The Reef Tank banner
4K views 27 replies 8 participants last post by  Rick O 
#1 ·
Hi guys heres my idea for a top off container will cover it with a nice table cloth and flowers between the 180 and 100 gal will fill them both with a float valve in each. :):D
 
#2 ·
Casey how does the water get from the top-off to the tank(s)? Do you have a dosing pump, or is the bucket mounted over the tank somehow? Just curious, looks like it will hide/camo really well, probably won't be able to tell its not a small round end table.

Dave
 
#4 ·
Perhaps im very simple, or dense...either could pertain...

Will the float valve cut off power to the power head (float switch)? or will it just close off the line coming from the power head? If that is the case will this hurt the powerhead at all (being under constant pressure?)

Again im sure you know better than I I am just curious for my own uses downt he road.
Dave
 
#6 ·
Great idea - I am still trying to figure out how to hide one of these in my house - filling up 2 gallons a DAY is getting to be a pain and the tank has only been up for 10 days....
 
#8 ·
casey have you ever seen/tried the top offs that have two hoses. one for water, one for air. i guess the concept is that the water line is submerged i nthe bottom of the sump. the airline is submerged a few inches belwo the water level.

the way it works/supposed to work is that when sump level drops, it allows air into the airline, which then allows the top off container to drain water into the sump. once sump level reaches the airline, it blocks off the air, and the vaccume stops the top off container from draining any more.

in theory it sounds like it would work, but i would think the top off container would need to be airtight. and what if it failed.. yikes!

on the other hand, i would think that using the float valve/PH method would not require an airtight container.

can a really small, cheap, crappy, low gph powerhead suffice? and how much do float valves run?

i've got the container (10 gallon) that wil lsit above my sump, i nteh cabinet (may get a larger one if i can find one that will fit) but it's not airtight, and i want somethign that will be reliable.

i think dave is looking fro pretty much teh same answers to the same questions since our stands a re similar, and our top offs are in the same spots as well.

thanks casey!

btw: i like that container, will make for a cool table/hidden container :)
 
#9 ·
Jay I have heard of the air type but have no experience with that type so I cant give advice. I have use the float kind they work very well I will post a pic when ups gets the controler here today,I am using Maxijet 12 for the powerheads but a cheapo will work to and the container does not need to be air tight I just like the lid on to stop any contaminents from getting in or have a kid fall in :) I will post pics when I get all the equip in I have seen float valves for 20 bucs my controler cost $50 I think lol
 
#14 ·
WARNING! WARNING!:)

I use the same topoff mechanism. I have had my float stick on two occasions in the last 3 years (both times it was a small critter). I only have a 6 gallon resevoir and my sump was able to hold the contents but it was close. You seem to be a pretty good DIYer so you could prolly come up with another high water float to cut power to the ph in case the sump gets over filled.
 
#24 ·
it was not $50 that container is $137
Yeah, I seen them in there catalog and put one on my wish list.
I thought $50 what a score, but misunderstood.

Looks like a real clean set up, it will be nice having the rock solid salinity and not having to top off the sump every night.

I'm setting up like this too and was wondering why you chose this rout rather then plumbing the RO/DI system?
 
#26 ·
Rick O said:
WARNING! WARNING!:)

I use the same topoff mechanism. I have had my float stick on two occasions in the last 3 years (both times it was a small critter)...
hey Rick,

I have taken a 2" piece of pvc and cut/ripped about 1/3 of it circumference-wise off with a table saw and a fence. Cut slots in the bottom (so that the water will rise to the level of the sump surface) and glue the pvc to the side of the sump. Mount the Ultralife switch inside this pvc. It is dark, so there won't be any problems with algae, micro-, macro, or coralline, It will keep most of the critters out (you can cover the slots with fiberglass screen if you really need to keep critters out), and the pvc will prevent the surface ripples in some folks sumps from turning the switch on and off rapidly.

I have been using this type of setup for 5 or so years in all the systems (including one running with a diffusional Kalk reactor...)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top