automated water changes and filtration

[kalebjarrod]

has anyone automated thier water cahnges and filtration systems?

i live in the land of OZ and have not heard of anyone in my area doing such a thing?

Has anyone achived the Dream?

[Cosmo]

Not completely, but working on it. Just ran a pvc drain to the basement that will hook into a electric solenoid attached to a bulkhead on the back of the tank on the second floor. A timer will open the drain for a predetermined amount of time, then close it off (hopefully)

A relay box will then tell the pump to turn on and pump the RO water up from the basement thru a 3/8 hi pressure line and enter into the tank thru a float activated electronic solenoid. Once the water reaches the correct height, the float switch will signal the relay box to turn the pump off.

Problem is, the drain solenoid is extremely expensive, approx 300USD, so I'm starting off with a manually opened drain with the auto fill as that setup (relay box and switch) cost less than 100 USD.

Talk to John at Jehmco.com for more info then maybe you can find someone closer to home to get the hardware from.

Currently running hoses to drain tank, then using the pump with a manual on/off switch, which beats carrying buckets lol, but, did forget to turn the switch off in time once....arrrgggh.

hth
Jim

[ronrca]

I would love to but ran across the same problem. Electric Solenoids with anything larger than 1/2" pipe size get very expensive. Otherwise, everything else is pretty easy to automate. ;)

[kalebjarrod]

i have two great things

1. no cholrimine
2. rarley does it get below 14 degrees C (average temp outside 23-26)

i have almost completed the project but i am always lookin to save a buck and thought a few thousand minds are better than one!

so no basments for me i have plumbing directly outside into a false cavity in my fence. no more mess in the house for my wife!

I have the problem of finding a solinoid that will work on gravity presure (or am i dreaming) is thier such a thing?

glad to hear i am not running up the garden path

[Cosmo]

I thought the solenoid to open/close the gravity fed drain would be the cheap one, after all, all it needs to do is open and close, right?

Problem is the pressure the solenoid has to work against, so the power required is what makes it so expensive. Check out Customaquatics.com and you'll see what I mean.
Jim

[LoTech]

Since you don't have to cope with chlorine, why don't you just trickle the water directly into your tank or sump? The overflow to the drain will take care of the excess. If you use a 1 gph drip emitter (for example), you should would change 24 gallons a day, every day. No solenoids, no expensive parts. Heck, no moving parts at all.

[mikeos]

beat me too it, drip feed & overflow will work a treat for you mate. Still have to clean up, but thats easy

[Jean]

Hey Kale!

Jack has automated much of his fish room. He has some of it detailed here: http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=11;action=display;threadid=14556

I'd look that over, it may help you some, just I would imagine on a smaller scale.

Jean ;D 8)

[kalebjarrod]

mine might be on a slighlty smaller scale, ie one 500lt tank

his power bill would blow me out of the water!

god i wish i could have that many tanks

[kalebjarrod]

i have since managed to automate my sytem to a level so all i need to do is turn one gate valve and the tank drops 139lts down the drain.

all then do is close the gate valve and the tank refills with preprepared water.....

so simple it almost makes me cry.

all i need to do now is find that solienoid that works under no back pressure! ;)