Water top off and storage system

[Rob Top]

All but done. 4 trashcans, 2 float switches, a solenoid, 6 valves, a pump, hose, 6 bulkheads and only 1 leak that is currently glued and drying. Pics will follow, but here is what I did. I took http://home.nc.rr.com/stockmanreef/diagram_of_setup.htm

And added a second trash can on the salt storage side. The second salt can has a stand pipe and will work similar to the top off side. Instead of flex line right off the pump and moving the line from side to side I used hard pipe to a 4 way. The in, salt side, fresh side and to a flex hose that will go to which ever tank I am doing a water change on. Each piece is controled by a ball valve. I'm using an electric float switch and solenoid fromhttp://www.autotopoff.com/, bulkheads from savko, Kent float valve and the rest of the parts from home depot. I'll try to get pics tomorrow, but I am planning on starting this project tomorrow too http://www.hawkfish.org/snailman/diy4inskimmer.htm I am making 6 of them :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Cool, can't wait for the pics. Now hurry up

Louey

 

[Rob Top]

This is the lower level. The left side is where the electric float switch is and fresh R/O water gets filled to. The pump will be hooked up to a timer that will go on for about 5 minutes a day to fill the top can up. There is a stand pipe to prevent overflowing. The right is the salt side. This one has a stand pipe and darin on it. When it's time for salt water making I close off the fresh side, dump in the salt and kick the pump on.

This is the top two. The 4-way pvc and valves is how I contol where the water is going.

I still have a couple leaks to work out. I have never had bulk heads leak on me befor, but now I understand why gluing them is advised in this application

 

[Anonymous]

To prevent your frame there from sagging or even breaking over the long term you really should put some pieces between the bottom shelf and the top shelf. If you rip a 2X4 in half longways you can screw it right to the legs. That way the weight will be compressing the strip of 2X4 and not just hanging on the screws.

There should be plywood on the top shelf too so the weight is carried over to the edge pieces instead of hanging on the screws. Drywall screws will hold quite a bit of weight until they get rusty over time, then they tend to fail rather spectacularly.

I think my top off system is going to look quite a bit like yours, but I am only going to be using 20 gallon trashcans because that is the largest water change I do.

Course that is after I get the sump to the basement....

Do you have links to pic of your whole system?

 

[Anonymous]

I totally agree with Bryan about the plywood to spread the load. Louey

 

[drbdc]

Looks good though and very space saving. Better than my array of brute can's in my fish room.

 

[Rob Top]

Now that it is full I need to move it over 3 inches to make room for the new sump I bought
I'll throw a pcs of ply wood down at that point. More pics to follow

 

[Anonymous]

Now that it is full I need to move it over 3 inches to make room for the new sump I bought
I'll throw a pcs of ply wood down at that point. More pics to follow

Can I laugh?


Cause that sounds so much like me its freaky.


Thank kind of stuff happens to me on a daily basis. :lol:

 

[Rob Top]

So I got in trouble last night for using my table saw and whole cutter after the wife went to bed, but the plywood is down
Instead of moving it 3" over I moved it to the otherside of the fishroom. I am hoping that the water pressure in the top off can will be enoght to push the water up 3 feet then across the ceiling about 6' before coming down. If not I can snake the top off line across the floor since it's 1/4" it will be easy to tuck aside. I decided to do this becasue the wall that it was on the sump and skimmers where going on too. On either side of them are tanks. The sump is 33x52" and would hog up too much space if it was right next to the tank. So water storage on one side and sump on the other. I'll get more pics tonight. As for pics of the whole set up, don't expect them too soon as the fishroom is a mess. I have a 75 packed with coral and a 125 packed with rock, and topped with coral. This was my 220 before a move in July and it is taking a while to get set back up.

Can I laugh?


Cause that sounds so much like me its freaky.


Thank kind of stuff happens to me on a daily basis.

daily, try hourly around here. Laugh it up man :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

So I got in trouble last night for using my table saw and whole cutter after the wife went to bed, but the plywood is down
Instead of moving it 3" over I moved it to the otherside of the fishroom. I am hoping that the water pressure in the top off can will be enoght to push the water up 3 feet then across the ceiling about 6' before coming down. If not I can snake the top off line across the floor since it's 1/4" it will be easy to tuck aside. I decided to do this becasue the wall that it was on the sump and skimmers where going on too. On either side of them are tanks. The sump is 33x52" and would hog up too much space if it was right next to the tank. So water storage on one side and sump on the other. I'll get more pics tonight. As for pics of the whole set up, don't expect them too soon as the fishroom is a mess. I have a 75 packed with coral and a 125 packed with rock, and topped with coral. This was my 220 before a move in July and it is taking a while to get set back up.

Can I laugh?


Cause that sounds so much like me its freaky.


Thank kind of stuff happens to me on a daily basis.

daily, try hourly around here. Laugh it up man :lol:

Hell, we could be twins....

With me it was a wood lathe at 12 pm, and man does that sucker put out a hum :lol: