Salt Water Mixing Stations Let's See Them

[d2mini]

Using a single pump system to transfer and mix your salt water barrel you would have to turn off the ATO system and it would not topoff the sump when needed. How do you still topoff your sump while mixing the ASW for maybe days at a time till you are ready to do the water change?

RO/DI doesn't need to be turned off.
Two tanks.... one for saltwater, and one for RO water.
RO water flows into the RO container with float valve to shut off when full.
RO water is transferred from RO container to Saltwater container via the pump.
Salt gets dumped in to Saltwater container.
Valves are turned and same pump mixes new saltwater within Saltwater container.

Now for ATO, you need a third container (i put Kalk in my ATO) and a john guest Y-valve with a john guest mini ball valve on the ATO side. Keep ball valve shut except when filling ATO container.

That's how I do it, anyway.

 

[shermanator]

Nevermind, I misread the question and commented on something not asked...

 

[skeeter_ca]

If there is only one pump how does the ATO fill the aquarium sump while you are mixing the saltwater?

skeeter

 

[d2mini]

If there is only one pump how does the ATO fill the aquarium sump while you are mixing the saltwater?

skeeter

Ah, i see what you are asking.
Yes, you do need a pump in your ATO container. Or a peristaltic pump pulling water out of your ATO and into your sump. Or use gravity with a float valve in your sump.

The pumps you are seeing in these photos is purely for the mixing station, used to mix water and transfer water between tanks.

 

[thebanker]

So if I want to start mixing water, why do I need two containers? Why can't one 50 gal container, plumbed correctly, work fine for SW mixing? Why must there be one for RODI?

I know this is a remedial question, but I've never mixed my own salt water before.

 

[FishyFishy69]

Here's mine. 2 X 44 gal Brutes with a Mag 24 pump. BRS 5 stage deluxe RO/DI unit. Plumbed directly into my upstairs sump for easy water changes (also have a drain in the sump that is tied into the house drain). Water change in under 6 minutes!

 

[FishyFishy69]

So if I want to start mixing water, why do I need two containers? Why can't one 50 gal container, plumbed correctly, work fine for SW mixing? Why must there be one for RODI?

I know this is a remedial question, but I've never mixed my own salt water before.

I personally use my RO/DI bin to top up my ATO resevoir. The valves stay open so that I can just flick the switch in my sump room and it fills the ATO container. A couple turns of valves, and I can fill and mix all my saltwater in the second bin, while the RO bin starts to re-fill with RO/DI water again. You can do it the other way, but I personally like to have both saltwater and freshwater on hand in case something happens (which it often does in this hobby).

 

[d2mini]

personally like to have both saltwater and freshwater on hand in case something happens (which it often does in this hobby).

Exactly.
And even when its time to mix up new saltwater, if you have the RO/DI container already filled, the whole process takes 5 minutes. Couple that with an auto water change system and you're golden. :thumbsup:

 

[skeeter_ca]

Ok, so I will setup the R/O with an in barrel pump so the ATO can remain working while I mix up the ASW.

skeeter

 

[dukduk]

Is there a way to add a on/off nozzle to a pump? How would you do it? What hose and nozzle? Any other considerations? For the time, I bought a remote control power bar so I can cut the pump in and off from the tank.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Is there a way to add a on/off nozzle to a pump? How would you do it? What hose and nozzle? Any other considerations? For the time, I bought a remote control power bar so I can cut the pump in and off from the tank.

You could just put a valve on the output side of the pump. IDK if running the pump this way would harm it.

What are you trying to accomplish? Shutting of the pump would be easier. It seems like you've already tried this. Why doesn't that work?

 

[skeeter_ca]

Just to clarify - I use my R/O storage barrel as my ATO reservoir. I have no room under/near/around my tank to place a ATO reservoir so I pump it in from the R/O storage tank in my garage.

skeeter

 

[TreyK]

Nothing fancy, but it works great. My 7 stage RODI is plumbed right to it and my ATO. The saltwater is plumbed right to the sump on the tank as well for easy water changes!

 

[Raul-7]

Here's mine. 2 X 44 gal Brutes with a Mag 24 pump. BRS 5 stage deluxe RO/DI unit. Plumbed directly into my upstairs sump for easy water changes (also have a drain in the sump that is tied into the house drain). Water change in under 6 minutes!

Can I use uniseal and bulkheads to plumb trashcans together? I want to use vinyl tubing; not PVC.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Nothing fancy, but it works great. My 7 stage RODI is plumbed right to it and my ATO. The saltwater is plumbed right to the sump on the tank as well for easy water changes!

What size mag drive is that?

 

[TreyK]

Mag7. Works great, anything more for this size station is completely unnecessary IMO. 32 Gal containers btw

 

[Want2BS8ed]

Salt Water Mixing Stations Let's See Them

I am in the planning stage to replace my brute cans with 55gals drums. I can get them for $20 a piece but then they have to be scrubbed out because they had soda syrup in them. I want to go to the external single pump system shown so many times on this thread, however I have a couple questions that I did not see discussed in the very long 38 pages.



Using a single pump system to transfer and mix your salt water barrel you would have to turn off the ATO system and it would not topoff the sump when needed. How do you still topoff your sump while mixing the ASW for maybe days at a time till you are ready to do the water change?



skeeter

I use a LiterMeter for ATO work, specifically because it can run dry, although I have never had an issue.

The feed to the freshwater tank is never off unless the float switch stops it. I prefer gravity feed to the mixing tank (and am mid build in upgrading from Brutes to a pair of 75 gallon tanks) but the principle is the same.

RO/DI tank holds ~60 gallons, transfer 50 gallons to mixing tank, close valve, start circulation, dump bag of salt and the RO/DI tank starts to recover immediately.

[EDIT Sorry a page behind, your question was already answered]

M

 

[E_Aquatics]

Here's mine. I can also pump newly made saltwater or freshwater to my tank which is about 70 feet away from the mixing station just with the turn of a couple ball valves.

Top tank holds 165 gallons of RO/DI and bottom tank holds 30 gallons of saltwater.

Mixing pump is a Jebao DC12000

 

[skeeter_ca]

Ok, Question #2.

When using a uniseal on the lower pipe going into the barrel for the pump intake, how do you put an elbow on the pipe to point down on the inside of the barrel if it is a closed lid with only 2" bung holes and do you glue it on the pipe too.

skeeter

 

[Sonicboom]

Can I use uniseal and bulkheads to plumb trashcans together? I want to use vinyl tubing; not PVC.

Yes, got my uniseals from Aussieglobe.com, the only catch is you will need to go smaller on the uniseal if going with vinyl, sometimes 2 sizes smaller.