Automatic Top Offs What do U use?

Im finaly ####ed enough (now having 10 tanks and humidity levels so low that they evaporate wicked quick, Im loking to see what I can do. I need to "hide" the resiviors, so gravity feeds are out of the question. I was looking at this system that uses a photo electric eye, but they are mad expensive... options? And yeah this thread topic is beat to death, but I wanted to post a thread that would come up under a search as "Automatic Top offs" and Auto top off devices, and Topping off, Evaporation, "adding fresh water", and top off methods as key words..... hehhhe.

so dish it out like gravy !

Dave, I'm currently setting up a ten gallon nano and have picked up an ultralife float switch. I use one on my 120gallon and love it. Never fails me, easy to clean, simple operation. Here's a url...

http://www.ultralifedirect.com/Floatswitches.htm

Not having been at your house Dave.... I don't know how you have ten tanks set up, they all in one room, spread all over the place, ect. ect.

You said no gravity feeds, but... as an idea as opposed to trying to set up ten different top off systems. I used to have 8 different tanks set up and I had a 25 gallon container setting on top of a shelving unit in my den, it was higher than ANY tank I had set up. Basically I just did like a central vac system...lol Had a manifold set up on the top off tank and ran lines with "IV drip adjustment clamps" on them... lines ran down to the floor, couple went through a wall even and they all came up behind tanks. The water lines could be tucked along baseboards and such. Ghetto? perhaps... but BUTT cheap! Think I had like 25 or 30 bucks into the whole set up.

Well that was my thought for cheap and effective... otherwise you are just going to have to rig a top off system for each tank, and you already know all the different types there are, right!? Just have to figure out what style to put into play for each tank.

Man that ultralife float switch is friggin expensive. I got my float switch from www.graingers.com for 11 bucks. Splice it into a 2 dollar extension cord, plug in an 8 dollar rio in a bucket of RO/DI water, and you got a top off system. I use this, as well as several others on this site. Nanoreefer53 posted some pics a while back, probably in DIY or somewhere. I have heard one can also get one from www.madison.com

BTW, heres the float switch: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productde...emId=1611760105

the one from grainger is made my madison

here's a pic of mine. just make it out of the thingy that attatches to your glass

I had set up my top off with an ultra as well. The switch seemed to work but the lame assed pump I bought for a few bucks at petland failed me. Oddly, I was getting my worst evap problem in the humidity and the least in the spring.

I found this setup somewhere ( i think reefcentral ). If looks are a concern with the money concern this looks like a good setup. The sticky zip-tie holders are something i never would have thought of. http://www.californiareefs.com/evaporation7reef.htm

I dont think i would by from him as it looks pretty simple to make. Cut a few pieces of rigid tubing, run the cord through for the float switch and fix the ziptie holders to it. All done. Seems pretty simple anyhow.

i just pour distilled water in in the morning. works for me:P

I use an Ultralife float switch, a peristaltic pump, and a 5 gallon bucket. The float switch was the most expensive part. If you go with the Grainger switch, it's much cheaper. I bought my peristaltic pump off ebay. It's just a simple fixed speed pump, so it was cheap. The thing I like about peristaltic pumps as opposed to ph's is that you can use airline tubing instead of vinyl tubing. Airline tubing is soooo much easier to work with. Vinyl tubing refuses to take any shape other than the one it came packaged in. Plus a peristaltic pump adds water at such a slow rate that I can use limewater without skyrocketing my pH.

-Chris

Originally posted by sjwalton

I found this setup somewhere ( i think reefcentral ). If looks are a concern with the money concern this looks like a good setup. The sticky zip-tie holders are something i never would have thought of. http://www.californiareefs.com/evaporation7reef.htm

I dont think i would by from him as it looks pretty simple to make. Cut a few pieces of rigid tubing, run the cord through for the float switch and fix the ziptie holders to it. All done. Seems pretty simple anyhow.

This is made by Physh1, a recent ( ~1moth ) member of nano-reef.com too.

I got mine from Cameron(Physh1) and I love it!!!! It is great merchandise.

Daniel

Hey....I heard my name. Yup I do make them. They are simple to make. I don't really make much off them at all after my time and shipping.

Djm9288 - I'll be ready to do the swap by the end of the week. I will email you.

Cameron

ok, cameron sounds good to me!

Daniel

I have a Grainger account.. Im surprized I never saw it in the catalog. OF COURSE THE CATALOG IS LIKE 3 THOUSAND PAGES........ LMAO. Im going to try that I need cheep yet reliable.

- Physh1 Do U have a pic of yer set up?

ya he does look at his website here

Daniel

That's it ^ . It's a fairly simple and reliable setup. I am in the process of adding an inline fuse (~.3 amp) to it so people don't overdraw the capability if the 30w switch. I've had around 10 people do that (as my instruction say not to do) and need to get them fixed. I think i've sold around 80 of the setups so far with 1 going bad (except for the people mentioned above)

Check out the pics......any ?'s just ask.

The fused unit should be ready in a month or so. I'm just thoroughly testing it for reliability right now.

Cameron

Cameron., Ill take one Hang on w/ fuse unit/ If I like it, ill take 10 more. lemme know when U can ship me one as I read U are waiting on parts.

Just ran across this post... the guy uses a container in his canopy!

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...=&threadid=3960

I think I'd make some mods to make the setup a little safer/more secure.

Dave - I'll PM you when they are ready to go.....

Cameron

Cameron,

I need a hang-on too. I'll take one when they're ready. PM me.

Thanks....Ross.

I ordered one from Cameron a few weeks ago...hasn't failed me yet:)

Bump. Physh? any update? Im kinda in a hurry fer a few set ups.

They are in there final testing. The problem I've been facing is the startup current that some of these powerheads draw....some are CRAZY HIGH...

The MaxiJet 1000 for instance pulls 2 amps in startup current. I was hoping to just use a 3/4 amp fuse but they have been blowing on pump startup.

The Rio800 is the BEST far and away so far. They draw 28w/~.25amps normaly with a .5 amp startup.

Since powerheads are inductive type motors (which hate current drop offs!!!) shutting the off causes a spike in current. This has been another problem spot with the MaxiJets. The MJ1000 pulled almost a 2 amp spike when shutting off......

If you use Rio800's and I put a 1 amp fuse inline I can have some to you soon. I am very wary of using fuses with the MaxiJets.

Let me know your thoughts....Cameron

OK, as much as I hate Rios, I guess it will have to do. can you be compensated by Pay pall ?

What is the Max Head pressure on those any way? I have to do like 5 feet straight up and 2 over.

I use a 5g bucket, Madison mini-float switch from Grainger ($9 with discount), bit of white twin flex c/w plug, Maxijet 400 c/w suction cups, 2 cable ties, Maxijet hanger and the shell of a popup sprinkler (guts removed).

I drilled a hole in a bit of plastic cut to size(bottom of icecream container), mounted the switch on it, and stuffed it up inside the sprinkler shell. Replaced cover and used the cable ties to hold it to the unused Maxijet hanger clipped to the tank. The shell is to stop errant snails from jamming the switch in the ON position and to damp the surface perturbations. The ties and hanger allow me to adjust the height of the float switch to match my old preskimmer box height.

I had the float switch on hand but had to put it all together with bits and pieces lying around at 6.30am the morning I was due to leave on a 7 day trip to DC. Luckily it all worked perfectly first time and I have used it again without mishap for another break of 10 days in Dallas/Fort Worth.

As I dose into my top-up water Mondays with Reef Complete and Tuesdays Reef Builder, I prefer to top-up manually but for long breaks with an adequate reservoir of water and food it should work very well.

Just my HK$2 worth.