automated water changes and filtration

[kalebjarrod]

has anyone ever tried to automate there tanks in relation to water changes

I have been thinking about it for a while and am wondering has anyone suceeded or is this the impossible dream?

[Proteus]

kalebjarrod, welcome to DF.com

I once had a system in place (very primative mind you) on one of my 4ft tanks, but due to it being inside an apartment there was too much risk of water damage as there were hoses etc running all over the place.

Once I get into a house and set up a fish room I will be hooking up an auto system, have 2-3, 200-300L aging containers, have all tanks drilled and plumbing installed so all I do is open a valve to drain, and have a float cut off switch from the water mains in each storage container to regulate the level (the water would be shut off when draining each container)...

Hopefully this will eliminate the need for vaccing the tank base, and whammo, water change done.

[kalebjarrod]

i have currently got a self leveling tank through a intergarted plumbing system. this also includes a valv to reduce the water level to a useable level (my tank is a metre deep, hard to breath underwater)

i also employ a trickle filtraon system.

hooked to a self leveling float valve n my sump.

i have a small 200lt per hour (no head) water pump hooked to a digital timer to pump out used (old) water and the float always replaces laost water

my problem is the buufering of town water due to the fact i drop my fresh water directly into my system.

i have come up with how i need to slove this problem with a holding tank gravity feed into my tank with a series of floats and and solienoids, water heater on digital timer (so they don't go bang when i empty the holding tank)

i was hoping that someone would have completed this project already and could give me some hints to save money!

By the way my wife CRACKED and i now have all of my filtration equipment plumbed through the walls of the house and into a false cavity behind a false fence.

looks normal till you open it and no more spillages in the lounge

i will try to post a photo soon

[Proteus]

Sounds awesum...

cant wait to see some pics

[kalebjarrod]

photos

[kalebjarrod]

as you acn see my tank holds and grows lovley community fish

but I WANT DISCUS

and some help could save $$$$$$

[Proteus]

Excellent... now to knock down some walls...

[kalebjarrod]

be careful these minor alterations cost me over $1000.00 in plumbing alone!

i have budgeted $2000.00 for stage two

problem is the wife dosen't know this yet!

hahahahahaha

[Proteus]

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, everybody....

we didnt hear a thing...

lol

:wink:

[flukes]

I was actually talking to the engineer at work about it the other day, and he showed me system they were using in a factory that would do exactly the same thing.
Although iam not good with these kinds of things i got the run down.
It basically involved, a storage barrel with a floating valve thingy (dont know what they are called) they are used in toilets. Also connected to this a doser. Then have 2 pumps one in the tank and one in the storage both on a dual timer, so the timer sets the first on to take out the water he said i would need a solenoid for this as i could just put the out take of the pump at the level of water i want to take out. Then once the timer for the first has finished the second one would go off to fill it back up and there would be a solenoid on that to turn it off.

Dont know exactly how it works but he has made one before and he said he could set one up for me for about $500-$700. Not including the storage container. I might get it done but not till i have a few more tanks and setup a fish room so then i can just do the whole room in one go.

Ill see if i can get some more details on exactly how it works as we were just having a brief discusion over a coffee.

[kalebjarrod]

i belive this is a similar idea to what i waht to do!

i simple 200lt water tank with a combined float valve and solienoid at the high water mark. this should refill the tank when i need program it to and then to refill to the level required.

you will then need a solienoid at the correct water level required (not in the base or too low to the bottom) this will regulate the amount of water to transfer into the tank. agin this could be controlled by the same programer as the high water level

you will need to put a fully submersible heater in the base of the holding tank. the holding tank should never be able to empty completely so not to blow up the heater.

you would also need a series of airstones to move the water dispersing cholrine.

now the problem is how to remove water from your current tank to a prediscribed level and then add the new water. i can remove water at present but i find that with my current heaters, filters and green life plants that i need to maintain my current water level while draining old water.at present new water enters while a mixture of mostly old (but some new) drains. to drain the tank of 2/5 of its water in a sitting would require holes drilled at a prescibed level with tank seals and solienoids programeed by the same controller as your holding tank!

what a mouth full

HUGE PROJECT but one i am determined to master

imagine consistant water changes, and beening on holidays will doing it!

[flukes]

why couldnt you have a solenoid in the tank? so when it gets to the certain level it would shut off and turn on the pump for filling.

Even if i had this installed i would still want an overflow system in place just in case.

[Tryhard]

Instead of using normal glass heaters how about a heating cable ?.

[flukes]

Good thinking or those hydor external heaters. Need to really be using a cannister filter though as it connects on the outlet.

[kalebjarrod]

i haven't heard of heater cable before? more info?

FLUKES[b] all the solienodis i have dealt with are not water proof (through the electrical component). has anyone found one that is? could they please post a remark and that would work perfect.

also you say you would want an overflow? why is this?

many minds make light work and i am enjoying the responses

also cannister filters? what are these? and why should i use them?

[kalebjarrod]

sorry for the bold i did not check my message before posting

[Tryhard]

Don't know much about the tech side of heater cables - some one in here should know more about them. What it should do is eliminate the need for you to cool your heater down when putting the fresh water in (?) .Another thing you may want to look at is a visit to your nearest irrigation (for the home) dealer - the bits and peices you use for home irrigation including small computer controlled solenoids may be helpful in your quest.This post will probably be edited several times as more ideas come to hand.

[Tryhard]

Okay had a look at the Hydor external heater - looks like you would be able to plumb it in on any flexiable line returning to your tank - life guard make something similar except you place standerd heaters inside the module - the online aquarium I saw the hydor (boronia in melbourne) has the 300 watter on special for 50$ at the moment.

[kalebjarrod]

i actully run a large wholesale nursery in QLD so i have a pretty good understanding of pvc plumbing and solinoids

the prob is that the valve is water proof but the electrical companonet (this is what is techencilly a "solinoid") rusts, it then expands lets in water and shorts out.

i have a few spare ones sitting around so it is expermentation time

also could you supply an answer on what a overflow system is?

and does anyone know what a cannister filter is?

and does anyone put any chemicals in thier water? if so what and how much? :D

i have had a thought on how to apply a dosed amount of liquid chemical automaticlly

[Tryhard]

Wholesale nursery !!!! that will teach me to espouse my meagre knowledge without a little research !!!!.An overflow system is just a little insurance if something stuffs up - a bit like a spillway on a dam - instead of the water just bubbleing out the top and over the electrics you control where it goes.Cannister filters are another style of filter , I use a fluval 304 (one of many brands) it would be easier to plumb in an external heater if you use flexible pipes such as the ones comeing from an cannister filter , with your set up you would just have to make a few changes on the pump your tank line.There are thousands (literally) of chemicals you could add to your water - you can even buy automated machines to do it for you !!! - because my system isnt constant change I usually just age my water in a large aerated barrel putting in geo liquid on an irregular basis - you on the other hand have a whole new set of problems to deal with and it is beyond my knowledge so over to someone else !!!!!!!.

[kalebjarrod]

I have this system in place and i thought i was just smart! (See my wife is right) O.k so that explains a overflow system

and mere knowlege nothing i didn't even know what i was building!

so typically chemicals are not needed on a regular basis (without probs).
and i have seen what they charge for a chemical doser (they should wear a belaclarver if thier gonna rob me)

so two probs out of the way

thanks again for your help

[weird]

Can anyone recommend a resource to learn more about setting up such a system, from a one tank system to something perhaps more complex involving multiple tanks. But a one tank system is what I am most interested in atm =)

[happydiscus]

looks and sounds technical

[kalebjarrod]

one tank or mutilpe tanks could work on the same system in theroy

but if a problem occured all your fish would / could get infected.

i plan on doing another setup with multiple tanks (6-8) but i would split the filtration in case of problems.

plus one tank for quarintine.

as for resource's to learn more about it, i flew by the seat of my pants when i built mine.

you get great feed back from this site but other than that i don't know.