Aquarium Expert Needed!

[JuliaJ]

I am looking for an aquarium expert that can help me design a schematic of how my entire aquarium system will work together so I can engineer how everything works. Looking to work virtually to collaborate on the best system for my new tank before I set anything up. 

 

Feel free to send me a quote for compensation and we can get started  

[Astinus]

Hi Julia and  to NR

I am not very familiar with setting up a system.  I am sure someone will be along to help.

I just wanted to Welcome you NR and to say Hi

There are a lot of Reef Tanks u can look at in Member's aquariums and see how theirs is working for them.

Have Fun and remember that this is a slow and steady hobby

Cheers! 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Is the goal here to create an automated water change system? Such a system is possible, but I wouldn't bother with it personally. There are lots of variables for which it is difficult to account.

 

You'll need an auto-topoff system for the new saltwater reservoir, for example. What happens if the auto-topoff fails for the saltwater reservoir? You'll be indiscriminately putting concentrated saltwater into your tank.

 

What if the ATO fails on for the saltwater reservoir and you end up automatically dumping saltwater with very low salinity into your tank?

 

You'll also need to keep an eye on the chemistry of the water in the saltwater reservoir.

 

When the saltwater runs out, you'll need to mix more. What happens if the system kicks on and starts changing water, and the saltwater hasn't mixed completely yet?

 

What happens if the waste water pump fails on and burns out? During the next water change, the waste water reservoir will overflow.

What happens if either of the "water level alarms" on the saltwater or waste water reservoir fails?

 

The list goes on and on and on. I work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and even on incredibly large systems we don't try to automate to this level. We do make the water changes as simple as possible. We have saltwater delivery lines plumbed into every system and in every backup area. We also have all the sumps plumbed to drains. We open a valve, drain out a few dozen to hundred gallons of water (depending on the system), then close the valve. Then, we open the saltwater valve and fill the sumps back up again.

 

Constructing a system to do what you describe is relatively easy from a technical perspective. It's building in the redundancy and safety controls that will be the issue. I'm all for streamlining your setup to the point where you can change water by just twisting two ball valves. I personally wouldn't try to automate something like this though.

[flatlandreefer]

One thing to note is an ATO(automatic top off system) uses fresh water without any salt, salt does not evaporate out.  If you are truly wanting to plumb in an automatic water change system separate of the ATO there are parastalic pumps that have been used that drain and fill the same amount of water so your salinity would stay the same but this is highly unnecessary especially in a nano tank.  For a first nano tank I think an All in One system like the innovative marine nuvo series is a great place to start.

[JuliaJ]

On 2/21/2017 at 11:52 AM, flatlandreefer said:

One thing to note is an ATO(automatic top off system) uses fresh water without any salt, salt does not evaporate out.  If you are truly wanting to plumb in an automatic water change system separate of the ATO there are parastalic pumps that have been used that drain and fill the same amount of water so your salinity would stay the same but this is highly unnecessary especially in a nano tank.  For a first nano tank I think an All in One system like the innovative marine nuvo series is a great place to start.

 

On 2/21/2017 at 10:57 AM, chipmunkofdoom2 said:

Is the goal here to create an automated water change system? Such a system is possible, but I wouldn't bother with it personally. There are lots of variables for which it is difficult to account.

 

You'll need an auto-topoff system for the new saltwater reservoir, for example. What happens if the auto-topoff fails for the saltwater reservoir? You'll be indiscriminately putting concentrated saltwater into your tank.

 

What if the ATO fails on for the saltwater reservoir and you end up automatically dumping saltwater with very low salinity into your tank?

 

You'll also need to keep an eye on the chemistry of the water in the saltwater reservoir.

 

When the saltwater runs out, you'll need to mix more. What happens if the system kicks on and starts changing water, and the saltwater hasn't mixed completely yet?

 

What happens if the waste water pump fails on and burns out? During the next water change, the waste water reservoir will overflow.

What happens if either of the "water level alarms" on the saltwater or waste water reservoir fails?

 

The list goes on and on and on. I work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and even on incredibly large systems we don't try to automate to this level. We do make the water changes as simple as possible. We have saltwater delivery lines plumbed into every system and in every backup area. We also have all the sumps plumbed to drains. We open a valve, drain out a few dozen to hundred gallons of water (depending on the system), then close the valve. Then, we open the saltwater valve and fill the sumps back up again.

 

Constructing a system to do what you describe is relatively easy from a technical perspective. It's building in the redundancy and safety controls that will be the issue. I'm all for streamlining your setup to the point where you can change water by just twisting two ball valves. I personally wouldn't try to automate something like this though.

Is this something you would be willing to help me out with? I really need someone to help design the layout and help me engineer it to work together to make it as automated as possible. Please let me know. I am more than willing to pay for someones time. Thanks! 

[lkoechle]

44 minutes ago, JuliaJ said:

 

Is this something you would be willing to help me out with? I really need someone to help design the layout and help me engineer it to work together to make it as automated as possible. Please let me know. I am more than willing to pay for someones time. Thanks! 

What is your aquarium history? 

Water chnages are something you don't want to mess up like others have stated and ATOs are fairly automated as it is.  With something like the Neptune Apex you can automate most of your tank.

 

IF you are truly set on automating the water changes (which isnt really I think any of us do here) there is the Genesis Reef System which does automated water changes (http://genesisreefsystems.com/products/automatic-water-change-systems/)

 

Even on large systems though, most reefers still prefer to do this manually because if it goes wrong, it goes really wrong.

[Clown79]

I would never rely on a completely automated system. Systems have failures, failures cause tank crashes.

 

I don't know of anyone who has an automated waterchange system.

Manual waterchanges are beneficial. You vacuum the sand, scrape the glass, clean out the equipment, use a turkey baster to blast the rocks- what can replace the in depth care we provide besides a robot?

 

The more hands on one is with their tank, the healthier it is and more enjoyable.

ATO's, controllers for heaters/wavemakers, and dosers is about the average automated system.

[jambon]

Just my 2 cents... as the above replies. I would hire a local company to setup and maintain your system. There are too many variables that an automated system cannot manage. Part of the enjoyment is getting up on my day off doing my water change etc while I enjoy my coffee.