Today at the zoo I received word that the water became very clouded. It appears that one of the float valves that controls the kalwasser reservoir becam stuck in the "on" position. This is why I personally hate relying on automation. I know that folks have created diy protection mechanisms to protect float valve from becoming stuck by flooating debris, snails etc. I remember seeing photos of folks using small medication bottles or the like to house the valve. If anyone has a link to such a design thread, please post. Any other diy steps or preventitive ideas would be appreciated. Hopefully no major damage to fish/corals occured. There was probably a pretty good pH spike but better too high than too low. Any unsoluble Ca and Alk would have just precipitated so we may expect some gunking of motor shafts, impellers etc. Such is life. Personally, I'll stick to manual dosing.
Float valve issues
- Thread starter drbronx
- Start date
Ha!
I'll try to explain. First a hole in the side of the sump is required for this system to work. It can be small like a 1/4 or so.
Build an acrylic box. The float switch is in the acrylic box. The box must rise an inch or so above the highest point you want the sump level. The acrylic box has 1 or 2 "very small" holes just below the level you desire to keep the sump at. This allow the fresh or kalk water to enter the sump. it will only add water when the level drops below the float switch level in the box.
It's the difference in water height in the box and the sump which causes the water to flow out of the box and run into the sump. If the levels are equal the water doesn't mix because the holes are so small.
Now, say the float switch in the box fails. The water will rise in the acrylic box, but it will only rise as high as the hole that runs out of the box and through the sump wall which you will put as high as you want the sump height to ever get. This water that is free flowing in the acrylic box because of the broken float valve then rises to that hole and flows into a drain.
This "failure height" in the box will be slightly higher than the sump water so there will some water that flows into the sump. But.... once the water in the sump reaches this "failure height" level, the water in the box and the sump water will no longer mix, the kalk water will take the path down the drain and not into the sump.
Clear as mud?
I had this work flawlessly on my previous tank. Unfortunately, with a sump that rises and falls many inches because of surges I can no longer use it.
I'll try to explain. First a hole in the side of the sump is required for this system to work. It can be small like a 1/4 or so.
Build an acrylic box. The float switch is in the acrylic box. The box must rise an inch or so above the highest point you want the sump level. The acrylic box has 1 or 2 "very small" holes just below the level you desire to keep the sump at. This allow the fresh or kalk water to enter the sump. it will only add water when the level drops below the float switch level in the box.
It's the difference in water height in the box and the sump which causes the water to flow out of the box and run into the sump. If the levels are equal the water doesn't mix because the holes are so small.
Now, say the float switch in the box fails. The water will rise in the acrylic box, but it will only rise as high as the hole that runs out of the box and through the sump wall which you will put as high as you want the sump height to ever get. This water that is free flowing in the acrylic box because of the broken float valve then rises to that hole and flows into a drain.
This "failure height" in the box will be slightly higher than the sump water so there will some water that flows into the sump. But.... once the water in the sump reaches this "failure height" level, the water in the box and the sump water will no longer mix, the kalk water will take the path down the drain and not into the sump.
Clear as mud?
I had this work flawlessly on my previous tank. Unfortunately, with a sump that rises and falls many inches because of surges I can no longer use it.
Thanks for the detailed information and description. It seriously sounds like a brilliant design Kent. I think I actually understood it. I will submit this to our technical design commitee and acrylic fabrication lab team (aka Vince the Prince and Nate the Great) for their analysis
About what size are those small holes?
About what size are those small holes?
I used two small holes (in case one were plugged -clean every 6 months) which were about the size of the metal part of the ball point pen -the ball and the metal part surrounding it (probably a 1/16th?)
The exit hole must be larger as it has to handle more than the flow of the float valve.
The exit hole must be larger as it has to handle more than the flow of the float valve.
oceanparadise1
In Memoriam
See jerry, this is why i am on here 24/7! You guys are so smart theres always something new i can learn!
