Herbieace's "Frankenfrag-Tank"

mechnical/gravity ATO plumbing question

The super deluxe water vessel in the picture below (on the right) is actually sitting on top of the shelf now. My RODI feeds into that with a float switch. I just got this:http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=20412 and I am not sure how to attach it to the water storage container so it will feed the sump below. I don't think just starting a siphon on it will work very well. It's the same pipe as the RODI. Is there a bulkhead for that size? The fitting on the front of that vessel now is regular 3/4 but It's literally cobbled together from ACE hardware parts and not really viable. I also use it for manual water, so this will have to be an additional connection. Anyone else using gravity for ATO?View attachment 4147
 
One day I hope to have my RODI unit directly feed into a container.... For now I have to move water all the flippin time. And we use it for our drinking and cooking water too with a water cooler.
 
yogoshio said:
One day I hope to have my RODI unit directly feed into a container.... For now I have to move water all the flippin time. And we use it for our drinking and cooking water too with a water cooler.
Click to expand...

Oh Yogo, it's soooo nice. I always have 10 gallons on demand and I never have to worry about leaving it running. I used to just put a bucket in my mop sink and probably ran hundreds of gallons of wasted water and filter media. I did this little personal water tower a few months ago and I am really happy with it. I've had soooooo many problems with my home's sump pumps that I really just couldn't see myself using an electronic ATO system. This new system evaporates about 10 times more than my NC 28 (for that i just use a plastic cup about once a week) so I was getting pretty tired of manually filling it every day (even though that has meant just turning on the spigot). I hope this thing is as dependable as the BRS one has been. Failure will most likely mean a sucking sound though :)
 
yogoshio said:
One day I hope to have my RODI unit directly feed into a container.... For now I have to move water all the flippin time. And we use it for our drinking and cooking water too with a water cooler.
Click to expand...

My rodi feeds into a 30G Brute which is linked to another 30G Brute which has a heater and powerhead for mixing salt. This way I always have top-off and salt water ready to go. Got the idea from DanSreef. Soooooooo convenient.
 
EricTheRed said:
My rodi feeds into a 30G Brute which is linked to another 30G Brute which has a heater and powerhead for mixing salt. This way I always have top-off and salt water ready to go. Got the idea from DanSreef. Soooooooo convenient.
Click to expand...

is SW good for a long time with just that (heat and movement)? I have always wondered how quickly it goes bad.
 
Herbie said:
is SW good for a long time with just that (heat and movement)? I have always wondered how quickly it goes bad.
Click to expand...

Depending on the salt, there can be sediment build up if it sits too long. Right now I'm using Tropic Marin and get very little sediment. I'll usually brew 30G at a time and do 15G wc's each week.
 
updated pic. Everything is running really well. The 20 on the right is plumbed in with a 3/4 PVC overflow and a magnum 350 canister filter as the return (also functioning as a carbon reactor). I just have a marineland doublebright LED on it. It would obviously make a good fuge, but are there any other sugestions on stocking that? (right now it is just live sand and fiji mud.) I'm just cobbling together stuff as I find it, but this system is really turning out to be a fun learning experience.
View attachment 4301
If anyone is looking for a super cheap alternative to an overflow or drilling, I am amazed at this PVC overflow design. The only problem I have had was when the check valve got knocked off. Once I siliconed that in place it has run like a champ. It's NOT a siphon. if you shut off the canister it will drain down and then start right back up again when water flows to it. Physics is really cool.
 
There are quite a few chemical reactions that occur when you mix up salt water. I let mine brew for at least a week before use. I use a 40 gallon stock tank and use gravity to do all water changes. I do about 25 gallons a week in my water change. I use reef crystals and I have to clean the stock tank out after each box of salt. The inside is coated with sediment. If it is not there it is in the display tank where it shouldn't be. I use the same design sump and no filter socks as all they do is cause more maintenance and fill with pods and such. This design also guarantees perfect flow thru refugium because it can be dialed in and a constant depth for the skimmer. IME this design rocks.
 
sweet set ups bro.. Is all your tanks connected tot one sump? I like the pvc overflow idea.. is it hard to do?
 
my NC28 is separate from this system, but all of the tanks you see in the pic above are connected. I think technically the canister filter is also acting as a sump (or closed loop/reactor), but all of the water is flowing through the skimmer chamber at some point. The PVC overflow is soooo easy and costs about $6. If this were a tank in a carpeted area (This is basically right over my basement drain) I might consider running two of these side by side for back-up. I basically copied this guy, but he leaves out a few details.
[video=youtube_share;65yVr7DiDls]http://youtu.be/65yVr7DiDls[/video]
I'm about to pick up a sump and overflow box tonight, so I'm going to see what creative way I can work that in as well.

I have HOB filters running on the larger tanks and a korilia nano running in the fuge incase I ever lose plumbing continuity, but it definitely hasn't happened yet.
 
Do we EVER stop messing with these tanks? Had the rock (thanks again Jeppun21), bored with just frag racks. I also changed out my 3/4 PVY overflow with a 1 inch on my mineral fuge. Much better flow now.
View attachment 5561
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top