Easy DIY auto top off

[Brandon8521]

This is what i was thinking. I could even make it out of acrylic or something. Then cut a hole in it large enough for a screw on top (possibly cut the top of a wine bag and glue the bag on the inside of the container with the screwtop sticking through the hole.) Then stick a peice of tubeing out of the bottle top and placeing it right below my water line. So if it goes below air goes in and it refills my tank and once its covered again the flow will stop.

[jdak]

I dont know if my description was clear, so here is a pic for probably the easiest ATO you can make. All thats needed is a water bottle, air hose and a air hose needle valve. Just set the valve to a slow drip, you will need to adjust it to find a suitable drip rate.



(sorry for the crude drawing, took 10sec in photoshop...)

The only problem with this setup with my tank at least is that my rate of evaporation changes quite a bit.

[Mek0ng]

Bcummings8521, Id like to see a prototype of the top off you are describing. One tip though, all diagrams involving a fish tank should have a happy fish drawn in them like mine

Here is what I am planning for my 90g tank. I estimate that I will only need to fill the ATO container about every two weeks. The top off container is setup for a float from the RO/DI but not left on as a safety measure, and leaving a RO/DI constantly on shortens filter life. I think that kalkwasser alone is going to be enough to support my tanks calc/alk needs, but I might have to use two part every so often to balance.



(another 2min masterpiece in photoshop!)

[J-P]

How does the float switch and solenoid stop the water when it reaches par?

[Mek0ng]

How does the float switch and solenoid stop the water when it reaches par?

The solenoid only lets water through when there is power going to the solenoid switch. When the water gets too high (in the event that the float fails) the switch is trigger and cuts power to the solenoid.

Its a DIY version of this:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/lev ... stems.html#
Level-Loc Auto Top Off Unit

The needle vavle on this setup is not really a safety measure, more there just to make sure that the kalkwasser isnt added too fast. I am considering also adding a timer to the solenoid so that the tank can only be topped off just before and during the 1st half of the light cycle, aka best time for dosing.

[jdak]

Ya, i thought about a float valve. Would it be easier to hook it up to a pump instead of suspending it at that point? Also, i thought i would mention that their are double float switches just incase if one goes bad. Sometimes this happens on single float switches.

[Mek0ng]

Ya, i thought about a float valve. Would it be easier to hook it up to a pump instead of suspending it at that point? Also, i thought i would mention that their are double float switches just incase if one goes bad. Sometimes this happens on single float switches.

Only reason I am going gravity fed it because I want to use kalkwasser. I read good reviews of the JBJ ATO, it uses dual float switches and uses a pump, preferably aqualifter pump.

[jdak]

Thanks for the advice...

[soggydrysuit]

Interesting thread.

Dunno if this is of any use but it's pretty accurate.

On one of my wear rigs I used for my PhD, I had a heated water bath (well, cow blood plasma as a model synovial fluid). In order to keep the fluid level constant we had an electronic level sensor comprising three platinum wires, one longer than the other two. When the level dropped, a soleniod valve opened and water was added under gravity from a bottle until the circuit broke again shutting the solenoid valve off and stopping the flow.

Biofilm buildup on the sensor wires could be a problem but on the whole it worked pretty well.

I liked the idea of a ball valve float switch though but the inverted pop bottle and flooded airline type solution has to be almost bomb proof in it's simplicity. Good for pico reefs because it would be very accurate. And simple And cheap. Airline, some silicone and a 2l pop bottle hidden somewhere high.

[Mezzovex]

I dont know if my description was clear, so here is a pic for probably the easiest ATO you can make. All thats needed is a water bottle, air hose and a air hose needle valve. Just set the valve to a slow drip, you will need to adjust it to find a suitable drip rate.



(sorry for the crude drawing, took 10sec in photoshop...)

I like the happy fish.

[Nick]

I don't remember where I saw it, but I believe a gravity-fed top off requiring no power can be made with just all-plastic toilet tank parts. I should examine the parts, it's likely much less complicated than the plumbing I did last week.

[jus85411]

Bcummings8521, Id like to see a prototype of the top off you are describing. One tip though, all diagrams involving a fish tank should have a happy fish drawn in them like mine

Here is what I am planning for my 90g tank. I estimate that I will only need to fill the ATO container about every two weeks. The top off container is setup for a float from the RO/DI but not left on as a safety measure, and leaving a RO/DI constantly on shortens filter life. I think that kalkwasser alone is going to be enough to support my tanks calc/alk needs, but I might have to use two part every so often to balance.



(another 2min masterpiece in photoshop!)

i was about to ask where the happy fish is in this picture, but then i realized it was of your sump not the main display tank haha

[soggydrysuit]

That's where most people keep their most interesting beasties...

Mantis shrimps, or the fish that you don't know what to do with but you absolutely had to 'rescue'