Salt Water Mixing Stations Let's See Them

[iluzhun]

My set up is not nearly as complex as some of theese. I use 2 32 gallon brute containers with the rolling dollies underneath. I use th RO set-up that is in the house for drinking water to make my water. It has a ten gallon tank so it only takes a minute to fill a bucket for top off and apx 45-60 minutes to fill my can with 25 gallons of water. I then add salt and drop in a submersible pump and heater and let it run in the kitchen overnight. When ready I roll both cans over to the tank. siphon out the old water into one can and then use the subbmersible pump and a hose to refill the tank. It takes about 1 hour total to do a water change. Not the easiest but way better than the old 5 gallon bucket method.

 

[PSU REEFER]

Anymore set-ups to show? Thanks for all those who have posted. Very helpful.

 

[SWINGRRRR]

Nothing special. 2 X 44 gal brute, FW on top, SW on bottom. I just run a 25ft RODI line the house to the tank, and run the drain out the back door for WC's.

 

[itsmateo]

All these mixing and waterchang stations look great!! all Ive got is a 5 Gallon bucket and a power head

 

[agentgreen]

Question for you guys running a separate RO/DI reservoir...is the reservoir auto-topped off? If so, how do you have your float valves setup so that the RO/DI unit doesn't come on after the water level has dropped an inch or so.

I'm trying to design a water change/auto-top off setup myself. I will have a 20G long for a ro/di reservoir, and a 20G long for my mixing tank. I'm just not sure how to setup the float valves (don't have a controller) so that the RO/DI doesn't fill the 20G reservoir until it is almost empty.

Sorry for the hijack! I promise I'll show my water change system once I get it setup

 

[SWINGRRRR]

Question for you guys running a separate RO/DI reservoir...is the reservoir auto-topped off? If so, how do you have your float valves setup so that the RO/DI unit doesn't come on after the water level has dropped an inch or so.

After flooding the garage 15 times, I had to have something fool proof. I have really 3 systems that insure it wont happen again. I have two electrical float switches set-up on a latching relay. They control a solenoid that really controls water flow. If that fails, there is a mechanical float valve and a ASOV. If that fails, well then there's a hole up near the top with a line that goes directly into a drain. Water will simply drain until I notice the failure. So far mine has been bulletproof. Its all automatic.

 

[layer3switchguy]

Folks,

On a storage container from Plastic-Mart such as this one:

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=213

How did you create another bulkhead to plumb the tank with a pump, etc? Also, how are you heating the water to the correct temp to make saltwater?

Appreciate any advice.

Thanks,
L3

 

[mrblack44]

Here is my Water mixing station. It has only ben operating for 2 months. Still need to paint the stand with Kilz.

 

[JoshuaG]

Here is mine. With the ball valves I can move water from one tank to the other, pump fresh water to my ATO tank or pump salt water to my sump for water changes.

 

[das75]

^ very nice.

how do you connect to pump to your sump?

 

[JoshuaG]

^ very nice.

how do you connect to pump to your sump?

The ball valve with nothing connected to it I am going to get a hose for, I just take the hose to my sump, turn it on and fill it up

 

[jeff@zina.com]

How did you create another bulkhead to plumb the tank with a pump, etc?

Uniseals.

Jeff

 

[jason2459]

Very nice thread.

Here's my mixing station. Yes, I'm very messy but nothing leaks

150gpd 5 stage RO/DI feeds into the brute via a float valve in case I forget to shut it off. Also, have a line that runs up to an ATO bucket under the tank.

Used uniseals to go into the brute with 3/4" schd-40 pvc. Mag 1800 is the pump and have it resting on a foam pad so it doesn't vibrate on the floor. I wanted a drain in case I need to empty it out for some reason and can drain the main tank with. The black vinyl tubing goes up to my main tank and fills it up. Takes about a minute to do a water change. I also wanted a station I could fill up a bucket to bring up to my 20g mantis tank.

 

[MarlinHooker]

no pics yet as I'm still assembling everything but after seeing Rupes Reef orginial system a few months back I decided to copy the basic setup with a few mods ... My RO/DI system is connected to the HP cold water line underneath the sink in my ultility rm. This utility rm shares a common wall with a storage room off my garage so I ran the output line from my RO/DI out the back of the sink cabinet, behind the washer/dryer in the utlity room & thu the wall into the storage room where I will have a 75g RO/DI storage tank & a 25g saltwater mixing tank. RO/DI enters into the 75g tank from my RO/DI system & then using the same setup of valves & plumbing I'm able to mix up 25g of saltwater at a time. I'll only be diong 15-20g water changes (my tank is a 150).

I haven't decided yet exactly how I'll execute water changes but I'm leaning toward the same method as already posted with 2 small tanks on some sort of cart to wheel over to the tank - do the change & then wheel away.

Got my tanks from Plastic-mart ... the 75g tank should arrive in the next week so once I plump the system I'll try & remember to post some pics ....

great thread idea BTW ...

 

[flyguy1821]

Water change/mixing station

Water change/mixing station

Here is my version. 2 32 gallon rubbermaid containers plumbed for gravity feed from RO storage to Mixing tank.

I drilled overflow lines in case my RO sticks for some reason. The RO water would flow to the mixing tank (I usually mix 1-2 days before WC) and then into my floor drain if both filled to high.

I also stole an idea from my coffee maker for an easy "water fill gauge". It is 1/4 ID tube with a 90 deg barbed fitting. I measured out each gallon and marked it on the side of the container. Easy as pie.

I have my return line plumbed in conjunction with my "fill" line. I flip a switch and open a couple valves and voila. I am pleased with my setup.

 

[jason2459]

Great idea on the fill level line.

 

[bmkj02]

What kind of fitting are you guys using on the Brute trash cans. Im ready to get started on mine and was wondering if they were uni-seals or bulkhead fittings? Im kind of iffy on the uni-seals. Also what size diameter are you using on the PVC?

 

[RocketSurgeon]

following along. thanks for all your pics! I'll be starting mine soon.

 

[scott26]

This is a great thread thanks for the info.

 

[flyguy1821]

What kind of fitting are you guys using on the Brute trash cans. Im ready to get started on mine and was wondering if they were uni-seals or bulkhead fittings? Im kind of iffy on the uni-seals. Also what size diameter are you using on the PVC?

Cant speak for the others but I used some seals that are basically big flat rubber washers and silicone. I didnt know about uniseals until after. I would have used them in a sec.

My pipe diameter is 1 inch for the main "mixing" parts and 3/4 pex for the insert line into my main return. Since it is only on for a few minutes adding water, I didnt figure I needed to get larger pipe or worry about it.