LEM504
02-25-2004, 03:50 AM
Tank shut-off.
I have moved up, from buckets, to hoses for the water changes.
Hose out the back door to the lawn, with a vacuum attachment, for drain.
Holding tank, with stock tank shut off valve. Pre mix hot and cold, treat for chlorine,
Let the pump run for a while, and re-fill the tanks.
( The Stock Tank Shut Off idea is from the website )
Tried hooking the fill hose in the tanks. Something always happens, and water on the floor! Thought about overflow pipes - more hoses.
Here is my solution. Anyone out there with a better idea - I’m all ears!
Stock Tank Shut off valve ( float valve ) - that clamps on the tank. Just move it from one tank to the next, when it quits. No wet floors.
Photo number one is the cheap one I use on the holding tank. The other is a plastic model with anti-siphon. ( the black pipe sticking out the top ). Both mount the same way, with metal brackets. I don’t like the anti-siphon. It is the weak link in the pipe, sticks up too far, and blows water out the bleed hole. There is no way to eliminate the black pipe, as the valve is contained in it.
My homemade bracket, is made from a plastic cutting board, from Wal-mart.
Metal brackets that came with the valve are thrown out -
All of my tanks are glass. The white plastic between the two ears, hooks under the top lip of the tanks. ( to prevent the valve body from floating )
The front ( outside ) ear, is held with two loose screws, that gives a hinge effect.
The thumb nut clamps the two ears on the tank.
Note on the cutting board - Don’t think any glue will stick to it. It will hold sheet metal screws. Fine machine threads will probably fail. It cuts and drills very easy.
Might be risky on a curved glass tank ( bow front ). The wide lips on a plexi-glass tank, will need a different approach.
Photo #3 shows the ears open. #4 shows them closed.
The whole trick, is figuring out how high to mount the valve, to get the right level in the tanks. ( try it on something outside, to get an idea where the shut off level is. I’ sure that every one of these is different )
Larry
I have moved up, from buckets, to hoses for the water changes.
Hose out the back door to the lawn, with a vacuum attachment, for drain.
Holding tank, with stock tank shut off valve. Pre mix hot and cold, treat for chlorine,
Let the pump run for a while, and re-fill the tanks.
( The Stock Tank Shut Off idea is from the website )
Tried hooking the fill hose in the tanks. Something always happens, and water on the floor! Thought about overflow pipes - more hoses.
Here is my solution. Anyone out there with a better idea - I’m all ears!
Stock Tank Shut off valve ( float valve ) - that clamps on the tank. Just move it from one tank to the next, when it quits. No wet floors.
Photo number one is the cheap one I use on the holding tank. The other is a plastic model with anti-siphon. ( the black pipe sticking out the top ). Both mount the same way, with metal brackets. I don’t like the anti-siphon. It is the weak link in the pipe, sticks up too far, and blows water out the bleed hole. There is no way to eliminate the black pipe, as the valve is contained in it.
My homemade bracket, is made from a plastic cutting board, from Wal-mart.
Metal brackets that came with the valve are thrown out -
All of my tanks are glass. The white plastic between the two ears, hooks under the top lip of the tanks. ( to prevent the valve body from floating )
The front ( outside ) ear, is held with two loose screws, that gives a hinge effect.
The thumb nut clamps the two ears on the tank.
Note on the cutting board - Don’t think any glue will stick to it. It will hold sheet metal screws. Fine machine threads will probably fail. It cuts and drills very easy.
Might be risky on a curved glass tank ( bow front ). The wide lips on a plexi-glass tank, will need a different approach.
Photo #3 shows the ears open. #4 shows them closed.
The whole trick, is figuring out how high to mount the valve, to get the right level in the tanks. ( try it on something outside, to get an idea where the shut off level is. I’ sure that every one of these is different )
Larry