chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Water level monitor system - anyone use this? Are they any good? reference: http://www.tunze.com/deutsch/index.html?target=p_1894.html〈=en-gb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Chimera havn't you been through this before? Alois is using the deluxe Tunze model. You can buy water proof level switches (LED) from various electronics places, about $45. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 I use a deltec float switch to turn on a powerhead........ seems ok but only installed for a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Pies - yes and no. The last post I enquired about this was for auto-top up. i dont necessarily want that, Im more interested in turning off the Iwaki if the water hits a low level. Protecting my investment as such Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 So you will monitor the level of the water in the tank? Surley your overflow system will ensure that nothing untoward could happen anyway and you build in an emergency overflow hole and plumbing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 sump and return pump, not main tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 pies has a point..... your sump should only run low if massive evaperation has occured....... otherwise you need to re design it IMHO KISS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 As i said, its primarily for protecting a $1,000 return pump for roughly $250 more (or of course alot less if it were diy). Who knows where a leak may occur - especially if I went away for a weekend,.. or even a day,... or possibly even 5 minutes? The main tank and refugium are "protected" by overflows. The sump is protected by nothing, nor is the plumbing between each tank and nor is extended power failure or failure of a dosing pump for topup due to evaporation. Its a risk im not willing to take as warranty is void if the pump fails from running dry. Question is about these particular units, not whether I need one or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 You could do something about a top up, but what are you going to do if your main tank leaks when you are away. Would be better to get a IKS computer that can send you a text when the sump is low or other problems, i think this would be a better investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 ask what cell phone you would need to recieve the txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 It can be designed to work on any phone, Just need to find decent software as the current iks software is not the best. Also working on getting it to work online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Hmmm, you'd need a cell phone too. I don't have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 cellphone is overboard for me. its a matter of putting my money where failure is most likely. That is with the sump running dry and destroying a $1k pump because my $25 timer that controls dosing pump for top up shags itself because im away on holiday. i agree in one way that my sump design could have been better. better in the fact that the area that feeds the pump (after the 3 micro-bubble reducing baffles) only holds about what I would guess to be about 40 odd litres. evaporation is about 5 litres a day from what I can gauge so far; about a week leeway. i will wait anxiously for those who will say "yeah, but your main tank has all your corals, fish etc which is where the money is". my answer to that is the risk factor. The main tank has an overflow, safe to assume (taking away glass cracking and closed loop plumbing failing) that it is fine. I am covering my arse where failure is MOST LIKELY - that is failure for top-up via dosing - either I fail to remember to top up fresh water resoviour, timer fails, dosing pump fails etc. Plumbing is always a possible failure but much less likely. Glass cracking on any tank is even far less likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Have one big sump then it will be safer all-round. The curent sump design is too Complicated like too many pipes, tanks flowing into each other, all adds up to risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 making it too complex is like parking your car on the railway track... sooner or later a train will come the engine will not start and the doors will not open. KISS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 for @#$%@#$%^ sake it's NOT THAT COMPLEX!!! forget i ever asked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 I think the Iwaki can run dry anyway? I agree with an over complex sump and KISS. If your return pump stops you have much bigger problems than just a dry running pump. Your tanks not being filtered or heated or toped off or calcium added or anyting. Build a system that can't fail. Think about it like this. If you TUNZE unit failed and turned of the IWAKI your tank would crash. Without the TUNZE unit this could never happen. What situation would cause the tank to run out of water? Maybee spend the money of fixing that problem insted. Gadgets and toys for the sake of having them. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 point taken. iwaki can NOT run dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holiday Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 Why not install a backup top off system for the return chamber?? If you are worried about the top off failing the chances are with a back up, both them won't fail at the same time. And with two top ups working they should keep up with any slow leaks that may occur. Just a thought!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 21, 2004 Report Share Posted September 21, 2004 what a lot of worry about nothing. if you evap 5L a day which sounds low, it would take a while(read weeks)to lower your sump enough to harm your pump.UNLESS yr sump is designed with a flaw :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holiday Posted September 22, 2004 Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 if I remember rightly, he said his return area was about 40l, 10l is probably the minimum before the pump starts to run dry, this makes 30l with 5l evapouration a day, thats only 5-6 days before it runs dry if the top up fails, and that will be even less when evapouration increases with the warmer weather. alot to risk IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted September 22, 2004 Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 But this risk is only that the pump could run dry, which would be noticed if you where home (bubbles into the display tank). And if it happened when you where away the tank would die anyway. I have my sump designed that it will run dry in 3 days without top off. That way I know if the top off system isn't working. The person that looks after the tank monitors the level in the sump, and if it falls they jsut bucket in fresh water directly. Wouldn't have it any other way. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holiday Posted September 22, 2004 Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 But this risk is only that the pump could run dry Isn't that what he's trying to avoid?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted September 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 doc - exactly what Im trying to do. pies - theoretically this is the same as mine. it should run 6 days @ 5 litres evaporation a day or 3 days at 10 litres evaporation a day (again, since the install is relatively new, I havent monitored this exactly yet) I have elected not to get the Tunze. Instead, i will be building my own fully automated system that will hook into my PC. It will have redundancy and intelligence built into it. Of course, it doesnt mean I will be relying solely on the computer and componentry to perform regular maintenance tasks or checks, simply to assist where necessary. I will sell you all a system in 6 months time when its fully designed and tested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 22, 2004 Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 Solution:Throw a heater in the main tank in case the return pump fails, Should keep it warm and there will be other circulation in there. Lack of calcium and filtration won't cause a problem for the couple days it takes to get back from your weekend trip. Of course, that kinda defeats one of the reasons for having a sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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