automatic water change

[AquamanE]

OK FOLKS- SO I JUST RECEIVED MY STENNER 100 DMP4 PUMP FX 25PSI, 70GPD: :bounce3:

comes with a bunch of tubing in addition to the 100 feet i bought seperately, 2 extra peristalsic tubings for changes and all the fittings for 1/4, or 3/8". And what i believe are check valves, and also strainers i guess for the suction side, cool.

I dont know when i will set up, but hopefully by med week. I have to drill through the garage to where my Salt water mixing station is, and then run the tubing in a fashion that will pass "the spouse factor" test to my tank. Everything else will happen in a little closet directly behind my tank that houses the ballasts, ATO/KAL, Apex etc... that is where the Stenner will be placed.

Dr Thompson- Could you please share you OSC commands for the water change system and the APEX . I have figured out that i need to run the pump for a total of 102 minutes to change 2.5G per day. Please check my math, LOL.:uhoh3::uhoh3: Also i would prefer to start off doing 2 changes of 51 minutes each while i am home in case of any issues. Later on when i fell comfortable with the system, i will add more frequent changes. :uhoh3::eek1:

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[rps3]

Looks good Eddie, hit me up if you need an extra hand. I've got tools in my van.

 

[AquamanE]

Looks good Eddie, hit me up if you need an extra hand. I've got tools in my van.

Thanks RPS3- At first i thought i was going to have to run 3 1/4" lines and a power cord since the Dr. told us the pump was loud. So the new water required an i and out from the garage, a dump line to my dump line, and a power cord from garage to APEX. I fiqured to hide this is a white 1/2" pvc along the baseboard..

Indeed it is loud, but after testing it in my fish closet, i dont think its unbearable especially if i can eventually program it to do multiple WC throughout the day. So i think that instead of running in the garage i can run it in my fish closet. That only requires ONE 1/4" line from garage. I think i can easily hide that along the white base board. Only thing is the black line that comes with it and the 100 feet of black 1/4" line i bought will go up for sale. Ill buy 50 feet of white 1/4" line at HD for the baseboards.

Now i have to see if i can find my 8" drill bit to drill into the garge wall. My garage is still a mess with MACNA stuff.

 

[DRThompson]

Here's my setup
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 030:00/012:00/198:00 Then ON

My pump runs for 12min every 4 hours (240min) - at 6 times per day this gives me a total run time of 72min per day

The Osc feature is off time/on time/off time
The first off-time is just used as a delay feature; at 30:00 the cycle would start at 12:30am
The second set is the actual run time in mmm:ss
The 3rd set is the off time before the cycle starts again. Remember to add all three sets for your total cycle time (mine being 240min or 4 hours)

Hope this helps

 

[AquamanE]

Doc- I sort of get it. But i am a more simple minder person. Can i do:

If time= 1600 then pump on
If time= 1651 then pump off
If time= 2000 then pump on
If time= 2051 then pump off

Its much more simple IMHO. Any drawbacks?

 

[DRThompson]

Doc- I sort of get it. But i am a more simple minder person. Can i do:

If time= 1600 then pump on
If time= 1651 then pump off
If time= 2000 then pump on
If time= 2051 then pump off

Its much more simple IMHO. Any drawbacks?

Set off
Fallback off
If time 16:00 to 16:51 then on
If time 20:00 to 20:51 then on

You don't need the Osc function unless you want to run it multiple times per day

 

[AquamanE]

Set off
Fallback off
If time 16:00 to 16:51 then on
If time 20:00 to 20:51 then on

You don't need the Osc function unless you want to run it multiple times per day

Awesome, thank you. I will eventually run it more times per day, but prefer the "if time" commands. It makes more sense in my simple mind.

But at first want to do while i am at home in an effort to monitor whats happening. Henceforth once i decide to double the times per day, i prefer "if time" commands.

LMK if you feel this is an issue

 

[jonnyu]

Looks awesome.. Can't wait to see final results.. Lmao when I read "spouse factor" test. To funny in the same boat with you on that one. If you need a drill bits I have plenty just let me know. I'm in Pembroke Pines as well.

 

[AquamanE]

So the Dolphins inspired me to get some work done on my Auto Water Change System. :bounce3:

Drilled the hole from the garage into the house:

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The Stenner comes with 2 weighted strainers for the intake, so put one in my Fresh Saltwater Bin in garage:

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Ran the line along the Wall to the Tank:

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I think its "spouse friendly" dont you?? LOL. Couch goes against that wall.

Layed thee rest of the pipes in approximate areas, AND CALLED IT A DAY.

All lines and the Stenner pump waiting for action in my Fish Closet. Those unfamiliar with my fish Closet can visit my build thread here http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2196888&page=7: . For those that know "the closet" yes, that where the frag tank was. Hopefully i can finish in the next few days, and join Dr. Thompson in his AUTO WATER CHANGE CLUB:!!:beer::spin1:

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[dread240]

While I don't have the nice stenner pump (I use 2 channels currently of my marine magic... looking to modify one head into a dual setup) you have no clue how nice it is. My tank has NEVER been doing this good since I did my AWC setup a few weeks ago. I simply don't have the time to keep up with it all the time with my job, this makes it doable

 

[rps3]

While I don't have the nice stenner pump (I use 2 channels currently of my marine magic... looking to modify one head into a dual setup) you have no clue how nice it is. My tank has NEVER been doing this good since I did my AWC setup a few weeks ago. I simply don't have the time to keep up with it all the time with my job, this makes it doable

The generic doser pumps were not built to do work like that. You'll end up burning them out over a period of time.

 

[dread240]

The only problem I've ever had with those pumps is the tubing, which I actually just ordered santoprene tubing for them, which is the defacto for continous use peristalic pumps. The silicone tubing that they come with does not hold up for anything over a month or two at useage like that.

Aside from the tubing though, absolutely nothing else has ever failed on those heads, and I've had this dosing pump setup for over 2 years now (actually got a pre-release from marine magic for testing)

If I can't get at least 6 months out of the santoprene on these then I plan on replacing it or building my own dual head dosing pump with a low rpm gear reduction motor

 

[blackthunda77]

Dangit Eddie. now you have me thinking/working on another project i shouldnt be working on at the moment. LOL

 

[AquamanE]

Dangit Eddie. now you have me thinking/working on another project i shouldnt be working on at the moment. LOL

John- its been in my head for a long time you know im anal about water changes, but

A- never knew about this pumps that can handle 2 heads at once, with consistent and reliable equal pumping for both,

B. How was it to be controlled?, yeah timers would have worked as long as it was one pump, but now with the Apex.... It was a no brainer. :dance:

Finshed installing a few minutes ago, it was a breeze. Ill take more pics tomorrow or later. Next step is programming a water change while i am here to make sure all is well. My Apex skills are still very limited but ill use what the Dr sent me, for now.

 

[mrx66699]

John- its been in my head for a long time you know im anal about water changes, but

A- never knew about this pumps that can handle 2 heads at once, with consistent and reliable equal pumping for both,

your memory is failing you something fierce in your old age ....I told you about the masterflex dual head pump over a year ago when I sold mine to Marvin when I switched to the Litermeter III, who then this year gave it to dave to test out lol .....you asked me at the previous frag swap last year what it was for LMAO ....chuck showed me about it prolly 3-4 years ago and I even think he spoke to you about it then :spin2:

 

[james1990]

I'm trying to see how hard this would be to set up. Basically I mount the pump in the garage and have one line pulling fresh salt water up to the sump and run the drain back down and into a drain? where is the best place to pull water from, the sump or display? And the other way where is best to fill back up? Wouldn't this all mess with the sump water level?

 

[Sacohen]

Dr;

This is off topic a little bit.
I noticed in one of your photos that you had a tub marked Kalk.
How are you running your ATO water?

Are you feeding the RO into the Kalk bin, mixing it there and then using that to top off the sump?

 

[smb2415]

@James1990

James the pump had two heads - effectively 2 pumps, each with an input and output. Lets call them (A) and (B). It doesn't make a difference which head is A or B.

On head (A) this fills your tank.
INPUT - line goes to your SaltWater holding tank.
OUTPUT - line goes to your sump (or display tank, but most run it to the sump)

On head (B) this empties your tank.
INPUT - line goes to your sump
OUPUT - line goes to your drain

Since they both operate at the same time and volume you will be emptying water as your replacing it with new water so it will not effect your sump water level.

 

[AquamanE]

your memory is failing you something fierce in your old age ....I told you about the masterflex dual head pump over a year ago when I sold mine to Marvin when I switched to the Litermeter III, who then this year gave it to dave to test out lol .....you asked me at the previous frag swap last year what it was for LMAO ....chuck showed me about it prolly 3-4 years ago and I even think he spoke to you about it then :spin2:

I wouldnt argue about my failing memory. :crazy1::crazy1:

I do remember talking to you about the liter meter but also think we discussed the possibility of it not being accurate enough with both heads going at same time for daily water changes.

Definately never discussed with Chuck. He came by here a few times before he retired because i would give him my DI resin cause he was experimenting with recharging it. Hey THAT was a few years ago, and I remember, LOL

 

[AquamanE]

@James1990

James the pump had two heads - effectively 2 pumps, each with an input and output. Lets call them (A) and (B). It doesn't make a difference which head is A or B.

On head (A) this fills your tank.
INPUT - line goes to your SaltWater holding tank.
OUTPUT - line goes to your sump (or display tank, but most run it to the sump)

On head (B) this empties your tank.
INPUT - line goes to your sump
OUPUT - line goes to your drain

Since they both operate at the same time and volume you will be emptying water as your replacing it with new water so it will not effect your sump water level.

Yeap- Did a quick video. Hopefully it will work. Never uploaded a video to here from my phone :headwally:

Although I did this set up in a span of 2 days. The combined time to drill a hole to my garage and plumb it all in took less than 1 hour.

The video is my "test" phase. I plan on changing 5 gallons today, THEN hook up to Apex and will monitor that while im home. So far no leaks and all is running well.

http://youtu.be/E3PA6eBDhHc