Lazy, yet productive.

[SeymourDuncan]

Ever go to top off your tanks, or drip acclimate a fish, or dose your water, or anything that involves slowly transferring liquid into your tank? Well sometimes we do not have the patience, nor time to patiently watch these boring jobs.

O didn't like the idea of having to pour water in my tank, incase the phs were off...so I like to drip it in. well sometimes the air tubing can slip out and either stop syphoning or just spill everywhere.

To solve this issue I came up with this.
You can use any container that has an airtight lid.
Culligan jugs IMO are POIFECT! Their caps are stretchy so a screwdriver can poke right through it...leaving the perfect size hole to shove some air tubing in.

I put 2 holes in the lid. One hose was shoved down to the bottom of the jug, the other near the top. The hose near the bottom was directed into the fish tank. The other to an air pump. anything over 10gallons should be fine. TO control flow put a valve on the hose PRE JUG.
When you turn on the air pump, it pushes...yes AIR..into the jug, forcing the water to go through the only escape route...the hose. Since it is such a thin hose, there is not much pressure needed.

If you submerge the feed into your tank, when the jug is empty it will send off a BUBBLY ALARM, telling you that you are done.

Now if thats not lazy I don't know what is...oh yes...auto top off. But we all can't afford to get up and buy one...lazy days make lazy inventions.


This also works very well for Acclimating. Hook 2 jugs inline. The first jug will be tank water, the second is the water the fish came in. The 2nd jug should have an opening large enough for your fish or HE WONT FIT. The air pumps water out of jug 1 into jug 2, pumping the old water out of it and into your toxic LFS waste bucket that should be decontaminated with a blow torch.


I hope this helps People a lot. You do not have to avoid maintenance just because you are too busy. Even the handicapped can be handy capable with this idea. I have been in situations where I was prescribed to not do anything and had I thought of this then, I would have never had a near dead sea experience.

Any of your ideas that help us get through these vigorous labors, please share them as well!

 

[dskyers]

Going to try this . Wonder if I put it on a timer I could dial in amounts and get a real Doser and ato going

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[SeymourDuncan]

Yes you can. and if you fill it with live brine or mysis or pods you have a 5 gallon AUTO FEEDER. the possibilities are endless

 

[SeymourDuncan]

for ATO I would do a FLOAT SWITCH. NOT A TIMER.

OR BETTER YET

Position the outlet underwater in the sump. (THE JUG MUST E ABOVE SUMP MAX WATER LEVEL)
Position the air inlet hose (NOT CONNECTED TO PUMP) so that it is just touching the surface of the sumps OPERATING WATER LEVEL)
When evaporation occurs, the water level in the sump lowers, thus allowing Air into the AIR INLET. When the sump reaches the desired level, The air inlet is blocker by the water.

THAT IS NOT A NEW IDEA, BUT A GREAT ONE> I will see if i can find who dun nit

 

[uall8up]

Wonderful invention you have. Going to try this for sure!!! Thank you for sharing!

 

[dskyers]

O wait this is the sane as a gravity feed one. I have to have the bucket above tank or pump will do the work?

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[SeymourDuncan]

O wait this is the sane as a gravity feed one. I have to have the bucket above tank or pump will do the work?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

The design works both ways. you can gravity feed or with an air pump.

I use an air pump and NOT a water pump because when the bucket is fully empty it just bubbles and the water pump would more than likely burn up