Semi auto water change - help

[Nev]

Hi, I need some help.

What I want to set up is a semi auto water change.

My idea is to pump from a holding tank into the main tank and at the same time syphon out of my sump as the level increases. I figure that if I pump into the tank at a moderate rate it shouldn't be too much that an auto syphon couldn't handle.

So what I need is a design for an auto syphon. Something that will only
syphon when the level gets too high but stops when it gets too low.

Hopefully you understand the gist of what I'm after. My plan is to run all the hose out, start my pump and come back in half an hour when the pumps sucking dry and the sumps still at mid level.

Currently I manually syphon with the sump pump off, then fill from the holding tank then restart the sump pump.

[SLS]

Arh ha, the invisible man to do our water changes for us....

It is possible. I have seen commercial set-ups overseas with these types of systems, how-ever they need to operate with pressure.

ie: Float valve with water pressure via a pump. Siphon needs to be started manually, tank will automatically refill.

ie: Solenoid activation, holes drilled in the side of the tank to ceases when drained to a certain level, float valve to refill tank.

Some electronic systems like the Aqua Medic AT Control system can control the timers for pumps.

As much as i have investigated the different forms of automatic water changes, they come with their own levels of accuracy. If anything fails, you may end up with a catastrophe.

Ideally you want fail safes in place to ensure safety precautions.

Another easy method and probably one of the best is a drip system with an over flow. Calculating how much water to drip into the system or aquarium, with the excess overflowing to waste, you can calculate ie: 20% per day or over a week.

Kind regards,
George

[Nev]

Cheers george,
What I'm after is a design for a syphon that stops when it gets to a certain level and restarts when the level rises
It will only be in place during water changes, the missus wouldn't approve of hoses snaking through the house permanently.

[Nev]

60 views and nobody can help!
Obviously this is a very wealthy forum and nobody lowers themself to diy - cept me - lol.
So using my other friend (google) l have found a solution.
And as soon as l can shrink a pic l'll post it.

[Ghoti]

60 views and nobody can help!
Obviously this is a very wealthy forum and nobody lowers themself to diy - cept me - lol.
So using my other friend (google) l have found a solution.
And as soon as l can shrink a pic l'll post it.

Or maybe they just do water changes in the traditional manner.

[swampy1972]

Probably not what you're after completely, but my mate just uses a piece of electrical conduit bent much like a canister intake so that it only takes out the required amount. He simply hangs it on the side of the tank and starts the syphon and it obvioulsy stops when the water level gets below the pipe so no need to monitor.
To fill he just connects the other end of the hose to the pump in the holding tank via a standard garden hose quick connect fitting. He simply timed it the first couple of times now sets a timer so it doesn't overflow but it would be easy enough to fit a float solenoid to the desired tank level connected to the holding tank pump to open the circuit when it's full.
The only downside to this way is that you have to stop your sump pump otherwise it will run dry with the reduction in volume. That said, he only needs to be in attendance to start the syphon then start/stop the pump, so about 1min total, and he's changing approx 1000L at a time in a pretty large fishroom.

[ILLUSN]

+1 for a drip system, i use this at home, the sumps have an over flow at the high water mark, water is fed in through a drip at the top of the tank from a storage drum, you still have to do a propper vac once a week or so but the daily changes are taken care of via the drip, i feed in 10% a day, but every 2 days or so i'll geve them an extra 20%

[Nev]

So this is what I've come up with, couple of heater suction cups to hold it in place and sump level determined by position of the tee piece.

[LEG-IT]

Hey brad, just wondering its the design similar to Mat's one?
http://thefishcave.com.au/diy/waterchangers.html

if it is, shows how ya can make it lol, thought it would be handy..

[Nev]

So this is what I've come up with, couple of heater suction cups to hold it in place and sump level determined by position of the tee piece.

[swampy1972]

Hey brad, just wondering its the design similar to Mat's one?
http://thefishcave.com.au/diy/waterchangers.html

if it is, shows how ya can make it lol, thought it would be handy..

He just has the U-bend with the hose connected to the end - no other plumbing added to it.