My auto top-off setup - Explained

[Good write up. My only concern would be it getting stuck in the on position and overflowing out of the sump. Then onto my wife's floor and ending my days as a reefer.]
 
[There are two way's to reduce the chance of that happening.

1) Install a second float switch that's got it's on/off reversed. Attach it inline on the same extension cord. Set it at a height where you do not want the water to go above in the sump...

2) Keep your top off water reservoir small enough to not overflow the sump if it goes nuts.]
 
[Hw often does it cycle on and off, DO you think I could use my pressure tank from my RO/DI to act as the top off container and pump?

(I shouldn't have to say this said:
Wish I would have read this first!! :Oo: :D]
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[I have a question, if you do the floot valve option, why do you need the valve? Isnt it the same as inverting a soda bottle full of water over the tank? When the water drops, it lets out water. If not, it stays the same. Couldnt you just have a jug of water sitting up high enough with a tube coming out of the bottom into the water? When the water level goes down, it will let out water, right? would that work?]
 
[I have two float switches built just like Marcs, one adds top off water and the other which is slightly higher turns the switch off incase of a hitch hiker or malfunction. going on almost year and half and no accidents. I want to put a float valve and auto shut off for my top off container. The idea is to have the top container only fill up to match you daily evaporation and slightly more as a back up to the float switches. And then a way to shut off the ro unit to save on the filters and water.]
 
@CodyRay wrote:
[I have a question said:
[I have mine setup with just a float valve. It's basically just like out of the toilet, and I have a tube connecting it to the 5 gallon jug of fresh RO/DI water sitting above to allow gravity to do it's thing.

Only decent pic I have is here: http://www.damonh.net/reef/reeftank%20015.jpg

Has worked great so far ... just pondering at this point how I could safely setup my RO/DI to cycle on and off directly into the sump and eliminate the jugs all together. :shifty:]
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[I use a similar setup, but the float switch is wired to a dual outlet box instead of directly into an extension cord. This way, I have easy access to pull the plug on the powerhead during water changes and other times when the water level would be low and top off isn't wanted.

Great write-up Marc!]
 
[Gravit, good idea.

another way is to add a switch to the line or run this to a switched outlet - no pluging and unpluging.]
 
@marine-noob wrote:
[Hw often does it cycle on and off said:
[Maybe, but you'd have to remove your pressure tank from the RO unit so that you don't continually add more water if it sticks on for some reason.

I would leave the tank on the RO unit, and use a separate plastic container of some kind near the tank.]
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@CodyRay wrote:
[I have a question said:
[Yes, this will work perfectly on smaller system. Not so well on larger tanks, unless they have room for a big enough container (5g sparkletts jug) to fit in their sump under the tank. Then there is the wear and tear of flipping over and installing a container that weights about 40 lbs onto the sump.

This was actually listed briefly at the end of the article.]
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@DamonH wrote:
[... just pondering at this point how I could safely setup my RO/DI to cycle on and off directly into the sump and eliminate the jugs all together. :shifty:] said:
[Please don't. If you set it up, you are opening up your system to non-stop water that may contain pollutants (like what happened to Cathy's reef - TWICE), or lower your salinity if it doesn't shut off as designed. If it sticks on and you are away, salinity will plummet in your tank and your invertebrates, LPS and SPS will die swiftly, cycling the tank.

This just happened to a guy in the BRS (lowered salinity and massive deaths).]
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[I cleaned it once, after about one year. Other than that, it was absolutely fine. I had the float switch in the return area where nothing could touch it.]
 
[Marc / all,

Do you see a problem using limewater (kalkwasser) with this method? I figure since it's topping off such small amounts so many times a day (somebody said several times an hour) that it would be fine.

Moe]
 
[That is how I'm topping off now, using limewater (kalkwasser). The pump has to be cleaned about once a month, and the tubing the water comes out of (at the tip).]
 
[Travis, the first post in this thread has a bunch of pictures in the link provided. Did you see those yet?]
 
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