Time released water changes & topoff

[Kevin McG]

I was thinking of a way to automate my water changes(50 gallons every 2 weeks).

Here are my thought what ya think?

Materials Needed:

• 3 Aqualifter pumps
• 3 Containers (55 gallon barrels)
• 3 Digital Timers
• Lots of airline tubing

1st container will be regular RO/DI water
- This will be on a timers with a aqualifter topping off about 2 gallons a day on a timer.

2nd container will be a spent water
- This container will be on a timer and aqualifter taking appx. 25 gallons every friday out of the sump right before the 3nd container is online.

3rd container with be mixed saltwater
- This container will be on a timer and aqualifter putting appx. 25 gallons every friday into the sump.

I guess after putting this all down in writing the return pump would need to be shut off during the time the 2nd and 3rd containers are working.


What ya think?

Yes I am bored waiting to head to work as you can probably tell

 

[Liam]

personally i would'nt trust aqualifters.You would be better off with a twin head peristaltic pump

 

[NeO]

Or even small power heads.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I wouldn't trust an automated water change no matter what equipment was used.

 

[steevareno]

Was thinking a tunze osmolator or a large gravity fed topoff for my new tank. What method do most people use?

 

[Ray]

Aquatronic controller does my top off, I could set it up to do my water changes but I dont trust automated water changes

 

[pantinor]

I am thinking of a separate WC sump, in addition to the regular sump. This will avoid the water level changes when draining one barrel and filling with another. In this system the WC sump can be shut down from the main system, emptied and refilled, without a level drop in the main sump. My only problem right now is that I dont think my main sump will handle the extra water that drains into it from the main tank and the WC sump in a power failure.