aotomatic weekly water changes

Bowhunter4250

Active member
Just got my system all running and programed for a 15 gallon weekly water change thanks to my son Mark Dennis ! works awesome !!
i have a 180 gallon display and a 210 gallon 8' basement sump , under my sump i have a 55 gallon tank for top off and a 75 gallon tank that holds my pre mixed " fresh salt water .

next to my sump i have another 55 gallon tank that i mix my water and dissolve my salt , now every Sunday at 8:59 my apex will turn off my T/O sensor , 9:00 the first pump will turn on for 9 minutes and drain approx. 15 gallons then turn off , the "fresh salt water " pump then turns on for 6 minutes and re fills my sump almost exactly to the line at the start . after this my T/O sensor will go back on and Ive just done a 15 gallon water change without even touching anything ! and the best part is the tank stays running the entire time !!

once a month i have to fill the 55 with R/O water and dump a bag of salt and let it circulate and dissolve , plug a pump in which pumps that into the holding tank for " fresh salt water " and im done !

its pretty cool to watch and am so glad i listened to my son to try this !
 

Wildisme

Active member
This is pretty nice. I get too paranoid to automate everything. I've always tried to setup pumps etc for easy water changes. But to trust a programmer to do the whole process is hard for me to trust.

I hope this works as it sounds like it will help you just enjoy the tank more.


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IHaveCrabs

Premium member
This is pretty nice. I get too paranoid to automate everything. I've always tried to setup pumps etc for easy water changes. But to trust a programmer to do the whole process is hard for me to trust.

I hope this works as it sounds like it will help you just enjoy the tank more.


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I'm more concerned about one of the pumps deciding not to work and the ATO either not topping off or topping off 15 gallons. Although, Apex can set alerts for both (ATO not running enough or too long).

Either way, very cool!
 

ultimatemj

Active member
Do you have a diagram? I'm curious how you are getting the same amount of water in/out and where you are pulling/draining the old water from (does it get collected detritus out or just what ever water is flowing through).

Thanks!
 

Bowhunter4250

Active member
View attachment 16673
Do you have a diagram? I'm curious how you are getting the same amount of water in/out and where you are pulling/draining the old water from (does it get collected detritus out or just what ever water is flowing through).

Thanks!
see if this works ... sorry its a little blurry , pretty simple actually , im checking everything every day and if i know im not going to be home for the water change to start or stop i can simply turn it off thru the apex and do it later when i am home to watch
 

Bowhunter4250

Active member
Do you have a diagram? I'm curious how you are getting the same amount of water in/out and where you are pulling/draining the old water from (does it get collected detritus out or just what ever water is flowing through).

Thanks!
the " dirty " water pump is in the first part of my sump , it drains whatever gets sucked in , it pushes the water thru a clear tube across the ceiling about 9' and down into my drain , this is in my basement " fish room " un finished
 
i, too, am extremely paranoid about automating something like this...i'm so paranoid that i don't even have an ATO, i do it all by hand...i also do small daily water changes by hand, and bigger ones biweekly - keeps parameters stable af
 

xj_matt

Premium member
i, too, am extremely paranoid about automating something like this...i'm so paranoid that i don't even have an ATO, i do it all by hand...i also do small daily water changes by hand, and bigger ones biweekly - keeps parameters stable af
I wish I had all that time on my hands lol

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i, too, am extremely paranoid about automating something like this...i'm so paranoid that i don't even have an ATO, i do it all by hand...i also do small daily water changes by hand, and bigger ones biweekly - keeps parameters stable af
I wish I had all that time on my hands lol
 
I wish I had all that time on my hands lol

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I wish I had all that time on my hands lol
It's not really that much work Matt. I make 10g of fresh saltwater every Sunday. Everyday using a 1 gallon jug I take 1 gallon out of tank and put one gallon of the fresh saltwater in. Takes less than 5 minutes. If I miss a day or two I take 2 gallons out and 2 gallons in. Still less than 5 minutes a day.

Do smaller water changes frequently over large water changes infrequently. Keeps your parameter stable.
 

Sawdonkey

Premium member
i, too, am extremely paranoid about automating something like this...i'm so paranoid that i don't even have an ATO, i do it all by hand...i also do small daily water changes by hand, and bigger ones biweekly - keeps parameters stable af
Wow! I'm so lazy I dread filling up my 25 gallon ATO jug. I can't images worrying about tipoff every day.
 

#theMatrix

Active member
Changes?

Well. I do 5gal weekly changes just for kicks. Now that i have the manifold. I keep 35gal mixed water and this is done over a month and a half. So its like a 35gal change monthly? Make sence?

But if i had 5 spare small pumps laying around i woudnt mind doing something similar to your auto change. I would short change it just in case.
Maybe even putting a float valve on a container that the dorty water drains to that shuts off the said pump. Then the fill one would be used in relevance to the ato top of sensor or similar.
 

madjoe

Premium member
Im working on similar using float switches and reef keeper . R u worries at all that pump slow down over time idk if its a issue just thought thats been in my head and reason i went with float switches instead of time . But havent worked out how its going to be programed yet if it can even be programed lol
 

Bowhunter4250

Active member
Im working on similar using float switches and reef keeper . R u worries at all that pump slow down over time idk if its a issue just thought thats been in my head and reason i went with float switches instead of time . But havent worked out how its going to be programed yet if it can even be programed lol
Yes makes sense with float switches the only thing with that is if anything were to ever get stuck and it stays open ?? there are always things that can and will go wrong with any set up anyone has at any time ...... its just the nature of the beast , i personally monitor my tank and set up very closely , not to say anyone else doesn't or others aren't more meticulous about things. So can thing go wrong with this ..... ABSOLUTELY ! right now both pumps are brand new , they only run for a few minutes once a week so they should last a while , not very much pressure , the biggest concern i have is coraline building up on the shafts or something because they just sit in my sump ?

i will keep updates as time goes to how this is working
 

cpschult

Member
I have a larger dual headed peristaltic pump on a timer. Pumps out the same amount it puts in. Just need to make sure your saltwater reservoir is full.
 

madjoe

Premium member
Yes makes sense with float switches the only thing with that is if anything were to ever get stuck and it stays open ?? there are always things that can and will go wrong with any set up anyone has at any time ...... its just the nature of the beast , i personally monitor my tank and set up very closely , not to say anyone else doesn't or others aren't more meticulous about things. So can thing go wrong with this ..... ABSOLUTELY ! right now both pumps are brand new , they only run for a few minutes once a week so they should last a while , not very much pressure , the biggest concern i have is coraline building up on the shafts or something because they just sit in my sump ?

i will keep updates as time goes to how this is working
Hmm u right chit lol maybe i can use floats and timers see how long takes to fill til sensor trips then add maybe 30s that way theres a safety thanks for kicking my brain back to drive lol
 

Bowhunter4250

Active member
Hmm u right chit lol maybe i can use floats and timers see how long takes to fill til sensor trips then add maybe 30s that way theres a safety thanks for kicking my brain back to drive lol
no problem man .... Ive seen your tanks and gotten frags from you ... beautiful !! i have 2 small kids so time is very valuable , for now for me this works great ! i don't have to spend the time every other week or weekly getting wet , buckets , hoses etc.... my parameters should stay stable and healthier overall with doing weekly water changes ? and if i remember correctly you just recently set up a bigger tank correct ? you moved ? im sure you will figure something out :)
 
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