Need Ideas for MY AUTO WATER CHARGING SYSTEM

[Tonyintx]

Okay Guys and Gals I have been sick with the flu for 5 days now and have been doing tons of thinking (since there is nothing else to do) and I have not been able to change the water in my tanks and wife wont touch them, son and daughter have been sick also, so I have determined that I need to have some sort of water chaging system that will just be simply for wife or other person to do for me really quick, also Im not that well off so money is a factor, Can anybody help with ideas please, also Im not that smart so pictures would really help. thanks

[funkyfish]

not sure if u have water storage if u do that would be kool get a pond pump and run some lines to ur tanks i read a article here some were about a non drilled overflow that would not loss it's prime and it had pics of it .if anybody knows were it is please post a link i will try to find it but u can run the overr flow into a drain that runs outside or were ever u want it switch on the pump water comes in it will overflow out i did a quick look a few mins ago and can't find it i will go back and find it will post it later look's simple and cheap
good luck

[funkyfish]

i can't find so i will try and explain it there is a box on the inside with notches cut bout 1 1\2 inch down all the way around the top like a serface skimmer
there is a box on the out side that has a divider in it that goes half way up from the bottom of the box one side has a hole in the bottom for the drain the other side is were the tube that comes from the inside box just run the tube down farther than the divider so it will not lose the prime so when u turn on the pump water goes in the tank when it rises past hte notches it will go in the inside box then to the outside box when it rise high enough it will flow over the divider and down the drain . as long as the tube is below the divider in the outside box u will not lose ur prime .i hope it makes sence to u somebody else mite now were the link is or one simaler

to get it primed fill with water take a piece of air line stick it the cross over tube far enoughso the end will be at the top of the bend put the tube in place with both box's full of water and suck the air out of the tube


good luck

ps it will only drain the tank as far down as the bottom of the notches are

[aggie_67]

In order to help need some idea of what you have or using at present. As I understand you want something to make it easier, not completely automate (which also gets expensive.)

For the sake of discussion lets divide the tasks into; adding fresh water (do you age, have an aging drum & pump?), cleaning crud off bottom, and draining water.

[Tonyintx]

Ok I currently have 3 55 drums where I age and heat my water then I have a submersable pump(don't remember the brand or GPH) which I use with about 20ft of tubing to refill my tanks. And as for cleaing the bottom I do it the old fashion way, I have another 20ft hose which I hook up to the 3 ft tubing to suck out all of the crap then just refill.

What I would like is something like just turning a knob and the tank empties (50 to 75%) then just turn another knob and fill.

Also pictures to me are a must I learn more and understand more easily if I can see it and not have to read it, sorry Im being so difficult. thanks

[notjustfish]

If thats all that you want then it is actuall pretty simple. Have a tube (3/4" PVC) hanging inside your tank aprrox 2" lower then the amount of water you want to remove. Connect the other end of the tube with a ball valve and run the tubing to where you want the water to drain to. Start the siphon and then close the valve. You are now set for the draining. Just don't drain past the length of the tube in your tank or you will lose your siphon. That why I said make it 2" lower then your desired water level. DO NOT make this pipe go all the way down to the bottom of your tank!! It is very easy to walk away and forget you are draining and you'll end up emptying your whole tank. Now the return just run the hose from your drum to your tank and plug in your pump to fill.

[ronrca]

The easiest system to automate is an overflow system. By using a timer/pump on your aging water system, water gets pumped into the tank and the water leaves by way of an overflow on the tank. You can set the timer for what time during the day (or night) to do the water change and how long the pump is to be on for a water change. This would be fully automated, simple and relatively inexpensive.

Of course, there are many ways but they do get a little complicated from here which is dependant on yourself. :-)

You can also check out my on going project which is getting very close to also being fully automated however using a PLC (Programmable Logic controller). Im using electric solenoid valves and float switches. I also do have manual ball valves in place by which I did do wc's before. Perhaps this will help get some ideas!

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=36454

[Tonyintx]

Thanks ronrca, you have things looking good.

Thanks to you too notjustfis, Im still in the planning stage/thinking, I will post pics when and if I start. thanks

please feel free to post more pics, links and ideas. thanks again.