Ok, so here's my plan. I HATE doing water changes, so I'm going to build and automatic changed station. Tell me what you think, and what you suggest I build it out of. I haven't decided if I want to use acrylic or marine grade plywood since it will only have water in it for about 12hrs a week. It will do a 10 gallon water change weekly. The only thing I should have to do manually is add the salt.
Materials:
2 float switches
2 relay actuated valves (1 to change closed loop to drain & 1 for second drain)
2 Mag 3 pumps 1 for closed loop & 1 for filling the "Old Water" side
1 heater
I plan to use my Crestron automation system to control it and it should work like this...
Once I press the water change button it will close both valves and start filling the "Mix Side" with water and turn on the heater. While it is doing this, I will add the salt.
After about 30 minutes it will start the Mag 3 up and start mixing the water. Once full, it will continue mixing for 12 hours.
When the mixing is done it will turn off the heater & my display tank return pump and start draining water from the display into the "Old Water" side of the unit.
Once the "Old Water" side is full, it will stop pumping from the main tank, actuate both drain relays, drain the newly mixed water into the display (via the sump), turning the display pump back on as well, and drain the old water outside.
I Figured the unit needs to be about 16"Wx16"Dx24"T (24 gal) which will give me some room for the switches to mount and such.
Anything I'm missing? What do you guys suggest?
Materials:
2 float switches
2 relay actuated valves (1 to change closed loop to drain & 1 for second drain)
2 Mag 3 pumps 1 for closed loop & 1 for filling the "Old Water" side
1 heater
I plan to use my Crestron automation system to control it and it should work like this...
Once I press the water change button it will close both valves and start filling the "Mix Side" with water and turn on the heater. While it is doing this, I will add the salt.
After about 30 minutes it will start the Mag 3 up and start mixing the water. Once full, it will continue mixing for 12 hours.
When the mixing is done it will turn off the heater & my display tank return pump and start draining water from the display into the "Old Water" side of the unit.
Once the "Old Water" side is full, it will stop pumping from the main tank, actuate both drain relays, drain the newly mixed water into the display (via the sump), turning the display pump back on as well, and drain the old water outside.
I Figured the unit needs to be about 16"Wx16"Dx24"T (24 gal) which will give me some room for the switches to mount and such.
Anything I'm missing? What do you guys suggest?