Some help with a new idea...

[mcdonaldjosh7]

Okay, so I have a plan but no real idea on how to push forward with it...

I want to setup my RO/DI maker in the basement, directly under my tank. I want that to fill a 55 gallon barrel or something similar, and I kind of wanted it to fill based on a float valve in the barrel...(yeah yeah, the barrel will have a heater/powerheads and whatever)

Furthermore, I want to setup a float valve on the tank's sump, and I want a pump in the barrel to pump water up to the tank and auto-top it off. That is at least 10' vertically...It obviously wouldn't have to pump up fast, but it would need to make it up. What pump could do this? Links maybe?

How much of my plan is possible? Is there an easier way to do this stuff?

Thanks in advance RF!

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

Actually, I just furthered my idea (see how early I am in the stages of this?)

So underneath my stand, there isn't enough room for too big of a sump (the bow really takes a lot of room out, and only 1/3 of the stand opens so getting a different size in there would be a huge pain). But what if I moved my sump to the basement also?

I mean now I need a much bigger pump, but the ro/di top off would be easier and I could have more room for reactors/skimmer/etc, plus increase my water volume to a better amount.

Eh?

Edit: I suppose I would also be adding about 5 feet to the vertical distance, since I would have to pump to the top of the tank instead of the sump.

 

[user 26995]

You've got a great plan. Definitely doable.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Peppie]

There are many different pumps on the market to handle the head height you are dealing with.
IMO the sump in the basement is a great idea. It will make your water changes easier.
You could then put an ATO freshwater holding tank in your stand.

 

[pandora32]

Mr. Peppie...lol...why would he need a ato holding tank in his stand if hes got the basement to play with? Having the rodi goin into your sump is good. What if you were to put a tee inline with your filtered water coming out? That way when your sump isnt being topped off, and your float closes it, the water will be diverted to your barrel? That way you have a supply of topoff going to the sump and a barrel of rodi ready for a waterchange or whatever. Well, sounds good in my head anyways.

 

[Peppie]

Mr. Peppie...lol...why would he need a ato holding tank in his stand if hes got the basement to play with? Having the rodi goin into your sump is good. What if you were to put a tee inline with your filtered water coming out? That way when your sump isnt being topped off, and your float closes it, the water will be diverted to your barrel? That way you have a supply of topoff going to the sump and a barrel of rodi ready for a waterchange or whatever. Well, sounds good in my head anyways.

LOL
I had my head up my .......
And to think I have been designing my own systems and giving advise for over 3 years LOL

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

Okay so if I am going to completely redo my plumbing....now I obviously have to further the idea xD

So how about automating water changes? I don't know if I can think of a way to do this without a reef computer...and I have no idea how those work quite yet haha. But I feel like if the computer could pull off ten gallon water changes every 2 weeks, it would be worth the money. Any good suggestions for these? Price estimate?

Oh, and I am heading to college next year, so I will be leaving the tank for my family to take care of. My family is full of intelligent people, and they know how things work so I am not worried about them not understanding the complexity of it; I am just trying to automate it a little more so they aren't having to pour cups of water in the tank every other day as I do right now...after all it is my project

Thanks again guys!

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

Mr. Peppie...lol...why would he need a ato holding tank in his stand if hes got the basement to play with? Having the rodi goin into your sump is good. What if you were to put a tee inline with your filtered water coming out? That way when your sump isnt being topped off, and your float closes it, the water will be diverted to your barrel? That way you have a supply of topoff going to the sump and a barrel of rodi ready for a waterchange or whatever. Well, sounds good in my head anyways.

Yeah I was thinking about this. Is there a way the float valve could 'stand by' for a fluctuation period of say a few inches in the tank? I just feel like a few drops every couple of minutes wouldn't make sense. But then again, maybe that would be better?

Sorry for my ignorance in this side of reefing, I have knowledge it all exists but no idea how to apply it yet haha.

 

[myindoorocean]

I'm doing this right now, with Eric at OBD's help. I think its going to work great. Water changes, rodi, ato, mixing barrel. There are pictures on my build page.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f70/matts-100-gallon-rimless-obd-system-65717/

I'm hooking up the floats tonight. Then I'm finally putting some water in it!

 

[myindoorocean]

Plus Eric showed me how to use 2 floats to do exactly what you want - don't start filling the barrel till it gets near the bottom, and stop when it gets near the top. I'll have some more pictures soon, as I'm hooking that up tonight.

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

Plus Eric showed me how to use 2 floats to do exactly what you want - don't start filling the barrel till it gets near the bottom, and stop when it gets near the top. I'll have some more pictures soon, as I'm hooking that up tonight.

Ah yes this sounds perfect. Would help to make sure water doesn't spend too much time in the barrel!