blueether Posted April 16, 2011 Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 I have finally got around to making an automatic water changer made with a drip feed to the tank (second pic links to a video): with an partial syphon (is that the correct term?) overflow: at the moment it is running at about 15cc in 45 seconds, so about 28-30 l a day going into a 350-400 l tank. Edit: just timed 200ml in 10min so that works out to 28.8 l/24h And yes I know the glass needs a good clean :sick: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted April 17, 2011 Report Share Posted April 17, 2011 I'll be interested to see how it goes. I've spent many hours pondering the workings of such systems, and in my head it I always find it hard to imagine that such a small trickle in/out would be enough to have an effect on the water quality compared to changing the same total volume of water in bigger chunks once a day/week. Keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 What safeguard do you have if the siphon stops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 What safeguard do you have if the siphon stops? Safeguard? what's one of them? :roll: Well there is about 70 of spare capacity in the tank, that should give 2 days of safety. The silicon line came off the barbed fitting yesterday while I was out for a few hours, glad that that was outside the window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 Heh... Another take on a overflow. http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/overflow.html http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/routing.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 I would run a second overflow as well just in case.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 What a cunning overflow design! definitely interested to see how this goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 Heh... Another take on a overflow. http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/overflow.html http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/routing.html That is nicely made, I could see that with two exit pipes on the outside section a lower one for feeding a sump and a higher one as an safety/overflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 That is nicely made, I could see that with two exit pipes on the outside section a lower one for feeding a sump and a higher one as an safety/overflow. That would only help if the tube to the sump was blocked.. If the siphon stopped you would still be in trouble... A second overflow (as ryanjury suggested) would be the safest. If you have seen the commercial ones they tend to have an air release tap thingy at the top of the upside down U so you could suck out any air that gathers up there. You have black corner bits there and can't see trapped air. I have even seen ones on ebay that have a tiny waterpump that continuously pumps water (and any airbubbles that forms there) from the top of the U back down into the tank (much smaller flow than the syphon of course) just to prevent the syphon from accidentally stopping and overflowing the tank. I would like to follow how this one goes though. Nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 I was thinking of drilling a hole in one of the top corners and attaching another barb fitting and running a 6mm airline across to the intake side of the CF1200 to pull any air bubbles out of the top of the siphon, it would also make the the whole think dead easy to start/restart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 An update on the siphon system: Added a barbed fitting to the top most section and attached to the inlet line of my cf1200 to pull any air out of the top of the siphon - looks to work a treat. It blocked up lastnight/today at some point, blew air back through and out popped one of my bigger male Crain's bullies - quite dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 Dang! Put some fly screen mesh over the inlet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 interested if there are issues with the set up when id di mine, i hadm any issues and had to refine them. usually involvedflooding lol raptured hoses etc. anyway, watch out tap pressure, thats inconsistent. good luck, it took 3 months to have mine refined and continuous and effective its a simple concept basd on irrigation systems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 interested if there are issues with the set up when id di mine, i hadm any issues and had to refine them. usually involvedflooding lol raptured hoses etc. anyway, watch out tap pressure, thats inconsistent. good luck, it took 3 months to have mine refined and continuous and effective its a simple concept basd on irrigation systems Gotta watch out for the rapture coming and taking your hoses to heaven... If varying pressure is a problem maybe you could try something like a header tank with a float valve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 i used nylon woven water and food safe hose. no problems there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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