Top off water pump question

[yannicksjh]

Hi, I want to fill a 30 gallon fresh water barrel for my top off water, then pump it to my sump when needed. Right now i have my RO/DI unit plumbed directly to my sump with a regular (humidifier) plastic float valve. I have a shut off in between and turn it on when needed (pain in the butt) . So my question is to a need a selonoid to turn the pump in the barrel on/off or can i use a small pump like a "Tom Aquatics Aqua Lifter pump" and just leave it on in the barrel and it will push the water when the float goes down? Is this too hard on the pump (even if the pump is so small). I also have to mention that the barrel will be about 10' away with about 3' of it going up. Hope you guys get my bad explanation. thanks in advance

 

[yannicksjh]

Anyone? Please and thank you

 

[oldsaltman]

Sorry, but I not sure I understand your problem. I too have a 32g brute with the RO going into it. I use a cut off valve to only let the RO on when the brute gets low. I do have a float valve attached to the end of the RO inside the brute just as a backup if I forget to turn the RO valve off. My ATO works from a small powerhead in the bottom of the brute that is run through a small bulkhead to my sump. The ATO comes on/off as needed. Hope that helps.

 

[yannicksjh]

Yes, that is my exact set up. My qestion is, is the power head in the bottom of the brute barrel always on (pushing water to the ATO) or is it your ATO that turns it on? Can i just add another float valve in my sump instead of a real ATO system? I'm just wondering if i get a small pump that is always on (but the float if all the way up because the sump is full) will it burn out or will the water just come out the intake. OR can i tee off the supply line so that when the sump and float valve is off, the water will just go back in the barrel via the "T"? Sorry, hard to explain. Thanks

 

[Laddy]

The pump which sits at the botom of your DI/RO water container is not constantly on......the ATO unit acts as the sensor, turning the pump on, then off when the water reaches your predetermined level in the sump.

 

[yannicksjh]

So. it is not possible without an actual ATO unit with sensors, selonoids etc. I don't have an ATO, just float valves. Plus the freshwater barrel is in another room (10' away) so i would have to run an extension cord through my living to the tother room with the pump (don't think i would like that). Any other suggestions out there? Thanks everyone!

 

[Jefe12234]

You should not run a pump into a float valve. It would probably burn out before long. You need an ATO, but they don't have to be expensive. I use this one on both of my tanks:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...Product_Code=AH-PREM-ATO&Category_Code=Dosers

It requires drilling a few holes in some plastic parts and splicing a few wires together, but it's only $40 and even has a backup float switch for added safety. Of course there are lots of others, but this one is cheap and has always worked well for me.

 

[Laddy]

On sale:

http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=1935

 

[yannicksjh]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14222895#post14222895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Laddy
On sale:

http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=1935

Thanks everyone. Laddy, I really like this one and the price is very reasonnable. Think I might order it. For now, i added a float valve in my sump coonected to a pump (that is always running in my top off (fresh water) barrel. I added a "T" fitting at the pump so when the valve is low there is water flowing to both outets off the "T". When the float valves closes all the pressure just transfers to the other oultet on the "T". My barrel is about 10' from my tank so i used a small maxijet 900 for the job. Seems to be working great so far. Can't see it being to hard on the pump since i have it T'ed off (so the water always has somewhere to go. I know its a rig set up, but i think i will work until i order and receive my actual ATO system. thanks