top off

[Phischy]

Who here has built a top off system that is mechanical and doesn't rely on float switches etc? I'm noticing I'm losing a ton of water in my system and I'm goign to need to stablize my salinity before I start adding living things to my tank. Just looking for cheap solutions to help manage my new system.

On a related note, it would seem the worst of the stench factor is over, no longer does my place reek of rotting fishcrap, just stinks a little!

e

 

[djconn]

Floatswitch is the way to go man. How else are you going to know when your water level is getting low?

 

[Phischy]

Any problems with salt creep screwing 'em up? Do the switches themselves require alot of maintence?

I'm really thinking I need to install one, with my skimmer going f ull bore I'm emptying the collection cup every 8hrs (when it's about 1/2 full) and that's alot of water leaving my system while the rock cures. On that note though, is salt also being taken with it or is it just water/gunk?!?!?!

Also do you use one or two switches? One for too low: add water, one for too high: stop water (incase the 1st one fails in the 'add' mode?

 

[Jennie]

I know this seems rigged but what I've done is place a mark on the outside glass. On top of the cabinet next to our tank I've placed a gallon jug with distilled water(where it can't be seen). I found a length of rigid tubing and connected it with pliable tubing. Since it is higher than the tank, I've only had to start the suction once. In the evening when I come home, all I do is pull the end of the flexable tubing out of the top of the jug and place into my filter. Once the end is lower than the jub, gravity kicks in and I leave it in until the water level reaches my mark. I've been using this method for about 5 months, and my salinity hasn't went haywire yet!

 

[FishinInTheDark]

You are losing saltwater into your skimmer, so you shouldn't replace it with freshwater. Only evaporation should be replaced with fresh. If you're losing that much to skimming, I would just pour in as much saltwater as you are dumping out skimmate. The rest would be evap. Does that make sense?

 

[Phischy]

Yeah, it does make sense. I'm litterally removing 1/4 to 1/2 cup of crud every time I empty that thing out. It does make a huge difference in how low I place the skimmer collection cup as far as how much fluid is int here, right now i guess I'm 'deep' cleaning b/c I've got the funnel set low so lots of bubbles go up. I've got 10 gallons of water in my sump so I'm not overly worried yet on having to little water, just a matter of keeping the salinity in the right zone. I guess I'll worry about that after the rock has cured and the system stablizes out more so I'm not skimming such a huge volume all the time.

Thanks for the advice!
e

 

[djconn]

Yeah, floatswitches are awesome. They have taken the most routine & boring maintenance out of the hobby for me and just makes life and reefkeeping easier. Check out www.californiareefs.com.

No, I've never had any saltcreep problems since my water level is pretty much constant. It also keeps your pH in check. They require no maintenance other than occasionally scrubbing off algae every couple of months. Yes, people do use 2 switches occasionally in case the lower one gets stuck in the open position. I think its probably a good idea I just never did it and haven't had one problem in 2 yrs (cross your fingers!). Make sure your skimmer is producing nice dark green/brown skimmate and not clear or else that is a sign you've got it cranking too much.

 

[incysor]

You can also buy floatswitches from here.

http://www.floatswitches.net/floatswitch.html

Go to the dollar store and buy a cheap extension cord. Wire it up yourself by separating the wires on the cord, cut one side, strip the wires back far enough to eire up the leads from the switch, tape it back up.

Here's a horrible image I drew up in paint to illustrate. I am SO not an artist. :?

You can drill a holes in a 35mm film canister and you basically have the same thing that he's selling for $26 for less than 10. You plug the male end of the extension cord into the wall/power strip, and plug a small powerhead in your reservoir, and when the switch falls it lets current through the extension cord to the powerhead. Powerhead pumps water through airline back to the tank/sump. I run mine with a rio50.

Brian

 

[incysor]

If you would prefer not to use floatswitches, here's a link for one that doesn't use them.

http://home.att.net/~s-pawlowskis/topoff.htm

Here's the thread I got the link from.

http://marshreef.com/modules.php?name=F ... pic&t=3649

There's a couple good suggestions in it, namely using round containers because they flex less, and adding a valve on the feed line to keep from losing prime whenever you have to refill your reservoir.

I don't know how well this method will work for you because of space requirements. I managed to put an 8gal trashcan under my 40gal cube and it took up less space than the 5gal bucket I was using previously. However being taller I had to run my line up to the ceiling of the 75gal stand in order to keep it from siphoning water into the sump until the two were level after the float valve turned on the powerhead.

 

[Phischy]

Well those switches are cheap and I know how to soder and all. Of course I'd have to buy a soder gun, soder, heat wrap and a heat gun but hell...I should already own those anyhow! I think the two switch method is best, just one extra fail safe b/c shit does happen.

 

[incysor]

There isn't any soldering involved. Just splice it in and tape it back up. There's a couple reasons to use 2 switches. One you want both of them to have to drop in order to turn the pump on. (guards against craps or snails hanging on them and turning them on, also in case one floats but due to crustiness doesn't drop back properly) Or you can put them on so that one dropping turns the pump on, and then the other one floating turns it back off. I just decided that the film canister was good enough protection from critters, (which shouldn't be in my sump anyway). At one point I found a really nice page with a guy using two on his nano....I'll look around and see if I can find it.

 

[Phischy]

Well, you should always soder wire connections, it's a more firm connection and less worry about the splice becoming weak and shorting out. And you should always use heattape to create a waterproof connection as well. Just some basic saftey steps to take when doing home electrical work, espically in an area that's wet and exposed to salt.

For $6 I could easily do 2, the problem I'll have shortly is where to put the resovior. I'm thinking I may ditch the sump, do a closed loop flow and then use the sump in 6 months as a 15gal fuge sharing water out of my main tank but set it up as a nano display. I think that'd be pretty cool. Things for me to think about...

I do appreciate all the advice!

 

[cowman345]

Can somone detail how to make one of these float switches for me? I'm confused as to how they actually switch on/off without the contacts being submerged in water...

-dave-

 

[skipm]

You mentioned earlier that you wanted something simple without switches, do a search and check out the nurce system. The nurce uses an airtight container and a pair of lines going to the tank that allows air into the container when the level drops allowing water to siphon into the tank. It is pretty simple once you see how it is set up. HTH, Skip

 

[incysor]

The nurce units are no longer being made....Here's the site of the company that was making them...It shows how they work....Lots of reefers have made similar DIY systems. You just have to have a air tight container that you can get two pieces of tubing into and retain the integrity of it at the same time. Lots of people use the 5g glass water bottles, from ozarka, or whatever company with a rubber stopper that the tubing is inserted through.

B

http://www.aqualan.com/products.html

This is a link to a DIY one with pics, and a much smaller container.

http://marshreef.com/modules.php?name=F ... pic&t=4268

 

[skipm]

I was reading someplace recently where plastic carboys are real good to DIY a nurce system with too. You can find the plastic ones on Ebay fairly cheap. You can also go to www.usplastics.com to see what I am talking about.

 

[incysor]

It looks like it should be easy to find the pieces to put one together on this site....Cool deal.

B