I've got pretty general question, conserning adding top off and doing changes. I would like to hear everyone's methods and/or suggestions. I'm running a 55gal (reef to be) w/ 50lbs LR, 75lbs LS, and a couple of snails / hermits. I will be focussing on inverts and corals, maybe adding a couple of fish. Running with an open top, I seem to lose quite a bit of water, and constantly need top off water. How does everyone control salinity?? After a weeks time, I am aprox. 2-3 gal low, and my salinity jumps to 1.029. I try to keep it around 1.025 - 1.026. Thanks again for your help.
Water Changes
- Thread starter walks
- Start date
It depends on how handy you are.
Some people have gravity fed systems using a float valve in the sump with an elevated resivoir. When the water level falls below the float, it will open and replenish the water.
Others use dosing systems such as the Nurce or LiterMeter.
I use a float switch which powesr a simple aqaurium air pump. This pump feeds air into a top-off resivoir which in turn pushes the water out and into the sump. When the level is reached, the air pump kicks off which stops the flow of water.
I also added a DIY Nielsen Kalkwasser reactor in line to this so not only am I toping off water, but also dosing fresh Kalk every time. The whole system (inclduing all pumps, plumbing, tubing, float switch, etc) only cost me $100 and really saves a tremendous amount of time. I fill up the resivoir every week and a half and add more kalk to the reactor every 3 weeks.
Here is a simple schematic of the system.
[ March 04, 2002: Message edited by: SKBok ]</p>
Some people have gravity fed systems using a float valve in the sump with an elevated resivoir. When the water level falls below the float, it will open and replenish the water.
Others use dosing systems such as the Nurce or LiterMeter.
I use a float switch which powesr a simple aqaurium air pump. This pump feeds air into a top-off resivoir which in turn pushes the water out and into the sump. When the level is reached, the air pump kicks off which stops the flow of water.
I also added a DIY Nielsen Kalkwasser reactor in line to this so not only am I toping off water, but also dosing fresh Kalk every time. The whole system (inclduing all pumps, plumbing, tubing, float switch, etc) only cost me $100 and really saves a tremendous amount of time. I fill up the resivoir every week and a half and add more kalk to the reactor every 3 weeks.
Here is a simple schematic of the system.
[ March 04, 2002: Message edited by: SKBok ]</p>
Here is some good info on top off solutions. I copied it from a previous reply I made to a post about top off ideas. You can read the whole thread here:Top Off scenarios
<ul type="square">[*]Drip type- a fixed drip from a resevoir that is above the tank (or the sump) is used to replace water loss. You estimate the rate of evaporation and set the drip rate accordingly. This type is simple, cheap but harder to set up initially. There are some problems with the drip line clogging especially if you plan on dosing kalkwasser with the top off water.[*]Dosing pump- This is similar to the drip type in that you must estimate the evaporation loss and the program a dosing pump (you can get these for anywhere from $60-200) to "dose" freshwater in the same rate as the evaporation loss. These are often less troublesome than the drip method especially if you are dosing kalkwasser, but is more costly. The other benefit is that since it is a pump, you can put the resevoir anywhere, even under the tank out of site.[*]Vacuum type level sensor- A closed container is placed higher than the tank (or sump) and a bit of tubing is run from the container to the tank (or sump) and the open end of the tubing is placed at the desired water level. When the water level drops due to evaporation, air is sucked into the container which displaces the water which then flows into the tank to raise the water level. These can be problematic, and are not the most maintenance free.[*]Float switch connected to a resevoir- in this scenario a flow switch senses when the water level has dropped and kicks on a pump in a resevoir of fresh water which pumps water to raise the level. This is what I use. It is not the most expensive, but failsafe, and a good compromise between being maintenance free, safe and cost effective. If my float switch sticks, only a limited volume of fresh water will be pumped in (limited by the resevoir) and I simply have to keep the resevoir full.[*]Float valve connected to a resevoir- possibly the simplest solution. A float valve like the one in your toilet allows water to flow gravity-fed from another resevoir which is higher than your tank (or sump). Since the float valve is often large and bulky, most people put it in a sump under the tank where it is not visible.[*]Float-switch connected to RO unit.- This is one of the most maintenance-free options. In this case a float switch actuates a solenoid or a special valve on your RO unit that causes it to kick on when the water level in your tank drops. Since it is connected to your RO unit, you do not have to manually add water to any container or resevoir as is required by the previous options. This option is somewhat costly, and has the added problem that if the float switch sticks then the RO unit will run continuously until you notice and shut it off. What that means is that it can overflow your tank and also that the salinity will continue to drop until you cut the water off. If you don't catch it in time you can kill everything in your tank.[*]Float switch connected to RO unit plumbed through metering device (e.g. LiterMeter) This is the best solution but also the most costly. In this case a float switch actuates a solenoid or a special valve on your RO unit that causes it to kick on when the water level in your tank drops. There is a metering device which only allows a set amount of water to flow in a given day limiting the overflow risk and the salinity risk of the previous option.
[/list]
<ul type="square">[*]Drip type- a fixed drip from a resevoir that is above the tank (or the sump) is used to replace water loss. You estimate the rate of evaporation and set the drip rate accordingly. This type is simple, cheap but harder to set up initially. There are some problems with the drip line clogging especially if you plan on dosing kalkwasser with the top off water.[*]Dosing pump- This is similar to the drip type in that you must estimate the evaporation loss and the program a dosing pump (you can get these for anywhere from $60-200) to "dose" freshwater in the same rate as the evaporation loss. These are often less troublesome than the drip method especially if you are dosing kalkwasser, but is more costly. The other benefit is that since it is a pump, you can put the resevoir anywhere, even under the tank out of site.[*]Vacuum type level sensor- A closed container is placed higher than the tank (or sump) and a bit of tubing is run from the container to the tank (or sump) and the open end of the tubing is placed at the desired water level. When the water level drops due to evaporation, air is sucked into the container which displaces the water which then flows into the tank to raise the water level. These can be problematic, and are not the most maintenance free.[*]Float switch connected to a resevoir- in this scenario a flow switch senses when the water level has dropped and kicks on a pump in a resevoir of fresh water which pumps water to raise the level. This is what I use. It is not the most expensive, but failsafe, and a good compromise between being maintenance free, safe and cost effective. If my float switch sticks, only a limited volume of fresh water will be pumped in (limited by the resevoir) and I simply have to keep the resevoir full.[*]Float valve connected to a resevoir- possibly the simplest solution. A float valve like the one in your toilet allows water to flow gravity-fed from another resevoir which is higher than your tank (or sump). Since the float valve is often large and bulky, most people put it in a sump under the tank where it is not visible.[*]Float-switch connected to RO unit.- This is one of the most maintenance-free options. In this case a float switch actuates a solenoid or a special valve on your RO unit that causes it to kick on when the water level in your tank drops. Since it is connected to your RO unit, you do not have to manually add water to any container or resevoir as is required by the previous options. This option is somewhat costly, and has the added problem that if the float switch sticks then the RO unit will run continuously until you notice and shut it off. What that means is that it can overflow your tank and also that the salinity will continue to drop until you cut the water off. If you don't catch it in time you can kill everything in your tank.[*]Float switch connected to RO unit plumbed through metering device (e.g. LiterMeter) This is the best solution but also the most costly. In this case a float switch actuates a solenoid or a special valve on your RO unit that causes it to kick on when the water level in your tank drops. There is a metering device which only allows a set amount of water to flow in a given day limiting the overflow risk and the salinity risk of the previous option.
[/list]
Walks,
For my 55, I use the drip type that esmithiii mentioned in his post. I get 1 to 1.5 gallons evap per day. If you dose Kalkwasser, it just makes most sense to replace evap with your kalk dripper. A remedy for the clogging of the dripper is to spike your kalk with vinegar. You can find a lot of info on that topic if you do a search. It will dissolve your kalk powder better to avoid clogs, and improve the effectiveness of the kalkwasser.
For my 55, I use the drip type that esmithiii mentioned in his post. I get 1 to 1.5 gallons evap per day. If you dose Kalkwasser, it just makes most sense to replace evap with your kalk dripper. A remedy for the clogging of the dripper is to spike your kalk with vinegar. You can find a lot of info on that topic if you do a search. It will dissolve your kalk powder better to avoid clogs, and improve the effectiveness of the kalkwasser.
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