H2O top-off system

[cvye]

I'm looking for a reasonably priced IR level detector. Burleson used to carry something, but it didn't last long at all. I need more precise control over water level, and don't like float switches (which tend to stick).

 

[esmithiii]

Basically when the level in the sump drops due to evaporation, a relay in the float switch control box kicks in and allows current to flow from the plug for the float switch (which is plugged into the GFCI in my drawing or any outlet) to the powerhead which pumps fresh water from the reservoir to the sump, which raises the water level. When the float switch (which is really just a floating bob) rises with the water level, it cuts the power to the powerhead and the water stops flowing.

Important tip! You must have an antisiphon hole in the tubing towards the top of the tubing in the reservoir or a siphon will be created the first time water is pumped and this can cause the whole reservoir to empty into the sump.

Here is a photo of my float switch in my sump:

Hope this helps.

 

[esmithiii]

FWIW my float switch has yet to stick in the last 12 months I have used it. I have done little to no cleaning of the thing either.

 

[Anonymous]

Mine is basically the same as ernie's except that I take my 1/2" hose up the the tank and hang it over into the overflow compartment. That way there is NO chance of a siphon happening.

 

[Anonymous]

I also fill my reservior (empty IO bucket) with kalk.

 

[esmithiii]

Mine is basically the same as ernie's except that I take my 1/2" hose up the the tank and hang it over into the overflow compartment. That way there is NO chance of a siphon happening.

Good idea! Wish I had thought of that when I was setting mine up.

I also fill my reservior (empty IO bucket) with kalk.

I use a 13 gal trash can for my reservoir and I fill it up with kalk (spiked w/ vineager) also.

Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

Quote:
Mine is basically the same as ernie's except that I take my 1/2" hose up the the tank and hang it over into the overflow compartment. That way there is NO chance of a siphon happening.


Good idea! Wish I had thought of that when I was setting mine up.

I wish I had thought of it originally too! After two kalk siphon accidents, I re-thought my set-up. I lost a clam about a week after one of the PH spikes. I'm not sure if that's what got him, but it was the only suspect I had.

Louey

 

[SPC]

I used the same set up as Louey and Ernie for about a year with no problems (40 gallon RO/DI container). I now use a LiterMeter with a kalk reactor.
Ernie, what kind of timer is that?
Steve

 

[ReefLion]

If you don't mind spending the cash, you can't beat a dosing pump.

Yes, you can beat it. Simply put, any dosing system assumes that your evaporation rate is constant. Mine varies tremendously based on ambient air temp because my cooling fans are run via a temp controller. When the ambient temp goes up, the fans run more and there is more evaporation.[/list]

Assuming you have only moderate variations in evaporation (I don't use fans, for example, and other folks have them on constantly), then a dosing pump is great. I know some people swear by float switches, but they have their own issues. If you choose to use one, the air-pressure types are safer than the little floating ball switches.

I understand that this is beyond the scope of the original DYI request, but I felt the need to attack the generalization used to attack my generalization.

Tim

 

[esmithiii]

Tim- I don't care how logical your argument may be you are still wrong!

If your evaporation rate is stable, then a dosing pump works just fine. The problem I see is that ambient air humidity changes dramatically in most parts of the country from winter months to summer months (So. Cal excepted.)

I used a dosing pump for over a year (Steve what you thought was a timer in the picture was in fact a medical dosing pump that I no longer use) and it was a pain for me to get it set right to exactly meet my evaporation rate. At times it seemed to work fine and then later I would have either too much water added or not enough.

In my case, I loose 1-2 gal/day to evaporation in the winter and 5+/day in the summer months. Here in E. Tennessee, it varies from day to day as outdoor temperatures fluctuation quite a bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Steve said:

I now use a LiterMeter with a kalk reactor.

Steve,

I thought you had a Neilsen reactor? How muck tinkering do you have to do to keep the calcium levels up and the water level right?

Sorry for changing topic, but oh well! :wink:

Louey

 

[esmithiii]

I thought you had a Neilsen reactor?

A nielsen reactor and a kalk reactor are basically the same thing. You might be thinking of a Calcium Reactor.

Ernie

 

[esmithiii]

I found a link to a DIY float switch design using the switch from grainger:

http://www.mistressreef.homestead.com/f ... %20cleaner

 

[SPC]

Posted by Louey:

Steve,

I thought you had a Neilsen reactor? How muck tinkering do you have to do to keep the calcium levels up and the water level right?

-Well, more tinkering than I expected with the water level thing. Like Ernie stated, there is a great deal of difference in humidity levels where I live also and I find myself having to adjust the dosing pump more than I would like. When I used a float switch, I never had a problem with the different evaporation rates. The reason I went with the dosing pump was that I did not want to add too much lime water at one time and was afraid that my float switch set up would do this.
My calcium level holds pretty steady, I dose Bionic too.
Steve

 

[esmithiii]

Steve,

You have probably already thought of this approach, but...

You could set the dosing rate a little less than your evap rate and add a float switch that pumps from your freshwater reservoir directly to your sump. This would keep the kalkwasser additions constant and vary the freshwater addition to match the evaporation. This is what I plan on doing when I save enough for my nielsen reactor.

Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

I use kalk for my make-up water and dose 75ml per day of B-ionic. My calcium stays between 370 and 390 ppm. My tank is only 75G!

Would a calcium reactor or a neilsen reactor work best a getting the calcium up to 425ppm?

 

[Leopardshark]

I use a float switch in my sump which starts a power head in a reservoir about 10 feet form the tank.
It maintains the water level at a constant level and also is maintainance free, very accurate and very cheap (the float switch cost me 20 bucks).

 

[SPC]

Posted by Ernie:

Steve,

You have probably already thought of this approach, but...

You could set the dosing rate a little less than your evap rate and add a float switch that pumps from your freshwater reservoir directly to your sump. This would keep the kalkwasser additions constant and vary the freshwater addition to match the evaporation. This is what I plan on doing when I save enough for my nielsen reactor.

-Good idea Ernie, my only problem with this right now is trying to get every drop of lime water I can into the system.
Are you maintaining cal and alk levels ok with just kalk for evaporation?

Posted by Louey:

I use kalk for my make-up water and dose 75ml per day of B-ionic. My calcium stays between 370 and 390 ppm. My tank is only 75G!

Would a calcium reactor or a neilsen reactor work best a getting the calcium up to 425ppm?

-The kalk reactor won't help this situation at all Louey, all it does is the same thing you are currently doing (kalk for make up water).
You can get your calcium up to 425, and your alk in line with this, by using Bionic or one of the other additives for this purpose. Then you will have to figure out how much Bionic to add in order to maintain this level daily.
Now, at this point is where most people begin to look at calcium reactors because of the expense of the 2 part additives having to be dosed in such large amounts.
Let me just throw this in there. Eric Borneman has stated that he got tired of trying to keep his calcium reactor running correctly and now just uses additives to maintain his alk and cal levels. The reason I bring this up is that it is possible to keep the high levels we require through the use of additives only.
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm. The label on B-ionic says "never add more than 1 ml per gallon of each component in a 24 hour period"

I'm adding 75 ml per day in my 75. If I figure in the sump, refugium, and back out the sand and rock, I prolly have maybe 90 gallons of water.

I don't think adding another 15 ml is going to make much difference.

I add two tablespoons of kalk/gallon and 50 ml of vinegar per bucket (empty IO bucket) in my makeup water.

Evaporation is lower now due to weather. Maybe I'll add another clip on fan over the sump.

Any other ideas?

Tim000, sorry for hi-jacking the thread! :wink:

Louey

 

[esmithiii]

-Good idea Ernie, my only problem with this right now is trying to get every drop of lime water I can into the system.
Are you maintaining cal and alk levels ok with just kalk for evaporation?

For now, yes. My tank uses quite a bit of water, though- sometimes over 5gal/day.

Louey- A calcium reactor together with kalkwasser may solve your problems. I have heard about great results with using the two in tandem. Increasing evaporation is also an option.

When my SPS get much bigger, I am certain that I will have to find a way to up the calcium. I have room for a Ca reactor and a nielsen reactor under my stand. That is my plan, and am saving my $$ for when the time comes.

Ernie