Vion bulb update Flood!

[Jimbo]

Well my second vion bulb has died. Hellolights have been great about replacing them, this time I had them ship me a iwasaki instead. From my experience I can't recommend the vion bulb, the intensity was not that great although my corals colored up nicely.

I woke up to a flood the other day, my refugium overflowed, and my main pump was blowing bubbles, guess the drain into the sump got clogged, reemed it out with a bottle cleaner. Seems ok now. My reef controller project is coming along slowly, definitly need a sensor on the floor to detect salt water and shut down the system and sound an alarm.

[ShirleyM]

definitly need a sensor on the floor to detect salt water and shut down the system and sound an alarm.

Does such a sensor exist? I want one, too!
--Shirley

[Jimbo]

Hi shirley, have not seen one, but can build it for you or anyone else interested.

Cost would be about $40

I'm hoping to have a complete line of microcontrolled reef add ons in the future

These units will be prototypes so I would make them at about cost to get started.

[ShirleyM]

So you are developing this as a product to make available - How cool!
Yes! I definitely want one. Our two large tanks are about 8-10 ft apart - will one work for both? (can the unit have a "splitter" with two probes?)
(P.S. I still haven't had time to deal with reformatting the Gateway...hopefully soon!)
--Shirley

[Rick O]

There are some water sensors available that can be used to turn on or off a device such as a pump. We use them in the HVAC industry. They would have to be wired into a relay though. Let me know if anyone wants further info and I'll get you a pic and a description.

There are also some inexpensive self contained audible alarms that you can put on the floor inside of your stand. They won't turn a pump off but they will sound if they get wet. I have seen them but I'm not sure where to get them. Maybe Home Depot.