Auto-leveling aquariums....

[Daniel Morrow]

I have a simple and somewhat well known to every seasoned aquarist method
(sorry - I don't mean to say I invent all of this stuff - this particular
method I originally saw in an issue of tfh) of keeping an aquarium's water
level up and stable over a period of weeks) You need to have a big (5 gallon
or bigger or multiple for big tanks) totally sealed water container (I am
thinking I might use expensive 5 gallon kent marine drip (intravenous type)
containers) filled with water and put it above the tank. Then put it's
output hose with it's opening at the level in the tank you want to keep the
water level at. Then when the water level drops a little (when it drops
enough) an air bubble will travel up the reservoir tank's output hose up
into the container (reservoir) and an equivalent amount of water will go
down the hose and into the aquarium in turn. It should be self regulating
and I might try it soon after finally getting the glass I was talking about
here a long time ago and automate all (not just the one tank I have
automated right now) of my tanks so I can be gone for 2 weeks possibly to
visit family such as my many cousins and come back to my aquarium's in good
condition. I plan on testing these things out before actually doing it and
might not go at all anyways but it still would be inspiring. I just thought
I would share this with you all considering all of the talk about being gone
for weeks at a time by other posters here. Good luck and later!

[Roy]

I also am interested in any various methods to auto top off mainly for
my salk****er reef tanks. The method described, works, but its got
problems too.....Now don;t ask me what those problems are/were as I do
not recall off the top of my head but it was sufficient for me to
pursue a different method. Not too many folks in the varioius SW
forums use the system you describe, for some reason or another..but
there are some that do exactly what you describe......My current
systems are all topped off with air pressure applied by an air pump to
a resivoir (sealed) and controled by 2 float switches in each tank.
You can get by with one, but I add another as a safety. I also use a
centrifugal type pump with a manifold on other tanks controlled by a
float switch and relay which opens or closes a solenoid on each tank
to allow water flow. It was relatively cheap to setup.

On Sat, 7 Jan 2006 15:26:36 -0800, "Daniel Morrow"
> wrote:
>><>I have a simple and somewhat well known to every seasoned aquarist method
>><>(sorry - I don't mean to say I invent all of this stuff - this particular
>><>method I originally saw in an issue of tfh) of keeping an aquarium's water
>><>level up and stable over a period of weeks) You need to have a big (5 gallon
>><>or bigger or multiple for big tanks) totally sealed water container (I am
>><>thinking I might use expensive 5 gallon kent marine drip (intravenous type)
>><>containers) filled with water and put it above the tank. Then put it's
>><>output hose with it's opening at the level in the tank you want to keep the
>><>water level at. Then when the water level drops a little (when it drops
>><>enough) an air bubble will travel up the reservoir tank's output hose up
>><>into the container (reservoir) and an equivalent amount of water will go
>><>down the hose and into the aquarium in turn. It should be self regulating
>><>and I might try it soon after finally getting the glass I was talking about
>><>here a long time ago and automate all (not just the one tank I have
>><>automated right now) of my tanks so I can be gone for 2 weeks possibly to
>><>visit family such as my many cousins and come back to my aquarium's in good
>><>condition. I plan on testing these things out before actually doing it and
>><>might not go at all anyways but it still would be inspiring. I just thought
>><>I would share this with you all considering all of the talk about being gone
>><>for weeks at a time by other posters here. Good luck and later!
>><>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Fishman]

When I was runniny my FOWLR marine system, I hooked up one of those Kent
float valve swtiches directly to the sump. This meant that I had RO/DI
water going directly into the sump. I figured that at the rate the water is
evaporating, salinity concentrations, pH and all else would barely change if
it was replenished in such a manner with pure water.

Granted, regular checks were still needed to make sure that any changes
would be minimal and acceptable. I know that Reef systems can be much more
particular about water tolerances so this kind of a setup may not work well.

I fully intend to use an automatic RO top off system in the future for my
next FW tank.

Fishman

"Roy" > wrote in message
...
> I also am interested in any various methods to auto top off mainly for
> my salk****er reef tanks. The method described, works, but its got
> problems too.....Now don;t ask me what those problems are/were as I do
> not recall off the top of my head but it was sufficient for me to
> pursue a different method. Not too many folks in the varioius SW
> forums use the system you describe, for some reason or another..but
> there are some that do exactly what you describe......My current
> systems are all topped off with air pressure applied by an air pump to
> a resivoir (sealed) and controled by 2 float switches in each tank.
> You can get by with one, but I add another as a safety. I also use a
> centrifugal type pump with a manifold on other tanks controlled by a
> float switch and relay which opens or closes a solenoid on each tank
> to allow water flow. It was relatively cheap to setup.
>
> On Sat, 7 Jan 2006 15:26:36 -0800, "Daniel Morrow"
> > wrote:
> >><>I have a simple and somewhat well known to every seasoned aquarist
method
> >><>(sorry - I don't mean to say I invent all of this stuff - this
particular
> >><>method I originally saw in an issue of tfh) of keeping an aquarium's
water
> >><>level up and stable over a period of weeks) You need to have a big (5
gallon
> >><>or bigger or multiple for big tanks) totally sealed water container (I
am
> >><>thinking I might use expensive 5 gallon kent marine drip (intravenous
type)
> >><>containers) filled with water and put it above the tank. Then put it's
> >><>output hose with it's opening at the level in the tank you want to
keep the
> >><>water level at. Then when the water level drops a little (when it
drops
> >><>enough) an air bubble will travel up the reservoir tank's output hose
up
> >><>into the container (reservoir) and an equivalent amount of water will
go
> >><>down the hose and into the aquarium in turn. It should be self
regulating
> >><>and I might try it soon after finally getting the glass I was talking
about
> >><>here a long time ago and automate all (not just the one tank I have
> >><>automated right now) of my tanks so I can be gone for 2 weeks possibly
to
> >><>visit family such as my many cousins and come back to my aquarium's in
good
> >><>condition. I plan on testing these things out before actually doing it
and
> >><>might not go at all anyways but it still would be inspiring. I just
thought
> >><>I would share this with you all considering all of the talk about
being gone
> >><>for weeks at a time by other posters here. Good luck and later!
> >><>
>
> --
> \\\|///
> ( @ @ )
> -----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------
>
>
> oooO
> ---------( )----Oooo----------------
> \ ( ( )
> \_) ) /
> (_/
> The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Daniel Morrow]

Bottom posted.
Fishman wrote:
> When I was runniny my FOWLR marine system, I hooked up one of those
> Kent float valve swtiches directly to the sump. This meant that I
> had RO/DI water going directly into the sump. I figured that at the
> rate the water is evaporating, salinity concentrations, pH and all
> else would barely change if it was replenished in such a manner with
> pure water.
>
> Granted, regular checks were still needed to make sure that any
> changes would be minimal and acceptable. I know that Reef systems
> can be much more particular about water tolerances so this kind of a
> setup may not work well.
>
> I fully intend to use an automatic RO top off system in the future
> for my next FW tank.
>
> Fishman
>
> "Roy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I also am interested in any various methods to auto top off mainly
>> for my salk****er reef tanks. The method described, works, but its
>> got problems too.....Now don;t ask me what those problems are/were
>> as I do not recall off the top of my head but it was sufficient for
>> me to pursue a different method. Not too many folks in the varioius
>> SW forums use the system you describe, for some reason or
>> another..but there are some that do exactly what you
>> describe......My current systems are all topped off with air
>> pressure applied by an air pump to a resivoir (sealed) and
>> controled by 2 float switches in each tank. You can get by with one,
>> but I add another as a safety. I also use a centrifugal type pump
>> with a manifold on other tanks controlled by a float switch and
>> relay which opens or closes a solenoid on each tank to allow water
>> flow. It was relatively cheap to setup.
>>
>> On Sat, 7 Jan 2006 15:26:36 -0800, "Daniel Morrow"
>> > wrote:
>>>> <>I have a simple and somewhat well known to every seasoned
>>>> aquarist method <>(sorry - I don't mean to say I invent all of
>>>> this stuff - this particular <>method I originally saw in an
>>>> issue of tfh) of keeping an aquarium's water <>level up and stable
>>>> over a period of weeks) You need to have a big (5 gallon <>or
>>>> bigger or multiple for big tanks) totally sealed water container
>>>> (I am <>thinking I might use expensive 5 gallon kent marine drip
>>>> (intravenous type) <>containers) filled with water and put it
>>>> above the tank. Then put it's <>output hose with it's opening at
>>>> the level in the tank you want to keep the <>water level at. Then
>>>> when the water level drops a little (when it drops <>enough) an
>>>> air bubble will travel up the reservoir tank's output hose up
>>>> <>into the container (reservoir) and an equivalent amount of water
>>>> will go <>down the hose and into the aquarium in turn. It should
>>>> be self regulating <>and I might try it soon after finally getting
>>>> the glass I was talking about <>here a long time ago and automate
>>>> all (not just the one tank I have <>automated right now) of my
>>>> tanks so I can be gone for 2 weeks possibly to <>visit family such
>>>> as my many cousins and come back to my aquarium's in good
>>>> <>condition. I plan on testing these things out before actually
>>>> doing it and <>might not go at all anyways but it still would be
>>>> inspiring. I just thought <>I would share this with you all
>>>> considering all of the talk about being gone <>for weeks at a time
>>>> by other posters here. Good luck and later! <>
>>
>> --
>> \\\|///
>> ( @ @ )
>> -----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------
>>
>>
>> oooO
>> ---------( )----Oooo----------------
>> \ ( ( )
>> \_) ) /
>> (_/
>> The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

Cool! I didn't know such good equipment was available to hobbyists for
maintaining a particular water level! Thanks guys!

[Roy]

Daniel..
Ceck out float switch.com (may be floatswitches.com) The float
switches they sell are pretty cheap.......They also sell a relay, so
you can power a larger pump, but the relay is a good idea no matter
what current draw pump yu use as it saves the contacts inthe float
switches from arcing etc . A simple box to mount the relay, a few feet
of common lamp cord will work fine, (I like using the wire rated for
outside use with low voltage lighting, as its water proof rated and is
more than sufficieint in size to power even as small pump like a MAG3
or 5 or any of the typical aquairum air pumps_

Use two float switches wired as shown on that website.....and use pump
of your choice....be it a centrifugal type or an air pump pressurizing
a resivoir like a 1 gal plastic jug, with an air line in, and a supply
line out that feeds from the bottom......MArine Goop works great for
sealing plastics etc like the plstic resivoirs and hard type air line
tube, much better than silicone.
--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Daniel Morrow]

Bottom posted.
Roy wrote:
> Daniel..
> Ceck out float switch.com (may be floatswitches.com) The float
> switches they sell are pretty cheap.......They also sell a relay, so
> you can power a larger pump, but the relay is a good idea no matter
> what current draw pump yu use as it saves the contacts inthe float
> switches from arcing etc . A simple box to mount the relay, a few feet
> of common lamp cord will work fine, (I like using the wire rated for
> outside use with low voltage lighting, as its water proof rated and is
> more than sufficieint in size to power even as small pump like a MAG3
> or 5 or any of the typical aquairum air pumps_
>
> Use two float switches wired as shown on that website.....and use pump
> of your choice....be it a centrifugal type or an air pump pressurizing
> a resivoir like a 1 gal plastic jug, with an air line in, and a supply
> line out that feeds from the bottom......MArine Goop works great for
> sealing plastics etc like the plstic resivoirs and hard type air line
> tube, much better than silicone.

Thanks so much for the awesome information roy! Not only can I automatically
refill aquariums in the future, after I build some of the equipment, but
this helps tremendously with making sumps, thanks again!