Our 450g reef, 360g predator tanks
- Thread starter tbittner
- Start date
Good to see you too, Bax!
I got the wiring figured out for the optical level sensors and verified how they work. Then I tore it all apart and we soldered on extensions for the wire. I stopped at Lowes on the way home to do some brain storming on how to mount these into the sump tub without drilling more holes. It's not leaking and everything is working great so I really want to leave the tub as is.
I found some good things to build a contraption that will sit on top of the tub and I can hang pipe hangers from the contraption and let those hang down into the water. I can zip tie the optical sensors onto the pipe hangers. The sensors can easily be adjusted for height that way too.
I'll take pics of it as I'm building it. Tonight was just soldering extension wires onto the sensors and sealing them with rubber shrink tubes. Nothing to really see.
I'm also going to connect in a couple magnetic float switches as backups. I already have them so I might as well put them to use.
I got the wiring figured out for the optical level sensors and verified how they work. Then I tore it all apart and we soldered on extensions for the wire. I stopped at Lowes on the way home to do some brain storming on how to mount these into the sump tub without drilling more holes. It's not leaking and everything is working great so I really want to leave the tub as is.
I found some good things to build a contraption that will sit on top of the tub and I can hang pipe hangers from the contraption and let those hang down into the water. I can zip tie the optical sensors onto the pipe hangers. The sensors can easily be adjusted for height that way too.
I'll take pics of it as I'm building it. Tonight was just soldering extension wires onto the sensors and sealing them with rubber shrink tubes. Nothing to really see.
I'm also going to connect in a couple magnetic float switches as backups. I already have them so I might as well put them to use.
Thanks Ziggy. We also lost our 7" clown trigger the other day. I'm pretty sure it was the undulated that got him. The undulated is only about 4" and he hangs out in and close to the rocks. I think he was munching on the clown during the night when the clown went into the rocks to sleep.
I've been agonizing over a solid ATO for our system. The problem with magnetic float switches is the water level in the 150g sump tub. The water level in that tub fluctuates as much as 10" when I turn off the pumps to feed. They keep getting wet and stop working. Anyway, I've been researching other alternatives to the magnetic float switches. I've ordered in a few of these and I'm going to give them a try. I can very easily hook these into my controller hardware and read the water level in the sump from brimming full, to empty. If everything works like I think it will, I can use it to control automatic WC's too by detecting when the drain pump has drained the sump down to a certain level. This sensor can detect differences down to 1/2". That should be accurate enough for all sorts of functions. I'll also mount one over the 150g mixing tub so I'll know when it's close to empty too.
http://www.maxbotix.com/Performance_Data.html
Does anyone have any experience with ultrasonic level sensors? I mean, for $30 bucks, I just have to give it a try.
I've been agonizing over a solid ATO for our system. The problem with magnetic float switches is the water level in the 150g sump tub. The water level in that tub fluctuates as much as 10" when I turn off the pumps to feed. They keep getting wet and stop working. Anyway, I've been researching other alternatives to the magnetic float switches. I've ordered in a few of these and I'm going to give them a try. I can very easily hook these into my controller hardware and read the water level in the sump from brimming full, to empty. If everything works like I think it will, I can use it to control automatic WC's too by detecting when the drain pump has drained the sump down to a certain level. This sensor can detect differences down to 1/2". That should be accurate enough for all sorts of functions. I'll also mount one over the 150g mixing tub so I'll know when it's close to empty too.
http://www.maxbotix.com/Performance_Data.html
Does anyone have any experience with ultrasonic level sensors? I mean, for $30 bucks, I just have to give it a try.
Bax
Premium Member
Ugh! I hate to hear that about your clown!
I guess that's what make triggers triggers though?
I have a pile of pumps and floats I have been meaning to put together to controll refill of the ATO res and WCs. I use a Chem feed pump for ATO and I swear by it. Steady as a rock!
I don't have a good enough controller though to manage all that.
... No matter, it's all still just a pile of stuff right now
I guess that's what make triggers triggers though?
I have a pile of pumps and floats I have been meaning to put together to controll refill of the ATO res and WCs. I use a Chem feed pump for ATO and I swear by it. Steady as a rock!
I don't have a good enough controller though to manage all that.
... No matter, it's all still just a pile of stuff right now
Jonathan, I have two of the optical sensors and I think they'd work great if I was willing to drill the sump and install them through the wall so they wouldn't get wet. I might still end up doing that if the ultrasonic doesn't work perfectly. I am planning on having a magnetic float switch mounted towards the top with the contacts above where the water could reach, just as a disaster detection backup.
Bax, it takes a bunch of work in order to save a bunch of work down the road. I don't regret all the semi-automatted work I've done. Now it's time to take it just a bit further. I want to make a WC as simple as clicking a button on the PC in my controller program.
Bax, it takes a bunch of work in order to save a bunch of work down the road. I don't regret all the semi-automatted work I've done. Now it's time to take it just a bit further. I want to make a WC as simple as clicking a button on the PC in my controller program.
We got the ultrasonic hooked up and mounted. Here is a sample of the readings from it with the aquarium water running normally. These distance readings are the measurement from the sensor to the surface of the water. Later during a WC, you can see the water level rising because the distance from the sensor to the water gets closer.
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.465390625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
I did a water change starting about here. I turn off both return pumps and the water level in the sump rises a couple of inches until the water stops draining from the aquariums and the drain pump finally catches up and drains the sump.
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.56765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 5.002890625 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.5490625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.465390625 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.911640625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.539765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.684453125 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 8.684453125 inches
Distance reading: 7.847734375 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 7.81984375 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 8.1359375 inches
Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 9.660625 inches
Distance reading: 7.773359375 inches
Distance reading: 6.4996875 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
Distance reading: 4.314921875 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.754765625 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.773359375 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.81984375 inches
Distance reading: 7.829140625 inches
Distance reading: 7.8384375 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
Distance reading: 7.754765625 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
Distance reading: 7.847734375 inches
Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 7.93140625 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.81984375 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.591484375 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.60078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 8.71234375 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.539765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.595546875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.5490625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.5490625 inches
Distance reading: 10.3671875 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.3671875 inches
Distance reading: 10.339296875 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.339296875 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.3671875 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.33 inches
Distance reading: 10.357890625 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.34859375 inches
Distance reading: 10.376484375 inches
Distance reading: 10.31140625 inches
Distance reading: 11.231796875 inches
Distance reading: 11.231796875 inches
Distance reading: 11.20390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.24109375 inches
Distance reading: 11.31546875 inches
Distance reading: 11.20390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.2596875 inches
Distance reading: 11.24109375 inches
Distance reading: 11.231796875 inches
Distance reading: 11.24109375 inches
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Distance reading: 11.194609375 inches
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Distance reading: 11.231796875 inches
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Distance reading: 11.24109375 inches
Distance reading: 11.2225 inches
Distance reading: 11.213203125 inches
Distance reading: 11.2596875 inches
Distance reading: 11.296875 inches
Distance reading: 12.105703125 inches
Distance reading: 12.049921875 inches
Distance reading: 12.161484375 inches
Distance reading: 12.040625 inches
Distance reading: 12.087109375 inches
Distance reading: 12.05921875 inches
Distance reading: 12.09640625 inches
Distance reading: 12.049921875 inches
Distance reading: 12.09640625 inches
Distance reading: 12.049921875 inches
Distance reading: 12.068515625 inches
Distance reading: 12.105703125 inches
Distance reading: 12.068515625 inches
Distance reading: 12.087109375 inches
Distance reading: 12.0778125 inches
Distance reading: 12.115 inches
Distance reading: 12.068515625 inches
Distance reading: 12.979609375 inches
Distance reading: 12.9703125 inches
Distance reading: 13.0075 inches
Distance reading: 12.98890625 inches
Distance reading: 12.933125 inches
Distance reading: 12.95171875 inches
Distance reading: 12.979609375 inches
Distance reading: 12.9703125 inches
Distance reading: 12.998203125 inches
Distance reading: 13.016796875 inches
Distance reading: 12.933125 inches
Distance reading: 12.9703125 inches
Distance reading: 12.9703125 inches
Distance reading: 12.9703125 inches
Distance reading: 12.979609375 inches
Distance reading: 13.0075 inches
Distance reading: 13.76984375 inches
Distance reading: 13.872109375 inches
Distance reading: 13.760546875 inches
Distance reading: 13.75125 inches
Distance reading: 13.8628125 inches
Distance reading: 13.779140625 inches
Distance reading: 13.760546875 inches
Distance reading: 13.890703125 inches
Distance reading: 13.779140625 inches
Distance reading: 13.779140625 inches
Distance reading: 13.853515625 inches
Distance reading: 13.797734375 inches
Distance reading: 13.7884375 inches
Distance reading: 13.834921875 inches
Distance reading: 13.872109375 inches
Distance reading: 13.7884375 inches
Distance reading: 13.84421875 inches
Distance reading: 13.8628125 inches
Distance reading: 13.760546875 inches
Distance reading: 14.690234375 inches
Distance reading: 14.66234375 inches
Distance reading: 14.718125 inches
Distance reading: 14.66234375 inches
Distance reading: 14.690234375 inches
Distance reading: 14.6809375 inches
Distance reading: 14.66234375 inches
Distance reading: 14.77390625 inches
Distance reading: 14.671640625 inches
Distance reading: 14.718125 inches
Distance reading: 14.764609375 inches
Distance reading: 14.77390625 inches
Distance reading: 14.69953125 inches
Distance reading: 14.727421875 inches
Distance reading: 15.489765625 inches
Distance reading: 15.526953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.526953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.4990625 inches
Distance reading: 15.53625 inches
Distance reading: 15.526953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.53625 inches
Distance reading: 15.582734375 inches
Distance reading: 15.508359375 inches
Distance reading: 15.601328125 inches
Distance reading: 15.526953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.526953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.526953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.53625 inches
Distance reading: 15.5734375 inches
Distance reading: 16.456640625 inches
Distance reading: 16.42875 inches
Distance reading: 16.4659375 inches
Distance reading: 16.438046875 inches
Distance reading: 16.41015625 inches
Distance reading: 16.41015625 inches
Distance reading: 16.400859375 inches
Distance reading: 16.382265625 inches
Distance reading: 16.44734375 inches
Distance reading: 16.503125 inches
Distance reading: 16.44734375 inches
Distance reading: 16.438046875 inches
Distance reading: 16.4659375 inches
Distance reading: 16.419453125 inches
Distance reading: 17.237578125 inches
Distance reading: 17.30265625 inches
Distance reading: 17.30265625 inches
Distance reading: 17.246875 inches
Distance reading: 17.330546875 inches
Distance reading: 17.293359375 inches
Distance reading: 17.246875 inches
Distance reading: 17.26546875 inches
Distance reading: 17.26546875 inches
Distance reading: 17.367734375 inches
Distance reading: 17.246875 inches
Distance reading: 17.26546875 inches
Distance reading: 17.33984375 inches
Distance reading: 17.311953125 inches
Distance reading: 18.12078125 inches
Distance reading: 18.148671875 inches
Distance reading: 18.148671875 inches
Distance reading: 18.111484375 inches
Distance reading: 18.241640625 inches
Distance reading: 18.1021875 inches
Distance reading: 18.139375 inches
Distance reading: 18.130078125 inches
Distance reading: 18.167265625 inches
Distance reading: 18.139375 inches
Distance reading: 18.148671875 inches
Distance reading: 18.23234375 inches
Distance reading: 18.185859375 inches
Distance reading: 18.1765625 inches
Distance reading: 18.204453125 inches
Distance reading: 18.2509375 inches
I turned off the drain pump here and turned on the refill pump from the new saltwater barrel.
Distance reading: 18.19515625 inches
Distance reading: 17.7303125 inches
Distance reading: 17.237578125 inches
Distance reading: 17.2840625 inches
Distance reading: 17.2840625 inches
Distance reading: 17.37703125 inches
Distance reading: 16.42875 inches
Distance reading: 16.438046875 inches
Distance reading: 16.44734375 inches
Distance reading: 15.4990625 inches
Distance reading: 16.512421875 inches
Distance reading: 16.42875 inches
Distance reading: 15.4990625 inches
Distance reading: 15.5734375 inches
Distance reading: 16.42875 inches
Distance reading: 14.718125 inches
Distance reading: 14.69953125 inches
Distance reading: 15.248046875 inches
Distance reading: 15.731484375 inches
Distance reading: 14.06734375 inches
Distance reading: 13.825625 inches
Distance reading: 13.779140625 inches
Distance reading: 13.80703125 inches
Distance reading: 13.9 inches
Distance reading: 13.797734375 inches
Distance reading: 13.834921875 inches
Distance reading: 13.797734375 inches
Distance reading: 13.890703125 inches
Distance reading: 13.825625 inches
Distance reading: 13.28640625 inches
Distance reading: 13.927890625 inches
Distance reading: 12.998203125 inches
Distance reading: 12.95171875 inches
Distance reading: 12.98890625 inches
Distance reading: 12.9703125 inches
Distance reading: 13.676875 inches
Distance reading: 13.6025 inches
Distance reading: 12.98890625 inches
Distance reading: 12.17078125 inches
Distance reading: 12.868046875 inches
Distance reading: 12.049921875 inches
Distance reading: 12.0778125 inches
Distance reading: 12.979609375 inches
Distance reading: 12.09640625 inches
Distance reading: 12.087109375 inches
Distance reading: 13.0075 inches
Distance reading: 12.115 inches
Distance reading: 12.180078125 inches
Distance reading: 12.0778125 inches
Distance reading: 11.547890625 inches
Distance reading: 11.296875 inches
Distance reading: 11.306171875 inches
Distance reading: 11.250390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.2596875 inches
Distance reading: 11.250390625 inches
Distance reading: 12.20796875 inches
Distance reading: 11.743125 inches
Distance reading: 11.250390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.2225 inches
Distance reading: 11.268984375 inches
Distance reading: 11.250390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.72453125 inches
Distance reading: 11.380546875 inches
Distance reading: 11.250390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.24109375 inches
Distance reading: 11.268984375 inches
Distance reading: 11.250390625 inches
Distance reading: 11.231796875 inches
Distance reading: 11.268984375 inches
Distance reading: 11.24109375 inches
Distance reading: 11.296875 inches
Distance reading: 11.296875 inches
Distance reading: 11.213203125 inches
Distance reading: 10.339296875 inches
Distance reading: 10.655390625 inches
Distance reading: 10.339296875 inches
Distance reading: 10.33 inches
Distance reading: 10.320703125 inches
Distance reading: 10.357890625 inches
Distance reading: 10.33 inches
Distance reading: 9.56765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.56765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.5490625 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.539765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.56765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.911640625 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.67515625 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.69375 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.684453125 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.684453125 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
The sump is full and both return pumps are running at this point.
So far, this might be the best $30 I ever spent! :lol:
Here are some pics of this gem.
As you can see, it's less than an inch square.
We mounted it under a pvc cross and the pipe extends out across all four sides of the sump which is a 150g rubber maid tub.
This weekend I'm going to take it off and mount it inside an electric junction box and seal it in there with silicone to protect it. So this mount is very temporary.
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.465390625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
I did a water change starting about here. I turn off both return pumps and the water level in the sump rises a couple of inches until the water stops draining from the aquariums and the drain pump finally catches up and drains the sump.
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.56765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 5.002890625 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.5490625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.465390625 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.521171875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 9.911640625 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.558359375 inches
Distance reading: 9.4746875 inches
Distance reading: 9.539765625 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.502578125 inches
Distance reading: 9.53046875 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 9.511875 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.684453125 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 8.684453125 inches
Distance reading: 7.847734375 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 7.81984375 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 8.1359375 inches
Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 9.660625 inches
Distance reading: 7.773359375 inches
Distance reading: 6.4996875 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
Distance reading: 4.314921875 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.754765625 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
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Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
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Distance reading: 7.773359375 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.81984375 inches
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Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
Distance reading: 7.754765625 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.78265625 inches
Distance reading: 7.791953125 inches
Distance reading: 7.810546875 inches
Distance reading: 7.7640625 inches
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Distance reading: 7.80125 inches
Distance reading: 7.93140625 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
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Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.665859375 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
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Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.610078125 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.6565625 inches
Distance reading: 8.63796875 inches
Distance reading: 8.628671875 inches
Distance reading: 8.591484375 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
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Distance reading: 8.60078125 inches
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Distance reading: 8.619375 inches
Distance reading: 8.647265625 inches
Distance reading: 9.49328125 inches
Distance reading: 9.483984375 inches
Distance reading: 8.71234375 inches
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I turned off the drain pump here and turned on the refill pump from the new saltwater barrel.
Distance reading: 18.19515625 inches
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The sump is full and both return pumps are running at this point.
So far, this might be the best $30 I ever spent! :lol:
Here are some pics of this gem.
As you can see, it's less than an inch square.
We mounted it under a pvc cross and the pipe extends out across all four sides of the sump which is a 150g rubber maid tub.
This weekend I'm going to take it off and mount it inside an electric junction box and seal it in there with silicone to protect it. So this mount is very temporary.
Oh yeah, I built my own controller using hardware from icp-das. I have this sensor connected to an analog data aquisition module (7018) and the sonar sensor puts out a different millivolt reading to represent the distance.
http://www.icpdas-usa.com/analog.php
http://www.icpdas-usa.com/analog.php
:lol:
I know, I know. But it works fantastic! In the last two hours, after the WC, all the readings are within 1/10 of an inch of each other. I can use this single device to control WC's too. I'll be able to detect when the sump is empty, automatically turn off the drain pump, start the refill pump and turn it off when the sump is full. Of course, I'm still going to have a couple float switches towards the top of the sump for backup. I'll also build in timings for all the functions too.
I got the solenoid valves mounted and connected. I got the wires ran to the controller hardware. This weekend I'll hook everything up and activate the ATO function. I want to wait for the weekend so I can be here to monitor everything.
I know, I know. But it works fantastic! In the last two hours, after the WC, all the readings are within 1/10 of an inch of each other. I can use this single device to control WC's too. I'll be able to detect when the sump is empty, automatically turn off the drain pump, start the refill pump and turn it off when the sump is full. Of course, I'm still going to have a couple float switches towards the top of the sump for backup. I'll also build in timings for all the functions too.
I got the solenoid valves mounted and connected. I got the wires ran to the controller hardware. This weekend I'll hook everything up and activate the ATO function. I want to wait for the weekend so I can be here to monitor everything.
I also have a calcium ion selective probe and a conductivity electrode on order from EasyMeters.
http://www.easymeters.com/
Hanna Instruments makes good stuff. I'll be able to actively monitor the calcium and salinity real time. I'll hook up the vacuum pumps for the b-ionic doser to my controller and control the dosing based on the calcium reading. I'll use the salinity reading as a backup to the backup for the ATO.
After I get those installed and up and working, I also want to add a nitrate ion selective probe and use that reading to control automatic WC's.
http://www.easymeters.com/
Hanna Instruments makes good stuff. I'll be able to actively monitor the calcium and salinity real time. I'll hook up the vacuum pumps for the b-ionic doser to my controller and control the dosing based on the calcium reading. I'll use the salinity reading as a backup to the backup for the ATO.
After I get those installed and up and working, I also want to add a nitrate ion selective probe and use that reading to control automatic WC's.
Jonathan, the calcium probe that I ordered will need to be calibrate about once a month. It's designed for constant measurement. If has a tube that holds a reference fluid for it to be self calibrating. Basically, the maintenance on it is to clean it and refill the reference chamber.
Eric and Chris, it's been a LONG time in coming and a few failed experiments along the way but sooner or later, something is BOUND to work. :lol:
Eric and Chris, it's been a LONG time in coming and a few failed experiments along the way but sooner or later, something is BOUND to work. :lol:
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