Automated relatively self-sufficient Reef tanks

[orangele]

I have a 10 year old 150 gallon reef tank which has suffered one major crash during this period due to a main pump failure. Since that time, I attempted to design the system to be as fail-safe as possible. I am currently considering spending a considerable amount of time away from the location of the tank due to work reasons, (perhaps up to 3 weeks at a time). Should I become aware of a significant problem with the tank, it would be possible for me to return within a day or so to address the problem. I have the tank monitored via an Aquacontroller 3 which I can monitor via the internet. Further, I can certainly set up a webcam to visually monitor the tank. The tank currently has two back up pump systems. One is an in sump water-level controlled pump (if level in sump rises too high, triggers back up) , and the back up to that (to keep the tank alive perhaps for a week) is a separate pump which pumps water to and from a chiller on a separate electrical circuit which has its own independent plumbing lines into the tank (already has saved the tank once before prior to the addition of the sump back up). Lastly, the house does have a fully automatic whole-house generator. I know that there are automatic feeding devices which I would appreciate any input on. Lastly, I have designed a refrigerated feeding system to dose phytoplankton automatically (automatically mixed prior to dosing) which could also be added to the tank.

Anyways wondering if there are others out there with experience in designed automated reef tanks who can offer any knowledge/advice.

 

[goodreef]

How bout auto cut off for lights when the temperature goes up too high? Useful especially for MH users.

 

[Sk8r]

Heck, I blush to say it, because it's a really ad hoc system, but I can leave my lps reef alone for a month: it's just a 32 g kalk ATO reservoir in a Brute trashcan and a very live fuge (cheato, mysis, pods, worms, snails, crabs, amphipods) that's over 1/3 the size of my display tank. When I go away for an extended time, I set up a vertical bubble wand in a recess of my display tank and have that running in case my main pump eats another snail: the corals don't mind, since the bubbles go up, and it provides some water movement should the main pump fail.

 

[orangele]

Skr8r: It is a testament to your system that it is so naturally balanced. The idea for a bubbler is a great one; very simple but can definitely buy time in keeping a tank alive.

Yes Goodreef, AC3 already programmed to shut off lights in sequence should temp rise above set thresholds. It has indeed kicked in a few times in the last several years when for some reason, my chiller pump got air lock and the temp in the tank rose past threshold.

 

[Gangrene]

Watch all 11 parts of episode 80 for LAFishGuys on YouTube. That is the most high tech tank setup I've ever seen... He adds a lot of tech stuff as they go through the individual parts of the episode. He even has it where the tank automatically does water changes... I'd love his 500 gallon setup.

 

[michaelkittrell]

I'm very interested in your "refrigerated feeding system to dose phytoplankton automatically (automatically mixed prior to dosing) which could also be added to the tank. "

I want to automate and have a backup for my tank like you are doing. I'm running a 150 gallon sump for my 125 gallon tank (225 if I plumb the othe tank in) and have backups for a lot of things. I want to get to a backup for everything and a automatic failsafe shut off for everything as well.

 

[frankpayne32]

I travel during the summer for work and I have to leave my reef for over month. My mom comes to check on it once a week. She never had to do anything besides check to make sure there wasn't a power outage. This is how I accomplish it:

-Reefkeeper Lite controlled my lighting, two part dosing, heater, and cooling fans.
-Mixed up enough two-part to last for months (5 gallon buckets)
-Bought a high end automatic fish feeder (Eheim).
-Did a very large water change before I left.
-ATO system connected to a large freshwater reservoir.

The tank wasn't quite as pristine looking as usual but everything was fine. The ReefKeeper was crucial as it retains it's settings even after a power hiccup. This much automation is not without risk but I found with high quality equipment it works.

 

[Mrbeachbum2]

I travel during the summer for work and I have to leave my reef for over month. My mom comes to check on it once a week. She never had to do anything besides check to make sure there wasn't a power outage. This is how I accomplish it:

-Reefkeeper Lite controlled my lighting, two part dosing, heater, and cooling fans.
-Mixed up enough two-part to last for months (5 gallon buckets)
-Bought a high end automatic fish feeder (Eheim).
-Did a very large water change before I left.
-ATO system connected to a large freshwater reservoir.

The tank wasn't quite as pristine looking as usual but everything was fine. The ReefKeeper was crucial as it retains it's settings even after a power hiccup. This much automation is not without risk but I found with high quality equipment it works.

This can be very dangerous. Make sure you have a near fail safe method for your auto top off. Every so often, someone's float valve doesn't shut off due to build up, snails, etc and you have diluted 30 gallons into your time. You can also put the pump on a timer so if it were to not shut off, you'd have slightly more water to top off than what you initially wanted.

 

[Basketstar]

Agreed. Some units, like the JBJ ATO, have an auto shut off built in. Mine kills the pump after about 5 minutes.

 

[Jorgens]

I think this is the most interesting part of the hobby. How can we set this up and just let it be and keep it healthy. I too, would like to hear more about your plankton adventure. I was brainstorming that a bit this weekend.

thanks for sharing!

 

[EnderG60]

This can be very dangerous. Make sure you have a near fail safe method for your auto top off. Every so often, someone's float valve doesn't shut off due to build up, snails, etc and you have diluted 30 gallons into your time. You can also put the pump on a timer so if it were to not shut off, you'd have slightly more water to top off than what you initially wanted.

agreed, I have mine connected to a 200g freashwater tank, but I have a solenoid on the ATO line that is only on for 10 min a day(controlled by the AC3)

When I am finally done with everything my AC3 will control...

3 part dosing
2 gallon/day water changes with parastaltic pumps
ATO solenoid
Temp control for heaters, fans, chiller, lights
Refrigerated food feeder

add to that a eheim auto feeder for pellets and a generator with auto start and I wont have to do sqwat but refill res tanks with 3 part, new saltwater and food, and change carbon.:dance:

 

[stormrider27]

agreed, I have mine connected to a 200g freashwater tank, but I have a solenoid on the ATO line that is only on for 10 min a day(controlled by the AC3)

When I am finally done with everything my AC3 will control...

3 part dosing
2 gallon/day water changes with parastaltic pumps
ATO solenoid
Temp control for heaters, fans, chiller, lights
Refrigerated food feeder

add to that a eheim auto feeder for pellets and a generator with auto start and I wont have to do sqwat but refill res tanks with 3 part, new saltwater and food, and change carbon.:dance:

Would you mind sharing pictures of your refrigerated food feeder?

Thanks

 

[EnderG60]

not much of a point, its just a small fridge with a 2.5g bucket, a parastaltic pump and the return line run through it.

Just make sure you get a parastaltic pump with a larger diameter hose if your feeding big chunks.

 

[frankpayne32]

This can be very dangerous. Make sure you have a near fail safe method for your auto top off. Every so often, someone's float valve doesn't shut off due to build up, snails, etc and you have diluted 30 gallons into your time. You can also put the pump on a timer so if it were to not shut off, you'd have slightly more water to top off than what you initially wanted.

It's not dangerous in my case as my auto top off is the JBJ ATO system which is set to shut off after 14 minutes of continuous use.

 

[stormrider27]

not much of a point, its just a small fridge with a 2.5g bucket, a parastaltic pump and the return line run through it.

Just make sure you get a parastaltic pump with a larger diameter hose if your feeding big chunks.

How do you keep the food from settling to the bottom of the bucket?

 

[LockeOak]

I second a simple air pump. Another tip would be to set the temperature a little bit higher in the winter and cooler in the summer, in case of a massive power failure you have a bit more time before the temperature gets way out of whack. I run my tank at 82 in the winter and 78 in the summer, which also helps the power bills.

I'm frequently out of town for 1-2 weeks. My tank pretty much runs itself with an automated topoff, lights on timers and a simple automatic feeder (rotating drum mechanism). I mounted the feeder over the return chamber in the sump so that it gets sucked up by the return pump and sprayed into the tank. I also got an automatic battery backup air pump that I only use when I'm out of town, it can run for about 24 hours if the power fails. Having a webcam up does provide peace of mind, however (I use Skype).

Edit: If you're really paranoid about pump failure you can temporarily move submersible heaters into the display tank while you're away, so even if the display becomes disconnected from the rest of the system it still has some temperature control.

 

[tylorarm]

I use a 165gl cistern for rodi that has about 20ft run to my sump. The rodi works off float switches that turn on and off a solenoid to make rodi. I have the floats set for 75gl batches of rodi. This leaves another 80gl of so of reserve if the solenoid fails to make the rodi, and it is easy to monitor for someone checking on the system if the rodi cistern falls below 80gl mark. If it gets stuck on, i get water on my garage floor, no big deal. Neither has happened. From the cistern i have two osmolators. One is set two inches lower than the first, and is purely a back up in case the first fails. Osmolators shut off after ten minutes so too much rodi is unlikely. I also have apex that monitors sump levels with too high and too low floats, and floor spill monitor. All send me text alarms if goes wrong. Not fail safe but a good start.

 

[MrGone]

Mine goes 2 weeks without intervention, the auto top off container is the limiting factor. Still I like to have a friend check in on it every few days, I don't have a webcam setup.

 

[patro]

vortechs on battery backup of course; just in case of a power outage. even then you could run the whole system on a power backup in a power outage.

i think to make a reef self-sufficient is a massive refugium full of algae and such and a large copepod colong. if possible a gravity fed return line should be used so copepods cant get killed by an impeller.

 

[mc-cro]

I leave my system completely alone for weeks at a time, its regular thing with my extensive travel schedule, school schedule, and small children.

I havent lost sleep over tank mishaps in years

-Tunze osmolator, 35g top off container on floor, feed line ran high and above water level to prevent any syphoning or gravity dosing.
-CO2 reactor set up so that even if the solenoid failed, the ph in the reactor would take days to even begin to drop to dangerous levels, although it could happen I guess
-closed loop in main tank keeps circulation in DT if main pump in basement fails
-very tall, well ventilated canopy prevents heat issues from halides if main pump not working.
-100g sump full of about 150lbs of live rock also doubles as a fuge. between skimmers, powerheads for carbon/GFO reactors, there is also plenty of circulation.
-skimmer of course drains to a 5g bucket
-because the bulk of my system is in the basement, I have never had to worry about heat
-double drain lines in the overflow, should one clog, the other will pick it up.
-ranco temp controller
-with a 100g fuge, I can(and have) go weeks without feeding the system. I dont recommend it, but there is plenty of live critters and stuff to feed on.

I have designed almost everything in my system from a lesson learned from some type of mishap over the years. I also purposefully do not use a main controller like a Reef Keeper or anything for a couple of reasons.

1) I do not like the single point of failure aspect of a single controller, the cool factor of the controller is very tempting, but I am a technician by trade, and all components will fail eventually.

2) I prefer to make much more simple, yet robust and isolated failsafes for the components of the system. Each operation is completely seperate from another. I have it set up for things like the main pump does not share any circuit with anything else for the tank. All other pumps and powerheads are on seperate circuits. Basically, I have 3 seperate 120v circuits for just circulation between upstairs and downstairs. The only way for everything to lose power is whole house outage. ( I have a generator, but its a manual hookup)

3) Should an emergency occur, it is much easier to call someone(usually my wife) and tell her to unplug, or reset 1 individual component or plug, instead of trying to talk her through troubleshooting a RK over the phone.