DIY "contiuous" water change system?
- Thread starter jumpfreak26
- Start date
All the above seems rather complicated!
My approach to this is to have two large buckets, one slightly smaller than the other. The large bucket has an overflow which connects to the sump. The slightly smaller bucket sits in the top of the larger bucked (floating). I set up a syphon drain from the main tank into the small bucket (whatever rate you like). The small bucket fills and displaces the new sw in the large bucket, over the overflow and in to the sump. The trick is to ensure that when the small bucket is full, its rim is at the same level as the overflow. When it is full and all the new sw has been displaced, the system just circulates.
No pumps, no switches, no expensive equipment or power bills just two buckets and some pipe.
What do you think.
My approach to this is to have two large buckets, one slightly smaller than the other. The large bucket has an overflow which connects to the sump. The slightly smaller bucket sits in the top of the larger bucked (floating). I set up a syphon drain from the main tank into the small bucket (whatever rate you like). The small bucket fills and displaces the new sw in the large bucket, over the overflow and in to the sump. The trick is to ensure that when the small bucket is full, its rim is at the same level as the overflow. When it is full and all the new sw has been displaced, the system just circulates.
No pumps, no switches, no expensive equipment or power bills just two buckets and some pipe.
What do you think.
OAD
Premium Member
While water is being sucked out of your tank how would you control your ATO? The decreasing water level would set it off. Otherwise the idea could work. But how would you add the new water and dump the old? I know this problem isn't addressed in my pictures (I will work on new ones and try to see if I can simplify it) but I think we should address that too because the thread is about a continuous type of water change (I find that will be expensive over time unless you have a drip type of rate).
OAD,
The old water syphons in to the small bucket, which displaces the new water. There is never any change in tank or sump levels. This system an change water over a period of 1/2 hour or 2 weeks depending on the drip rate.
When it is complete you simply stop the syphon, lift out the small bucket and dispose of the water. Add new RO to large bucket, salt and then repeat the process.
I no this isn't a fully continuous water change system, however with watever system you choose you will still have to salt / mix water prior to any changes.
Sorry for the long reply.
The old water syphons in to the small bucket, which displaces the new water. There is never any change in tank or sump levels. This system an change water over a period of 1/2 hour or 2 weeks depending on the drip rate.
When it is complete you simply stop the syphon, lift out the small bucket and dispose of the water. Add new RO to large bucket, salt and then repeat the process.
I no this isn't a fully continuous water change system, however with watever system you choose you will still have to salt / mix water prior to any changes.
Sorry for the long reply.
Re: DIY "contiuous" water change system?
I havent been around for awhile but anyways. Your option one does and will work well if you have access to a drain. I use the same basic concept except I use a open drain with no valve. A peri feeds fresh sw 24 without effect to the ato. With this I change = to the tanks volume weekly.
Don
I havent been around for awhile but anyways. Your option one does and will work well if you have access to a drain. I use the same basic concept except I use a open drain with no valve. A peri feeds fresh sw 24 without effect to the ato. With this I change = to the tanks volume weekly.
Don
Another Idea
Another Idea
While reading this tread I thought of another take on this. Lets face it electrical components fail so I would rather make it as simple as possible
Basically 2 tanks one floating in the other. As the floating tank fills up it would displace water in the premix tank. The displaced water would then flow into the sump and change the water. When the premix tank is fully displaced pull out the floating tank, empty it, and refil the premix tank. Very simple and you would have redundant safety, If the pump died or blew a hose no harm no foul you just don't add fresh premix. or if the pump didn't shut off then it would just recirculate the tank's
Example of how to do it.
If you took a Tank with premixed water . Build / buy a slightly smaller tank that could move up and down inside of the premix tank (called floating tank).
Fill the premix tank up, Place the floating tank inside of it and take out as much water as required to install a bulk head. remove the floating tank and mark the waterline on the outside of the premix tank which would be your max fill line.
Place a bulk head just above the waterline in the premix tank, install a flowline into your sump
Set up a small maxi jet 400, or a Aqualifter on a timer in your sump, so that it driped into the floating tank
Optional:
Set a switch up on the out side of the tank that would trip when the Floating tank bottomed out with a light or a buzzer on it that would trip a relay that would be tied into the pump power supply line. To indicate when the premix was gone
EDIT: Crazy I see Paulalia and I were thinking the exact same way... just took me 6 hours to write this whole thing while at work
Another Idea
While reading this tread I thought of another take on this. Lets face it electrical components fail so I would rather make it as simple as possible
Basically 2 tanks one floating in the other. As the floating tank fills up it would displace water in the premix tank. The displaced water would then flow into the sump and change the water. When the premix tank is fully displaced pull out the floating tank, empty it, and refil the premix tank. Very simple and you would have redundant safety, If the pump died or blew a hose no harm no foul you just don't add fresh premix. or if the pump didn't shut off then it would just recirculate the tank's
Example of how to do it.
If you took a Tank with premixed water . Build / buy a slightly smaller tank that could move up and down inside of the premix tank (called floating tank).
Fill the premix tank up, Place the floating tank inside of it and take out as much water as required to install a bulk head. remove the floating tank and mark the waterline on the outside of the premix tank which would be your max fill line.
Place a bulk head just above the waterline in the premix tank, install a flowline into your sump
Set up a small maxi jet 400, or a Aqualifter on a timer in your sump, so that it driped into the floating tank
Optional:
Set a switch up on the out side of the tank that would trip when the Floating tank bottomed out with a light or a buzzer on it that would trip a relay that would be tied into the pump power supply line. To indicate when the premix was gone
EDIT: Crazy I see Paulalia and I were thinking the exact same way... just took me 6 hours to write this whole thing while at work
Last edited:
So far I am very happy with my "automated" approach, not automatic or continuous:
Supplies:
1. 3 containers (container size is dependent on your system) I use 5 gallon buckets for my small tank.
2. 2 Pumps with hoses
3. Air stone, thermometer, heater
4. An extra hose
Very simple, maybe the most simple way to automate the water change process. I am sure this has been done on numerous occassions.
A)1 container has fresh ph adjusted saltwater and a pump/hose, heater, airstone, that leads to the tank.
B)1 container has fresh water and a pump/hose that leads to the tank.
C)Extra container and hose is used to syphon water out and dump it.
This drastically reduces the amount of work I normally do when changing the water.
Now I just drain xgallons out and plug in the SW pump until the level desired is reached is unplugged. The drain time of the 1 or 2 gallons a week is trivial for me as well as the mixing of water ever 2 weeks is much more convenient IMO.
Supplies:
1. 3 containers (container size is dependent on your system) I use 5 gallon buckets for my small tank.
2. 2 Pumps with hoses
3. Air stone, thermometer, heater
4. An extra hose
Very simple, maybe the most simple way to automate the water change process. I am sure this has been done on numerous occassions.
A)1 container has fresh ph adjusted saltwater and a pump/hose, heater, airstone, that leads to the tank.
B)1 container has fresh water and a pump/hose that leads to the tank.
C)Extra container and hose is used to syphon water out and dump it.
This drastically reduces the amount of work I normally do when changing the water.
Now I just drain xgallons out and plug in the SW pump until the level desired is reached is unplugged. The drain time of the 1 or 2 gallons a week is trivial for me as well as the mixing of water ever 2 weeks is much more convenient IMO.
unbreakable
D:
OAD, i havent done any of that stuff since high school and i barely remember it, and maybe what im about to say is what you were thinking or someone else has mentioned already but
is there a way you can have two ATO setup? one hooked up to a SW resevoir and the other hooked up to FW resevoir. they both hook up to a switch. when the Switch is in regular ON mode itll just top off with FW, when you switch it the other way to OFF it shuts off the FW ATO and turns on a pump that takes water out of the sump and once it triggers a float switch in the sump so the SW resevoir turns on to fill up... only thing is that the Pump would be in on mode all the time once you hit the OFF switch :|
is there a way you can have two ATO setup? one hooked up to a SW resevoir and the other hooked up to FW resevoir. they both hook up to a switch. when the Switch is in regular ON mode itll just top off with FW, when you switch it the other way to OFF it shuts off the FW ATO and turns on a pump that takes water out of the sump and once it triggers a float switch in the sump so the SW resevoir turns on to fill up... only thing is that the Pump would be in on mode all the time once you hit the OFF switch :|
OAD
Premium Member
Nietzche that is somewhat similar except the user intervention. Mine requires the user (at this point, I will work on a fully automatic more simple system) to add and remove the new and old water. I do like the switch idea but I would change one thing: make it a three state switch. It could be on FW ATO, Water Change, or all systems off.
OAD
Premium Member
Alright so I am going to toss out what needs to be incorporated into a fully autonomous water change machine.
1. Simple and affordable - I need to minimize floatswitches or find some that have two wires instead of 1.
2. Have the water replenish and dump itself.
3. A switch to turn off the systems
4. Have the system cut off ATO will water change is being performed and resume its operation (check)
Anymore would be appreciated (I enjoy trying to think up a nice, efficient system).
1. Simple and affordable - I need to minimize floatswitches or find some that have two wires instead of 1.
2. Have the water replenish and dump itself.
3. A switch to turn off the systems
4. Have the system cut off ATO will water change is being performed and resume its operation (check)
Anymore would be appreciated (I enjoy trying to think up a nice, efficient system).
unbreakable
D:
sounds like a better idea. the only thing that i wonder is how could you stop the pump from pumping SW out of the sump and to have it stay off once the SW resevoir starts pumping new SW in?
the JBJ right now has two floats to protect the resevoir and to feel the level of the water in the Sump, or both can be added to the sump to kill the pump in case theres too much water added
was thinking of adding two of those JBJs but having them hooked up to something that will kill the SW ATO or turn it on with a flip of the switch.. and figure the pump out that pumps the water out of the sump
adding a third switch would be even better since there are times that i work in the sump and have to take some SW out for whatever reason--- like when acclimating livestock
maybe a 4th switch that would just only top off SW??? thatd be something to look at, but maybe that would be asking too much
the JBJ right now has two floats to protect the resevoir and to feel the level of the water in the Sump, or both can be added to the sump to kill the pump in case theres too much water added
was thinking of adding two of those JBJs but having them hooked up to something that will kill the SW ATO or turn it on with a flip of the switch.. and figure the pump out that pumps the water out of the sump
adding a third switch would be even better since there are times that i work in the sump and have to take some SW out for whatever reason--- like when acclimating livestock
maybe a 4th switch that would just only top off SW??? thatd be something to look at, but maybe that would be asking too much
unbreakable
D:
Well, like you were saying
Have two ATOs to either protect the resevoir or from overflowing the sump/DT
Both of them are going to hook up to something with switches or buttons. If you make the one for just a water change and the ATO then: we could use a light switch for example. In the ON mode just reguar FW ATO is happening. When you want to do a water change (i usually have to shut off my FW ATO Anyways) Flip the switch the other direction which shuts down the FW ATO Then turns on the water change.. A pump in the sump will turn on to pump water out, once the level is low for the sump the SW ATO turns on to pump New SW back in the sump until the float sensor shuts it down--- my problem with this is that the pump taking water out of the sump will remain on no matter what until you fip the switch the other way
^^ thats one idea
another idea is to add an option of shutting everything down (for whatever reason--maybe to adjust the sensors)
also adding a mode where the waterchange pump isnt involved.
so like lets say someone has a small tank, but theyre acclimating lots of fish in a container and would have to drip water or take water out of the tank to put in the acclimation bucket.
we would switch it into another mode for this where it only replaces SW
lol dont know if that made sense or not but hope it did
Have two ATOs to either protect the resevoir or from overflowing the sump/DT
Both of them are going to hook up to something with switches or buttons. If you make the one for just a water change and the ATO then: we could use a light switch for example. In the ON mode just reguar FW ATO is happening. When you want to do a water change (i usually have to shut off my FW ATO Anyways) Flip the switch the other direction which shuts down the FW ATO Then turns on the water change.. A pump in the sump will turn on to pump water out, once the level is low for the sump the SW ATO turns on to pump New SW back in the sump until the float sensor shuts it down--- my problem with this is that the pump taking water out of the sump will remain on no matter what until you fip the switch the other way
^^ thats one idea
another idea is to add an option of shutting everything down (for whatever reason--maybe to adjust the sensors)
also adding a mode where the waterchange pump isnt involved.
so like lets say someone has a small tank, but theyre acclimating lots of fish in a container and would have to drip water or take water out of the tank to put in the acclimation bucket.
we would switch it into another mode for this where it only replaces SW
lol dont know if that made sense or not but hope it did
