Float Valve Problems

[TedH]

Originally Posted by mark

Just a comment/question from the other side (I'm using a float valve made for furnace humidifiers).

How many people out there have had their basements flooded or heard of other people having problems with their furnace humidifier. Seems the only problem I've ever heard, relating to the valve, was is they wouldn't flow.

Guessing there's more humidifiers than fish tanks.

I'm using the same system. I tried a Coralife float on my reservior and flooded my basment with R/O water. Since switching to the humidifier float I've had no further problems. Picked the float up at Home Hardware for 10 bucks. You couldn't use this one with salt water because it has a metal pin for the float lever, but since it isn't actually in the water it is fine for the R/O water.

[Snappy]

Originally Posted by Canadbis

I am interested to know more about the garbage can method. I am going away and am trying to figure out how to rig a top off system. What else is needed for the garbage can solution?
So far my Ideas are to cut the bottom off an 18L bottle of water and install a ball valve in some tubing so when the water level drops it opens the valve and tops up. but man am I scared to do that

I have my R/O fw going to the "garbage can" res. I keep the stored water aerated with a small air pump and air stones. I have a dosing pump connected to a timer(sometimes the sump's float valve sticks) and have it running to the sump to keep it topped up. You need to figure what the evap rate is and set it up to compensate. You are welcome to come over and take a look in person if that will help. It's a very simple set up.

[danny zubot]

I am going to turn the RO's 5g pressurized reservoir off and throttle back the input on the RO unit anyways.

Thats what I did prior to getting the auto shut off celeniod Christy mentioned above. It helps to save water any way.

Another bonus to having the auto top system running directly into the sump that many haven't thought of; Having fresh cold water frequently dumped into the tank also helps with cooling. My temp has been reduced about .75 to 1 degree since I added the top off system.

[wickedfrags]

Be mindful to use food grade storage containers for your RO/RODI water (or glass or acrylic of course). Especially important for somewhat long-term storage of water, some plastics have been known to leach plastics into the make-up water.

[Todd]

If anyone is interested, my tank made it though my time away no problem. I will likely do this same system again for future extended periods away (hooking my RO unit straight into a sump float valve).

The only problem is that my arrow crab didn't make it through with only flake being fed. I guess I should have thought of this fact, but I really didn't think it was going to be a problem to only have flake (with an auto timer).

[Pescador]

Glad your tank made it through with no problems, I saw this article the other day and reminded me of your thread.
Hooking up an RO Unit Directly to your sump - A Recipe for Disaster

[kfowler]

I currently have my RO hooked right into my sump with a kent float valve.

Can someone tell me exactly how the Kent shutoff kit that Kristy mentioned above works?

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=ro-kpfshut

[kfowler]

I also noticed that here

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=ro-kpfvkit

"The Float Valve Kit allows an RO to fill a reservoir to a desired level, then shut down water production completely.

This kit works from pressure only, no electricity.

Included within this kit is a pressure solenoid, float valve, check valve, a 1/8" elbow, a male 1/8" x 1/8" connector and 1 foot each of blue and orange tubing.

Not recommended for level control in aquariums."

[christyf5]

Right. Basically when the container fills, the float valve closes off the line. The backpressure then triggers the solenoid and shuts off the water to the RO unit. They don't recommend that you use it directly to your aquarium because if something fails your aquarium fills with RO water and can kill everything with a massive drop in salinity.

[kfowler]

But I could hook this shutoff kit into my sump so if my float fails at least my house won't flood?