Water level regulator

[sarno]

I currently have to add water to my tank my hand via my RO unit in my kitchen and now I'm getting ready to install a new RO unit that will supply water to my tank automatically.

My question is this, I am trying to find the best water regulator for adding the water automatically. I have a 15 gallon refug/sump where the water will be going. My display is 125 gal. I see there are AC powered ones for around $99 and others for much cheaper. I want to be sure and put a fail safe for power outages so as to not get any overflows on the hard wood floors.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[lReef lKeeper]

i use an auto top off system with 2 float switches. the first tells it when the water is to low and the second tells it when the water is at the right level. they are within 1/4" of each other and the ATO adds water twice a day at a couple of gallons each time.

[Rob]

i would recommend not feeding the RO unit directly into the tank, any failure could flood your tank without control, lowering your salinity to a dangerous level. most people will setup a reservoir and just refill that on a weekly basis.. the idea here is that if there is a failure the most that could get dumped in to your tank is what's in the reservoir.

for me i have a 5 gallon bucket, my system can tank that whole 5 gallons of water or kalk (depending on what im adding) without any major impact. many people will use larger reservoirs but thats up to you

[V]

cant speak for all dosing pump, however in the vessile you use for top up, worst case sitch with a failure the pumps can opperate dry without damage and as rob said, the worst is the contents of the vessile.

[salt-rookie]

There ARE safe ways of doing this, Rob. Here's a review of a new Patented ATO Solution. I realize that the source is a different podcast, but it is an independant review of a product that addresses a long standing reefkeeping conundrum. In the true spirit of sharing info, I'll post the thread, delete it if you feel it crosses the line set forth in the rules.

http://www.120gallons.com/2007/09/ne...level-loc.html

Phil

[salt-rookie]

Here's a picture.....any reason that this unit would not be safe hooked to an RODI in the sump?

[Seahorsedreams]

I too would not ever connect an RO/DI unit to my display. Every piece if equipment can fail. I'd rather the failure result in 5 gallons of RO/DI from the reservoir flooding the tank than my 125 gallon per day being allowed to run continuously.

[salt-rookie]

Unless there are three redundancies built in by people who have maintained reef aquaria long term! TO ME, constant fluctuations in salinity and specific gravity are just as damaging, if not more so. Don't be a nay sayer until you have looked at a viable solution to an age old problem! When I started in the aquarium hobby in 1963, the STATE of the art filter was a corner bubble filter with charcoal and glass wool! We were in AWE when the undergravel filter came on the market! New technologies solve old problems in our lives daily! Give it a chance!

[Seahorsedreams]

Are you talking to me? You are jumping to all those conclusions from that one post I made? I am giving the thread starter my opinion.... which he asked for... I wasn't responding to your opinion or the product directly. Good lord, don't make me out to be a technology hater.

The problem of avoiding fluctuations in salinity was solved long ago for those out there that wanted the technology. ..... I have ATO systems in one form or another on all of my 12 tanks and I have for years. I simply choose to use a remote reservoir. Hooking a line directly to my water filter is simply not a risk I feel I need to take and I still end up with the same end result.... a rock solid steady tank environement.

[sarno]

Wow, I am very pleased to see all of the response to this topic. So what I am gathering is that the majority of you would rather add water to your tank by hand than have some sort of automation. See for me I'm very busy, I have 2 kids, one of which is only 3 months old and I do a lot of freelance work in the evening. My problem is this, my current RO system that I installed in our kitchen only has about a 3 gallon reservoir. And with all of the water we drink daily I can usually only add about a gallon(by hand) per evening which is about what my tank evaporates daily. My sumpfigium is 15 gallons. If I go to the LFS or even up to Publix to refill my 5 gallon buckets, and fill my sump to its proper level I can go a couple days w/o having to top off the tank at night. But if I dont top it off my sump goes way low and would start to dry pump if I didn't add water.

So basically what I wanted to do was to install another RO/DI in my garage and have it attached to a 3 or 5 gallon reservoir. Then have that line coming from the reservoir go into my [insert water regulation system here] then into my sump. So that it would automatically add water as needed. I would continue to monitor my salinity & calcium and PH on a weekly basis but this would allow the tank to be a little more automated. Which at this point in my life I need. I would also continue to do my regular water changes of course.

So with this system the worse that would happen if the water regulator failed would be for the sump to take on 3 or 5 gallons of water. Which the way I would have it set up the sump could probably hold an extra 3 gallons before it flooded.

Having said all that I GREATLY appreciate all of the input you guys have given and will gladly accept more if you have it!

Thanks again and have great weekend everyone!

[lReef lKeeper]

i love my auto top off system. mine has a switch that shuts the pump off it the water level reaches a low point in the reservoir. it keeps the pump from running dry in the top off container.

[salt-rookie]

A programmable timer attached to the solenoid power supply, only allows the solenoid to open at preset times and for preset periods of time. This is not only safe, but provides superior quality water from the RODI. By running the RODI for longer periods of time, water quality is enhanced and the cycling on and off extends the lifetime of the membrane. I have PLENTY to do besides worry about the safety of my reef....I sleep like a baby and never worry when I'm gone....I wouldn't do it any other way!

[Seahorsedreams]

Whatever works for you... I wasn't knocking your product. As I said before I was responding to the original question about my personal preferences and the reason why I like it that way.

I'm not saying there is no use for your product..... I got over manually replenishing tanks with RO/DI a long time ago. ATOs rule! I just wouldn't put your product on my display... I would put it on my resevoir.

[fat walrus]

There is no automation that is immune from failure.