Pump to Fill ATO Reservoir

[thewbell]

I am working on a 120 gallon build now and have permission from my wife to run a 1/4" RODI line through the wall to fill my ATO container. My RODI system is in a covered area outside the house so I would need to run a line up into the attic then a horizontal run of around 50' then back down the wall to the ATO container. My thought is to put a small pump on one end that I could power up as needed to fill the container from my storage cans. This way I would not be cycling my RODI until the 30 gallon container outside is empty. Future plans will be to possibly automate the system but the goal for now is simply to not have to haul buckets.

Has anyone else done something similar? What type of pump did you use and were you able to mount the pump under the aquarium and have it pull water that far? I have not been able to find anything definitive in my searches yet. Most of the pumps that can handle the head pressure are much larger and I do not know if choking them down to the 1/4" line would do any damage long term.

 

[Greybeard]

You ask if anyone has done anything similar... I'll give an overview of my water filtration system:

RODI is in a cabinet on my patio, on the wall behind my kitchen sink. Water from after the RO, but before the DI cart, is sent to a 5g pressure tank under the kitchen sink. That is t'ed to a drinking water faucet at the sink, and to my refrigerator's ice maker and water dispenser. A line is run under the house to my aquarium stand. It's t'ed there, to an in line ball valve right before it goes into my 5g ATO reservoir. Inside the reservoir, it's attached to a float valve. The other outlet goes to a short coil of hose with a ball valve at the end, that I use to fill a container for mixing salt water for water changes.

So, we can drink good clean water at the sink, the fridge door, and have clean ice.

When I need to fill the ATO reservoir, all I have to do is open a ball valve. A float valve prevents an overflow, if I neglect to shut it off in time. Oh, and I do have a water alarm under the ATO reservoir, in case the float valve fails.

When I need a bucket of RO/DI water for a water change, or whatever, there is a coil of hose hanging from the inside of the stand door, ready to go.

Easy, clean, safe, and very, very handy.

No pumps. The 5g pressure tank keeps flow to the sink and fridge nice and strong. It's just a trickle through the DI, but that's just fine by me. I do have a permeate pump on the RO/DI unit, to keep pressures up where I need them. Aside from that, the jet pump in my well powers the whole thing.

For your system, I'd recommend a permeate pump in the DI, to keep outgoing pressure up, and a small pressure tank near the unit. That way you don't need a pump to push it to the tank.

 

[Redman88]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2546574

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2481884

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2408741

 

[kcinnick]

I just installed my RO unit off of my washing machine feed line. I have the wast water drain into the washing machine drain. Only hole is a small poke to fit an RO tube through the wall to get to the valve box by the washing machine.

 

[outy]

I use a ro/di booster pump, has a float in my ATO 10g sump, AND a solenoid to turn water on/off based on line presure.

I have mine on a timer set to 30 minutes a day to top off the sump, so I'm not constantly cycling the ro/di pump

 

[thewbell]

Thanks for the help.

I am looking into the booster pumps since I am unsure if I want to do a pressure tank. I currently have my RODI hooked up to 32 gallon Brute trash cans and I like the flexibility of having a large volume on hand. I would simply hook a booster pump to the can and route the line.

Has anyone had any success using a smaller mag or similar pump and necking it down to 1/4"? I have an extra mag 7 and 9.5 from my old 75 gallon that I am tempted to try out. My thought is that if I can choke the 7 down to 1/4" I should be able to get decent flow if it can overcome the head pressure.

 

[thewbell]

Here is my current mixing station. The picture was taken right after I finished putting it together but before I skinned it. I would like to tie into the upper can and pump water up through the soffit and across the attic to the tank.

 

[outy]

I am unsure if I want to do a pressure tank.e.

You don't need a pressure tank to use a booster pump

I should be able to get decent flow if it can overcome the head pressure.

Because of the drop down to the cans, your head pressure will be reduced.


A booster pump will have more then you need

 

[Redman88]

Thanks for the help.

I am looking into the booster pumps since I am unsure if I want to do a pressure tank. I currently have my RODI hooked up to 32 gallon Brute trash cans and I like the flexibility of having a large volume on hand. I would simply hook a booster pump to the can and route the line.

Has anyone had any success using a smaller mag or similar pump and necking it down to 1/4"? I have an extra mag 7 and 9.5 from my old 75 gallon that I am tempted to try out. My thought is that if I can choke the 7 down to 1/4" I should be able to get decent flow if it can overcome the head pressure.

my ATO is using the same quiteone pump i have for mixing, when ever i get to that point. right now it out puts to the tanks for Top off and back to the RO/DI storage. so i don't push past the closed valves on my other tanks if they are are not open for filling their tanks.

 

[LearningDaily]

Pump and line sizing

Pump and line sizing

Pumps and lines need to be adequately sized or you can burn out the pump motor among other negative effects.

Items to consider are:
(1) elevation differential between pump and outlet
(2) number, type and size of fittings between pump and outlet
(3) changes in direction in fittings
(4) size of tubing/piping (greater allows more volume and dramatically reduced pressure losses, especially with very small diameter pipe
(5) optimal operating head of pump
(6) pressure required at outlet
(7) low and high pressure range at pump inlet
(8) supply line size to determine volume sufficiency

It may sound complicated but its fairly simple if you have some understanding of physics and mechanical knowledge. Also, in the interests of keeping you (the customer) happy and to sell more pumps, pump manufacturers will usually help with sizing the pump (or lines). Ask to speak to the technical group or an engineer.

Bob