top off container ideas

[Grace's Dad]

I know every system is different, but anyone have a ballpark figure for daily evaporation on a system with 2 400Watt MH?

Trying to figure out what to use for my top off container and I know a 5gal. bucket won't be enough.
Space is limited. I am working with a ~28" x 17" space which will also house a Geo 624 with foot print of 9"x12".
Anyone know the diameter of a 20lb Co2 tank?
Depending on how I place the reactor and how big the Co2 tank is, I could be left with ~20"x17".
I was thinking about going with a 10gal tank if it would be enough or possibly a 20gal tall if I can find one.

 

[levon15]

I will measure up the CO2 tank I have at the house when get home.

 

[mpcart]

Could you put the topoff container in that laundry room area and then deliver the topoff water to the sump via tubing instead of trying to fit the container next to your tank? I would think you'd be in the 5-10 gallon a day range for topoff needs.

Reeferhead has a nice, simple setup that does this.

-Mike

 

[Im Lon 2]

I used a 5 gallon bucket with my 2 - 400 and 1 - 250 for the last year.. I have the 5 gallon bucket set to the RO/DI unit that keeps the 5 Gallon Bucket full, then my tank takes from the 5 gallon bucket, as needed.

This way if the topoff ever failed it would only put 4 gallon or so extra in the tank, because the RO unit would not be able to keep up with it..

It only failed me one time and what happen was the pump (MaxiJet) over heated and needed to be turned off for a while, Then when I plugged it back up it worked fine.

I found out what caused mine to fail.. It start a siphon and sucked the 5 gallon bucket dry.

 

[DrBDC]

I lose about 5 gallons a day. I have a lot of surface area though.

A litermeter or other peristaltic pump will eliminate it being added too fast w/float switch failures or whatnot. It will also pull from a long long distance.

 

[Reggae Fish]

I have mine "in stand" and was really limited with space. BK built me one to specs and it it tall which allows me the max I can get

 

[latazyo]

I use a wrapping paper container since it is tall and skinny

as someone else mentioned your output needs to be above the reservoir or you get siphon

 

[Im Lon 2]

that's a good idea latazyo.

 

[zt444a]

Melev has some nice pics of some DIY topoff units and setups.

 

[Grace's Dad]

Mike- that laundry room is getting torn apart as soon as I get water in the tank, I don't want to have anything extra in there that may get in the way when I re-model.

Lonnie- the way you are talking might work, my r.o unit already has a 3-3.5 gal storage tank. So I shouldn't have a problem using only a ten gal. tank.

Doc/Howard- already ordered the Tunze top-off. Guess I'm just not really quite sure how these things work.

Latazyo- does the wrapping paper container bow out at all. I didn't want to go that route because I don't want to come home and find a blow out.

 

[levon15]

A tall skinny kitchen trash can may work for you.

 

[latazyo]

no it doesn't bow at all, its very rigid, not like a garbage can (which I think are kind of flimsy)

 

[kirby_32]

I use the 7 gallon version of this

http://www.camping4less.com/product.asp?specific=jsdncseoo

found it at walmart. seems like it was about $7-9 but don't remember. Dimensions are 12X12X15

I was able to put a float switch in the top that activates a gravity feed line from my ro/di storage. Like Lonnie this limits that potential overfeed.

 

[breutus]

at wal- mart they have wrapping paper holders that are tall and skinny about 15 gallons more or less.

I have a 72 with 2-250 and 4 T5 and loose about 2 gallons a day