or waste bucket.


I use this to automate my "manual" water change. The only thing you have to do is make sure you don't out out of freshsalt water and to make sure to plug back your regular ato when you're done.

This setup only require a 2nd ato. Or you can manually move your freshwater ato to your saltwater when you do water changes.

 

[TheLost]

Hmm.. why two pumps? Do you not have access to a drain line in the basement. If you do, add a P-trap and a T and you can siphon straight into the drain line. Then just one pump, perhaps even your mixing pump (if it has enough head) pumps water up to the DT.

I use this to turn the pump on and off so I don't have to scream to wife or kids to "ok.. turn it off... TURN IT OFF!!"

I was trying to figure out how to speed up the process . I've already tapped into the drain line for my RODI station and future Apex based AWC.

The smart outlet is a good idea. I have a bunch of smart outlets I can use (I use SmartThings home automation around the house).

I'm starting to think it may just be faster to keep doing the old fashioned water changes (brute bucket on wheels + python siphon) until I get the Apex.

 

[BeejReef]

I was trying to figure out how to speed up the process . I've already tapped into the drain line for my RODI station and future Apex based AWC.

The smart outlet is a good idea. I have a bunch of smart outlets I can use (I use SmartThings home automation around the house).

I'm starting to think it may just be faster to keep doing the old fashioned water changes (brute bucket on wheels + python siphon) until I get the Apex.

I see.. you really do mean "auto."
If you do forge ahead, I hope you'll share the concept. APEX sounds awesome, but a DOS pump for AWC always struck me as overkill.
I'd like to be able to do a push button WC, more like a feed mode type thing. If it's straight up, just water, I can summon the strength to hit the button once a week. Then, also have the opportunity to do a little siphoning or cleaning at the same time if I care to.

 

[RobW]

My new Reefer 350 is currently cycling and I'm trying to figure out a good 'temporary' automatic water change system.

I say temporary because I plan on setting up an Apex+DOS AWC system but that's a not in the budget for a few more months (Kids + Sports = Poor house)

My tank is on the main floor and my water station is in the basement directly below it. The original plan is to run three 1/4" lines down the wall to the basement. Two for the AWC (fresh salt + waste) and one for RODI (ATO)... The plumbing isn't an issue since I already have the holes and drain access.

What I'm trying to figure out... is a cheap (lower cost) manual water change solution using those 1/4" lines so I don't have to haul buckets for the next few months.

My current idea is sourcing two small pumps that can be connected to the 1/4" lines. When I want to do a WC I just clip the waste line into the display tank and pump out ~15g... I then just do the reverse and pump fresh saltwater back up. My problem with this is the time it would take (15g through a 1/4 line could take a few minutes) and I would have to convince a kid/wife to help every time.

Does anybody have any better ideas?

My budget would be anywhere between FREE and a few $hundred.

You should look into litermeters for when you are ready to do your auto-water change permanently. Their parastaltic pumps are some of the best. Plus they can pump up from about 25 feet and pump to I think about 60 feet away. Go on spectrapure.com and check it out. They have everything you need to do water exchange and auto top off. Definitely the way to go in my opinion.

 

[dhuynh]

You should look into litermeters for when you are ready to do your auto-water change permanently. Their parastaltic pumps are some of the best. Plus they can pump up from about 25 feet and pump to I think about 60 feet away. Go on spectrapure.com and check it out. They have everything you need to do water exchange and auto top off. Definitely the way to go in my opinion.

Ohhhhh.. those look nice!

 

[RobW]

Ohhhhh.. those look nice!

Using them on my system that I'm currently building. I have a 75 gallon saltwater storage tank for auto water change and a 20 gallon ro/di storage tank for top off. I'm setting it up to change 3 gallons of saltwater out per day, 5 days a week. That way it shuts off that portion every weekend for when the tank draws empty it will always be on a weekend and I can mix a new batch on Saturday mornings. Let the power head agitate the salt mix all weekend. Then it will start back up Monday morning and do its auto water change sequence again. Of course the auto top will always be running. You just have to figure out roughly how much water per day you evaporate so you can dial in the top pump to the correct amount. Basically if you set it to 3 gallons a day, the litermeter system automatically figures out how many millilitres that comes out and divides that by 150 times in a 24 hour period and that's how much it exchanges at a time all day. No swings in water parameters by doing it in small amounts like that.

 

[siggy]

Ohhhhh.. those look nice!

Lab rat?

 

[dhuynh]

Robw is already using it.

 

[RobW]

I was trying to figure out how to speed up the process . I've already tapped into the drain line for my RODI station and future Apex based AWC.

The smart outlet is a good idea. I have a bunch of smart outlets I can use (I use SmartThings home automation around the house).

I'm starting to think it may just be faster to keep doing the old fashioned water changes (brute bucket on wheels + python siphon) until I get the Apex.

I'm in the biz of automation. I do all sorts of home automation. I use Crestron. Ever hear of it?

 

[ubasu]

Drop a bowling ball in the tank from about 6 feet up then refill the water that you loose. That would be fast.