automatic water change

[rps3]

I'm pulling the trigger since everyone is doing it. This will be super easy to integrate into my system once everything is done. Just have to figure out how much to change and on what days.

 

[mrx66699]

I'm pulling the trigger since everyone is doing it. This will be super easy to integrate into my system once everything is done. Just have to figure out how much to change and on what days.

change out a small amount every day thats the stability of it and one of the advantages

 

[bmanzie]

Looks great.
Where did you find the pink cover for your holding tank?
I need something to cover my two tanks.

 

[DRThompson]

Looks great.
Where did you find the pink cover for your holding tank?
I need something to cover my two tanks.

Us plastics dot com, called 55gal drum cover. Not sure where to get it locally

 

[jonnyu]

So the dual head pump pulls water out and pushes water in at the same time?

 

[Sacohen]

Yeah. It's 1 motor turning 2 heads, so the speed is the same.

 

[DRThompson]

So the dual head pump pulls water out and pushes water in at the same time?

Yep, one motor, two heads ensures exact same amount removed and replaced.

Top head takes fresh saltwater out of the barrel and sends it to the top of my display tank. Bottom head sucks the old water out of my sump and sends it to a drain pipe

 

[blackthunda77]

Might have to look into this for my new build.

 

[jonnyu]

Ok so not that bad for the price. I thought you are running two of these pumps. That's where I was thinking this is kind of expensive to change water. 2 BRS 50 mil will be $200 so $70 more and you will be headache free.

 

[Dashylock]

Have you conducted a test and weighed the in/out volumes? That will be a true indicator of the pumps accuracy.

 

[DRThompson]

Ok so not that bad for the price. I thought you are running two of these pumps. That's where I was thinking this is kind of expensive to change water. 2 BRS 50 mil will be $200 so $70 more and you will be headache free.

You should come over and see the pump sometime. You really cant compare these pumps to the BRS dosers. These are industrial, heavy duty pumps; not your typical low voltage peristaltic pump. Definitely worth the extra $70

 

[bmanzie]

Cool thank you

Us plastics dot com, called 55gal drum cover. Not sure where to get it locally

 

[DRThompson]

Have you conducted a test and weighed the in/out volumes? That will be a true indicator of the pumps accuracy.

Thought about it, but haven't. A true test would be to compare the output volumes at the different endpoints. One ends at the top of my Display tank; the other ends at a drain pipe in the attic. Decided to monitor salinity instead. Your question might drive me to double check it though........maybe

 

[jonnyu]

I would like to know as well the in and out volume of water at both ends. I would imagine they are two different length of pipes and different head pressures. So maybe different amount of water being passed through each end?

 

[rps3]

Theoretically, once the system is in full use, the output and input should be exactly the same considering the head itself is where the water is help, sort of like a pressure point. That's if as long as the lines coming from the fish tank and water storage tank hold suction. Output wise, it won't matter because its draining.

Hum... I was going to delete everything I said above because I just realized the line going into the tank will lose suction and will draw air into the line making the rest of the water in that line leading to the head come out. Maybe a check valve will fix this? Same goes for the output drain.

It just got technical. lol

 

[DRThompson]

I would like to know as well the in and out volume of water at both ends. I would imagine they are two different length of pipes and different head pressures. So maybe different amount of water being passed through each end?

Definitely different lengths of tubing for both heads; also, completely different pull and push resistance.

One head pulls water from the barrel that is right next to the pump and pushes it about 35 feet thru the attic to the top of the display. Very little vertical change overall.

The other head pulls water from my sump (about 9 feet vertically and also about a 40 foot run of tubing) then pushes it to a drain pipe in the attic (20 foot run)

 

[Dashylock]

Thought about it, but haven't. A true test would be to compare the output volumes at the different endpoints. One ends at the top of my Display tank; the other ends at a drain pipe in the attic. Decided to monitor salinity instead. Your question might drive me to double check it though........maybe

Gravimetric validation is usually the most accurate; when talking about fractions of a percentage. Volumetric validation is also valid for testing purposes. Let me know the results!

 

[DRThompson]

Testing the ins and outs

Testing the ins and outs

In the interest of science I decided to run the test.

THE TEST:
Run time 10min
estimated volume at 35gal/day = 920ml/10min

PICS:
Here's the shot from the attic

Here's a shot of top of display

 

[DRThompson]

The results

The results

Total volume collected

Fresh saltwater:

Waste water in attic:

conclusion:
Both jugs collected 1125ml of water. This confirms the remove/replace theory.

On a special note: The pump is moving more water than I was expecting so I'll have to adjust the timing a little.

A special thank you to all the people encouraging me to do this.:fun4:

 

[Sacohen]

Very cool. Thanks for the test results.