DIY water top off system

[andy2]

Any body got any good pic's/ how to for water top off system utilizing a gravity based plastic container and homemade float valve? THX

 

[wedfr]

i wouldnt do it yourself on teh float valve, if it leaks your gonna flood the room and lower the salinity too much and too fast and kill everythign, you can get a float valve from usplastic for $6.95

 

[dragonwrasse]

Well, for about $25 you can get a working float switch from Cameron at www.californiareefs.com. I have a couple and I have to say they've been working really well. I would get snail guards also.

 

[andy2]

OK, im gonna check out the link given, and THX. What ive figured so far was to set a level line in my sump, and when the water line fell below, turn on the faucet and fill her up. That's through the Maxxima RO/DI and then into the tank of course. The reason I do this is because I haven't noticed any dramatic loss of water only minimal.

 

[House of Laughter]

Try these guys out - just can't overload the switch with too big a pump.

I have a minijet in a 2.5g bucket I picked up at HD and plumbed it with tubing and PVC into my fuge - total cost like $25 including pvc and bucket.

http://www.floatswitches.net/powerhead.html

Works awesome.

House

 

[Rebels23]

Hey House,

That is the same exact float switch I got off EBAY (for $14.99). Have yet to set it up, but was going to do the same thing with a bucket and tubing (possibly dose kalk with it too).

Rebels23

[ June 15, 2003, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: Rebels23 ]

 

[House of Laughter]

Rebs,

I think mine was 17.99 shipped, best $18 bucks I have spent to date - without a doubt.

Good luck with it.

House

 

[JimFitz]

The switches from float swtiches. com are excellent! I have 2 of them and they keep the water to withing 1/8 of my fill line....

 

[EL_DANTE]

Hey, on that floaswitches.net set-up, do you guys have any type of snail guard? If so, what do you use? I purchased one and am going to set it up tonight.

Thanks

 

[JimFitz]

I didnt use a snail guard. What i did was in stead of using the suction cup I mounted the clip with a stainless steel screw to the inside of my canopy. I made a spacer to go between the clip and the canopy that the screw passed thru. I made the spacer long enough so that the float switch is far enough away from the glass that a snail couldnt bother it...So far so good!

If you would like a picture of how I did it email me at [email protected]

 

[House of Laughter]

My switch is on the return side of my sump and there are NO snails in there, so, problem solved

House

 

[JimFitz]

That works too, for those of us that have a sump.

Nothing in Fish/coral keeping is written in stone.

 

[dragonwrasse]

Snails reached my float switches twice. I'm just glad that I was home both times.

Again, I got snail guards from californiareefs for $1.50 each. They're simply drilled plastic containers that fit very nicely around the switches.

 

[EL_DANTE]

Jim, sent you an email.
Thanks

 

[EL_DANTE]

You guys have any tips on how to make the water flow better through the tube? I have a Maxi-Jet 400 and it isn't pumping the water all the way up. I also tried an Aquaglobe 200, at full blast, and it barely pumped up the water. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[dragonwrasse]

Is your source on the ground? If so, see if raising it helps.

One more thing to be careful of: Make sure your return opening is not underwater. Otherwise, a continuous siphon is created when freshwater is first pumped in, and before you know it, your salinity dips to dangerously low levels.

 

[House of Laughter]

Stronger pump - try the 606 minijet

House