Automatic waterchange with top off design - please gimme some feedback

[Milad]

So i woke up in the middle of the night (4:37am) with this brilliant design for a automatic water change system

Here is the model of it:


So here is basically what happens
All this is wired into the Apex controller and break out box
A pump sits in the left side of the sump by the skimmer and just waits for XXX time. When the time comes (lets say Sunday 4pm) Apex controller turns off the skimmer and return pump and solenoids. This levels the water out in the sump. The pump on the far right of the sump starts pumping out water from the skimmer area down a drain. Once it hits the lower float valve it stops the pump. Next the pump in the SW mix container turns on and starts pumping water into where the drain pump was pumping out of until it hits the upper float valve. BOOM, water change

After this is done, return pump is on, skimmer is on
solenoids turn back on and the sw mix solenoid starts pumping water into the sw mix container until it hits the float switch. i come home from drinking around 8pm, pour in XXX amount of salt into the sw mix container and wait until the next water change.

thoughts?

The water changes will only be as big as whatever my skimmer area can hold.

[mseepman]

The only thing that I would throw into the mix is that when you turn off the return pump, your sump will fill with some additional water from the display until the back siphon stops. At that time, the water level will most likely be over your walled off skimmer area and you will be doing a much larger water change that you originally planned. As such, you just have to make sure you have enough fresh SW available to handle this amount.

[Milad]

wouldnt it only be the amount of water thats in the pipe that is draining from the main display?

my SW mix should be big enough but if its going way over the wall i dont want the pump pulling in any refgium stuff.

[plutoniumJoe]

It depends. If you nozzles for your return are below water surface they will drain until air is let into the pipe to break the siphon. Unplug your return and see how much of your display drains to give yourself an idea.

[Atomikk]

This is a similar design that I have in mind for my setup. I also have a similar controller (RKE) which can be programmed like the Apex. What I would do is time how long it takes for all of your syphon to break. Program that time, plus about 1 to 2 minutes into the Apex just before the it starts your pump in the sump. This would prevent you from dumping out too much water from the sump.

[mark]

Seen a really simple automatic water change system (believe was on RC) that was just dual matched dosing pumps running at the same time, one to pull from a reservior, other from the sump. Pumps were on a timer with on times throughout the day to change about 15 litres.

No high flow pumps, no float switches or water level sensors to mess up. Being matched wouldn't confuse a ATO.

[Bloodasp]

That would be a lot of automation but it seems doable.

[golf nut]

Originally Posted by Milad

So i woke up in the middle of the night (4:37am) with this brilliant design for a automatic water change system

Here is the model of it:

So here is basically what happens
All this is wired into the Apex controller and break out box
A pump sits in the left side of the sump by the skimmer and just waits for XXX time. When the time comes (lets say Sunday 4pm) Apex controller turns off the skimmer and return pump and solenoids. This levels the water out in the sump. The pump on the far right of the sump starts pumping out water from the skimmer area down a drain. Once it hits the lower float valve it stops the pump. Next the pump in the SW mix container turns on and starts pumping water into where the drain pump was pumping out of until it hits the upper float valve. BOOM, water change

After this is done, return pump is on, skimmer is on
solenoids turn back on and the sw mix solenoid starts pumping water into the sw mix container until it hits the float switch. i come home from drinking around 8pm, pour in XXX amount of salt into the sw mix container and wait until the next water change.

thoughts?

The water changes will only be as big as whatever my skimmer area can hold.

Did you do a wiring diagram?

[Milad]

there is no real wiring
im using apex controller, everything plugs into a 8port power strip that comes with the controller and the floats plug into the break out box

[banditpowdercoat]

Have you got your Solenoids yet? I have a shipment coming in soon, if you need some.