Daplatapus's upgrade

[daplatapus]

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to hooking it up and knowing I'm actually getting water changes done

I always have 30 gal of SW mixed and 30 gal of FW for top up in Brute cans. Because the pump has 2 heads and 1 motor, it takes out exactly the same as it puts back in. So my plan is to set the intake of the one head in the first chamber of my sump, where my drains are and the discharge in the drain. The other head will take water from my 30 gal SW can and will pump it into my final return chamber of the sump.
My initial plan is to change 1% a day for a total of 30% a month. There's a thread on RC that shows that accounting for pumping out new water with the old, you still end up changing about 28% volume. This particular pump is rated for 100 gpd change so I'll just do the math and control it via my Apex on one of the plugs on the EB8.
For starters, I'll just do it in a tub of normal water to make sure I have the water volumes right.
I will have to watch my SW reservoir vary carefully to make sure it doesn't empty, but the pump is actually rated to run dry so it won't hurt anything if it does, I just won't be doing any more water changes. My goal is to find a couple 60 gal containers so I have a bit more forgiveness.

[asylumdown]

Do the lengths of pipe/head pressure in your inlet outlet lines need to be the same for it to always pump the exact same amount of water in and out, or are peristaltic pumps not as affected by that?

[daplatapus]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

Do the lengths of pipe/head pressure in your inlet outlet lines need to be the same for it to always pump the exact same amount of water in and out, or are peristaltic pumps not as affected by that?

My understanding is that it doesn't matter. Because of the roller running over the tube, it actually meters out a set volume each rotation regardless of the length of the intake or discharge. There is a bit of debate on RC about which model/manufacturer does this to the greatest accuracy, but I figure if I check my tank salinity every month when I re-fill my water change can, I can adjust anything if I need to.

They do sell a huge variety of these pumps, from I think 4 gal per day upwards. I bought the 100 gpd so I can do large water changes if I need to.

[kien]

Whoa! That is one bad ass dosing pump!

[daplatapus]

Well, like i don't have enough to do, i have embarked on making a true fish room for my tank. Until now my sump, water change station, reactors, pump, QT tanks etc have just kind of populated the centre of the unfinished portion of my basement.
I have always wanted to decrease the humidity in our home, so last summer i had traded a small piece of work equipment for a used HRV. I have also gotten a used 125 gal tank to make a new sump. So before i go and set all this stuff up, I've decided it will be much easier and no doubt safer for my tank, if i built this room, drywalled, taped and painted it before hand. The space I have available is 13' X 9 1/2'
What I'd really appreciated is some input on layout. I think the actual sump location is determined already because of where the piping is coming down out of the ceiling from the tank upstairs. The plumbing for a sink is also set in stone, but it could be piped a few more feet from it's current location. Once I draw it all up, I'll put it up here. But in the meantime, here's the rough blank slate:

[daplatapus]

For better or worse:

[daplatapus]

Another possible layout I played with this morning: