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Top Shelf Aquatics

DIY Auto Top off Nano Cube Style


aaronfmd

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Here is my project for the weekend; I wish I would have taken some pics before I installed it, but.... Please forgive my childish Paint drawing, no I'm not 8 years old. LOL. So here is the schematic:

12049Float_Switch-med.JPG?4813

 

Close up of the wire splice. I just striped the float switch wires, cut one of the two wires of the extension cord, stripped that and spliced the switch inline. I used some “King Safety Guard Twist on Splices” from Home Depot.

 

12049Wire_splice-med.JPG

 

Here is a close-up of the float switch purchased

here . The JBJ nano cubes have lip in the back that the hinges are screwed to that runs across the entire width of the tank. The float switches have threads and a nut at the top. I just cinched the nut down on that lip, and it has stayed in place. I may put a dab of glue on there to secure it, or I may develop some type of hanger to lower the switch down closer to the water. As it is, the water level is pretty high due to the height of the switch off the water surface. 12049Floatswitch_Closeup-med.JPG

 

Here is a look at the pump that I used. I got it at Marine Depotfor $12. I just drilled a hole in the top of the lid and ran the airline into it. The pump is nice because it doesn’t support a reverse vacuum. I let my airline sit in the water, and after the pump turns off, it doesn’t allow a siphon to form and draw salt water back into the jug. Very Nice!

 

12049Aqualifter_and_jug-med.JPG

 

Here is a shot at the inside of the back of the tank.

12049Airline_and_Float_Switch-med.JPG

 

So I guess that’s it. Hope this helps you. It took me about 45 min including drilling the back of my stand for the cord and airline to go through. I think total cost was about $20. Overall, it has been a cheap and easy project, and my salinity has been spot on since I did it. I just make sure the float switch is clear once in a while and refill the water jug.

 

Upgrades would be a snail guard and possibly lowering the switch a little.

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JAMAICANreef, in the 3rd paragraph starting with, "Here is a close-up..." you can click the word "here" at the end of that sentence. I think its floatswitches.net and they seem to be $6

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Might want to change those screws in the corner rusting pretty bad there it look like. But great design I will be thinking od making one my self. Thank you for the pics.

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Originally posted by dymaxiun

Just ordered up these things... wil be taking on this project Saturday! I heard the pump is pretty quiet.. is that true?

 

Yeah, I have to put my hand on it to see if it is still on.

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AARONFMD, I am all for using that float switch and have more than one myself. I HATE to be the bearer of bad news for you but you have a huge fire hazard on your hands. That float switch is not designed to open and close the 110 Volt circuit that you have it on. You have the right idea though. What you need to solve this problem is One 12 Volt transformer, One Relay from Radio Shack. I am not sure the part number, but it is the size of a pencil and one inch long. This relay is blue and has a wire sticking out from each end. On one end it has two wires sticking out the side. The way that you hook this us is as follows.

 

You put the wires that come out of each end inline with your extension cord. You can get away without an extension cord and just splice it in the cord of the pump.

 

Next you solder one end of the switch wires to either of the remaining two wires that come from the side of the relay.

 

Take one of the wires from the 12 V transformer and solder it to the other float switch wire.

 

Take the other wire from the transformer and connect it to the last wire on the relay.

 

This will allow the float switch to be switching 12 V only. The relay is an electric magnet that will pull two plates together making the 110 V switch.

 

This is alot safer and is using the switch as it was intended and within the range of its capabilities.

 

The relay is around $3 and you all should have an old cell phone charger. You just need to cut the end off and its a freeby. A little cost for a lot of insurance.

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You don't need one. All you need to have is a ground fault reciptical. That protects the entire system not just the auto top off.

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Originally posted by kevin25

Aaron that is a good idea.  How did you pay for your float switch. For some reason it wont accept my debit card??

 

Paypal

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Originally posted by thecowkid

You don't need one.  All you need to have is a ground fault reciptical.  That protects the entire system not just the auto top off.

 

The power cord is plugged into a power strip which as a GFI. Has a reset switch, etc. Will look into the relay.

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That is a plus, everyone should have gfi at all possible points of water contact. I am glad to know that you are willing to look into the relay. If I were you I would protect my investments and discontinue use of the auto top off until I got the relay inplace.

 

When water comes out to play any sparks will dampen you day. Thats why I say protect it with a relay. :)

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You can also use that same floatswitch wired up to a battery operated airpump and use it for top off. Take a 2 liter soda bottle and drill 2 3/16" holes in the top, put 2 pieces of rigid airline tubing in the holes (one that goes to the bottom of the bottle and one that just goes inside). Hook the airline from the pump up to the short piece of tubing and hook a piece of airline tubing to the other side (that goes to the bottom of the bottle) and place the other end in your tank. When the floatswitch drops it will turn on the airpump and pressure building in the bottle will push the water out of the tube at the bottom of the bottle and into your tank. This works well with a tank that doesn't have major evaporation issues and its battery operated so its less of a fire hazard around saltwater.

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I don't understand how a floatswitch could turn on a battery powered airpump. The problem with the airpump method is that the pump builds up pressure inside the bottle, and when the floatswitch turns off the power, the pressure keeps pushing top-off water into the tank.

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Originally posted by thecowkid

When water comes out to play any sparks will dampen you day.  Thats why I say protect it with a relay. :)

 

You are a poet and didn't know it.

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Thank you. About the pressure in the bottle. In a small bottle like a 2 liter bottle it cannot retain that much pressure. Once the switch floats up and turns everything off yes the pressure will continue to push watter up. But you could spit larger amounts than what will flow out after the system turns off.

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Oh and when you get your top off set up make sure that the output tube doesn't touch the water in the aquarium. If it does it will suck it back out.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Wanted to post and update. No fires! I felt the connections after i ran the pump for 5 minutes solid (which is WAY longer than it ever runs naturally.) and no heat. Not even a little. The only thing I can think of is that the pump requires very little amps and the wires and connections offer little to no resistance to flow.

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