Littleoceans Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Here is a DIY auto top off I made if anyone is interested..... 12volt supply(Radio Shack ).......... .$15.00 float switch (Ebay)..........................$5.99 pump (J.C. Whitney)........................$9.99 tubing (walmart)..............................$2.99 1 gal tupperwere (dollarstore)........$2.00 Not having to top off the water every day by hand....... Priceless!! Link to comment
Littleoceans Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 Pic 3 floatswitch hiding in the surface skimmer....... Link to comment
skeletor Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 very nice Littleoceans.. say, how fast does that pump run ? and does it have any internal metal parts ? Link to comment
Littleoceans Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 Skel..... Its a 12 volt windshield washer pump from JC whitney. It has the same pressure as your car's pump and there are no internal metal parts on the pump itself, its pretty quick...... Link to comment
freakaccident Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Kinda spendy on the pump setup IMHO. Could have used a $10 powerhead for a pump like most of us did and saved the $$ on the 12v adapter. I thought about the washer pump too but went the powerhead route due to the extra cost. Enjoy the auto topoff. I don't see how I ever lived without mine. A couple tips for those reading: 1. Keep top off tank below the main tank or test to see if your pump creates a siphon after it shuts off if it is above the main tank. 2. Don't let the topoff hose actually sit down in the water of the main tank or it could cause a reverse suction back into your topoff bucket when the pump cuts off. Mine did. Link to comment
adinsxq Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 if your "surface skimmer" is actually functioning as a surface skimmer, i don't see how the float switch would work there. maybe i'm just confused. Link to comment
freakaccident Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 Water level drops low enough the skimmer stops working would be my guess. When the level gets up enough that the pump keeps up with the skimmer it works normally and the switch shuts off. Link to comment
adinsxq Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 thats... odd. but i guess it works if you position things to work in just the right orders and just the right times. i'm satisfied (sort of), thanks. Link to comment
bertz_maru Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 wouldnt you put the float switch in the tank itself? Link to comment
freakaccident Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 You can but a snail could overflow your tank. I think it happened to someone here. Someone also made a snail guard for the floatswitch. Link to comment
Littleoceans Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 Freak.... I went with the 12volts because I did not want the switch running 120v in case it ever shorted.... I know, I'm paranoid, but what can I say..... Link to comment
freakaccident Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 As long as it works. Your switch may last longer than those of use using it at 120v. Link to comment
Littleoceans Posted May 13, 2003 Author Share Posted May 13, 2003 Freak..... Bingo!! Right on the head..... pics to help explain... I hate having anything in the tank.... so I hid everthing in the surface skimmer... the heater is in the hob and I made a "critter cage to keep out unwelcome guest! Link to comment
bertz_maru Posted May 13, 2003 Share Posted May 13, 2003 how could a snail overflow your tank?.... just put the float away from the sides Link to comment
freakaccident Posted May 14, 2003 Share Posted May 14, 2003 A snail could crawl onto the float and the pump will run until he gets off of it. Snails can go practically anywhere. Link to comment
Lunchbucket Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 how is that gonna work...you water gets low enough to quit your skimmer or whatever it is that the surface skimmer if for. that sounds like a BAD idea to me. i would do it in the tank and make a PVC cage around it so you won't flood it w/ a snail. Lunchbucket Link to comment
Littleoceans Posted May 15, 2003 Author Share Posted May 15, 2003 Lunchbucket..... here are some pics for ya.... its the best I can do... this has been working for 3 weeks without a problem ... the skimmers water level will never go below a set point, the float switch is made to come on the second the water level drops within a 1/4" and the "cage" keeps the critters out... and the best part is that its all within the DIY skimmer to hid it... Link to comment
Lunchbucket Posted May 15, 2003 Share Posted May 15, 2003 so you skimmer doesn't quit before it tops off? i was under the impression from the comments earlier it did...that is why i thought it wasn't a good idea...other than that should work find Lunchbucket Link to comment
Littleoceans Posted May 15, 2003 Author Share Posted May 15, 2003 Thats right! The water level would have to drop 2" for the skimmer to stop.... I kept making the slots longer until the water input flow match the aquaclears flow without sucking in air.. when I was happy with that, I then set my float switch to keep with that level. The only thing that is not fool proof is me... I forgot to shut of the auto top pump once when I was doing a water change and pumped about a 1/2 gal of water on the floor... opps!! Link to comment
freakaccident Posted May 16, 2003 Share Posted May 16, 2003 I did the same thing once too and added a ton of freshwater to my tank. Duh! Now I run my auto topoff with the light timer so when I am working on the tank and turn the lights off to get into it the auto topoff is automatically shut off. Link to comment
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