Vhuang168
Guest
Looks interesting!
https://reefbuilders.com/2016/09/07/auto-aqua-smart/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
https://reefbuilders.com/2016/09/07/auto-aqua-smart/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
New AWC option!
- Thread starter Vhuang168
- Start date
Bruce Spiegelman
Supporting Member
Looks very interesting.
roostertech
Guest
You can already do stuff like that with Apex and a few float switch?
roostertech
Guest
You just want excuse to buy more toys, just admit it.
Dave B
Guest
this seems like it would be easy to do with 2 sensors and 2 pumps
time activation (or whatever to activate it) would trigger pump A to run and pump "old" water out until level A sensor was made.. then pump B turns on till sensor B is made. Would be few lines of programming in a Apex and done
time activation (or whatever to activate it) would trigger pump A to run and pump "old" water out until level A sensor was made.. then pump B turns on till sensor B is made. Would be few lines of programming in a Apex and done
rygh
Guest
When I was doing my DIY water exchange, I decided doing it with level sensors was not a great plan.
The problem is that the water in need to exactly match the water out.
1) Sensors themselves are not that accurate.
2) Ripples and waves affect measurement.
I tried it a bit, and it was pretty random.
When I tried with two identical peristaltic pumps, calibrated, it was VERY repeatable.
Also: They look to be missing a key sensor!
You really need a sensor in the salt water container. Many people will forget to mix that every time.
If that goes empty, what happens is this:
The SW exchange pumps salt water out, but no salt water in.
Your ATO later notices water is low, so pumps fresh water in.
Repeat.
Salinity drops pretty rapidly.
And since water level actually stays pretty level, hard to notice.
The problem is that the water in need to exactly match the water out.
1) Sensors themselves are not that accurate.
2) Ripples and waves affect measurement.
I tried it a bit, and it was pretty random.
When I tried with two identical peristaltic pumps, calibrated, it was VERY repeatable.
Also: They look to be missing a key sensor!
You really need a sensor in the salt water container. Many people will forget to mix that every time.
If that goes empty, what happens is this:
The SW exchange pumps salt water out, but no salt water in.
Your ATO later notices water is low, so pumps fresh water in.
Repeat.
Salinity drops pretty rapidly.
And since water level actually stays pretty level, hard to notice.
Dave B
Guest
Good point Mark.. you would need 3 sensors if sensor C was not at min level.. then A / B are disabled
I personally dont see the water change itself as that big of a deal, but it seems the bigger "hassle" is dealing with the new and old water. With my setup, i can do a 50 gallon water change in under 20 mins so its not a big time deal, but dealing with the 50 gallons of waste water is need to figure out how to remove the salt out of it so i can dump it on my lawn!!!!
if sensor C was not at min level.. then A / B are disabled I personally dont see the water change itself as that big of a deal, but it seems the bigger "hassle" is dealing with the new and old water. With my setup, i can do a 50 gallon water change in under 20 mins so its not a big time deal, but dealing with the 50 gallons of waste water is
need to figure out how to remove the salt out of it so i can dump it on my lawn!!!! 
RandyC
Supporting Member
Since reefers are into DYI projects, maybe you could rig something like this http://m.wikihow.com/Desalinate-Water and get the output of the evaporated to water drip into a 50G rain barrel.