Can you put automatic top off in sump?

[lennon]

I am totally new to this and getting ready to order 65 gallon tank. I was getting the oceanic style 2 sump which is on the bigger side and wondered if I can do an automatic top off system without having a 5 gallon container on the outside of the tank. I have kids and that would be a disaster. Should I get a smaller sump and then fit the container next to it?
I definitely want the ato system in order to avoid topping off so often.
thanks in advance for the help.
p.s. if anyone has a picture of this type of setup..please send it over.

 

[tree]

My auto topoff goes into the sump. If you have one that is the place to do it. My fresh water tank is external. if you have room in your cabinet you could certainly put the extra water there. If you are doing a gravity fed top off it will need to be higher than the water level in your sump. If you can't put it higher than the sump, you'll need some sort of controlled pump to do the topoff. I use the Tunze osmolator to control a pump to do the topoff But there are other controllers/switches that can do that as well

 

[lennon]

Originally Posted by tree
My auto topoff goes into the sump. If you have one that is the place to do it. My fresh water tank is external. if you have room in your cabinet you could certainly put the extra water there. If you are doing a gravity fed top off it will need to be higher than the water level in your sump. If you can't put it higher than the sump, you'll need some sort of controlled pump to do the topoff. I use the Tunze osmolator to control a pump to do the topoff But there are other controllers/switches that can do that as well
Thanks for the info.
I don't need to have any water lines run for the atopoff..do I?
Sorry I am really new to this.

 

[chipmaker]

I am in the process of setting up a 90 gal with a 40 gal sump and also interested in a auto top off. Can just a float be used to shut off the water flow from a resivoir. Reason I ask is I used to raise poultry, and have a lot of new leftover auto float valves, that were used to keep a constant level of water in a humidifier pan in the hatchers and incubators, and in over 20 years I have never had one of them fail and leak......I used 55 gal drums filled with water and ran 1/4" vynil tube from these drums to the humidifier resivoir float valve. I could easily incorporate one of these float valves into my sump if its something foks have been doing........

 

[lennon]

Yes, I have heard all you need is the float valve. I am hooking up a ro/di machine to it too. That way it tops of the best water and avoids having to do it every week.
I am going to purchase a couple. I think someone recommended 2. One for the sump and one for the ro/di to shut off when container is full.
good luck

 

[tree]

You can certainly use a float valve. Many people do. There are a number of ways to do automated topoff
1. Drip system. Either purchased or DIY, this is a reservoir of water that drips slowly to the tank. The number of drips over a certain period of time determines how much water is added and how fast. This method relies on gravity and is usually a smaller reservoir than the other methods. The reservoir has to be filled more frequently but many people use this method to dose kalkwasser.
2. Float Valve from simple reservoir. This method also relies on gravity. As the water decreases below a certain level, the float valve opens the water line from the reservoir. Gravity forces the fresh water in until the valve floats back up to a preset point.
3. Float Valve from RO/DI unit. This method requires that your tank be fairly close to your RO/DI unit. A line is run from the unit to a float valve in your tank. As the water decreases below a certain level, the float valve opens the water line from the RO/DI unit allowing fresh water in until the valve floats back up to a preset point.
4. Float Switch. This method can be used when the tank is not located close to an RO/DI unit and gravity based methods cannot be used to fill the tank. A switch will require electrical power, a water reservoir, and a pump. Many of the float switches available today use optical sensors to determine when to add water and another sensor to detect when the water level is too high. As the water decreases below a certain level, the sensors turn on a pump in a seperate reservoir to pump the fresh water into the system. The same sensor determines when the the water has come to the correct level and turns the pump off. This allows the reservoir to be at the same level or below the sump/tank to receive the topoff.
It is best to auto topoff to a sump if you have one as this allows the freshwater to mix with the saltwater prior to entering your display tank and many people prefer this for aesthetic reasons as well.
If you use a float valve or switch in your sump with most designs it goes in the chamber for your return pump. You can determine which chamber the float valve/switch needs to be in by looking to see where the water level drops.
I personally use a float switch for the automated topoff. Hope this helps

 

[chipmaker]

I think I am going to use a resivoir with a float in it, that will shut off and control the water from my RO/DI unit, and another in the sump to control the flow from the resivoir. I have a liquid level sensor, but I was going to use that to indicate my resivoirs level. Be easy to see if sump is low as the tank would also be low........
Thanks for the info

 

[lennon]

Thank you so much for being so helpful.
I have a question and it may sound dumb to some..but keep in mind I am new here.
If I hook up the rodi by the tank..the ro/di water is what will fill the sump once the float valve senses it. But what feeds the ro/di the water. I don't have access to a water line nearby. How does that work? I don't understand because I also heard there is alot of rejected waste water that comes from a ro/di unit. Where would that water go? That could be gallons?
Otherwise I assume I will have to just refill another container with the water...
I'm confused about that one..sorry

 

[escape2thewater]

You will have to run a supply line & a drain for your ro/di. You just need to run a line like an icemaker uses for your fridge to feed the ro/di then you can drain it wherever you want. Most drain thiers into thier sink but some drain outside to water thier plants. It just up to you. For my system I use a 5 gallon resivoir just incase there is a float valve failure I dont have to worry about my tank turing into a freshwater tank. Just my .02.
Escape
:happyfish

 

[lennon]

Originally Posted by escape2thewater
You will have to run a supply line & a drain for your ro/di. You just need to run a line like an icemaker uses for your fridge to feed the ro/di then you can drain it wherever you want. Most drain thiers into thier sink but some drain outside to water thier plants. It just up to you. For my system I use a 5 gallon resivoir just incase there is a float valve failure I dont have to worry about my tank turing into a freshwater tank. Just my .02.
Escape
:happyfish

I don't have access to a water line and such. So I guess I will have to use a reservoir and feed it the ro/di water and that will go into the sump. Oh well...just alittle more work I have to do.
thanks for the info

 

[tree]

Don't despair. I have no water line close to my tank either. I got a foodsafe container to hold the RO/DI output which is in an inside closet. When I need to top off my reservoir (its in the garage) I roll out my 50' tubing put the end in the reservoir or in the SW mixing tank (whichever I need to fill up) and then go turn on the MaxiJet 1200 PowerHead thats in the RO/DI output tank. When I'm done, I just turn the powerhead off and roll the hose back up

The output tank uses a float valve to start and stop the RO/Di unit to refill the tank.

 

[lennon]

Originally Posted by tree
Don't despair. I have no water line close to my tank either. I got a foodsafe container to hold the RO/DI output which is in an inside closet. When I need to top off my reservoir (its in the garage) I roll out my 50' tubing put the end in the reservoir or in the SW mixing tank (whichever I need to fill up) and then go turn on the MaxiJet 1200 PowerHead thats in the RO/DI output tank. When I'm done, I just turn the powerhead off and roll the hose back up

The output tank uses a float valve to start and stop the RO/Di unit to refill the tank.
Good info..But I have nothing near by except a kitchen sink. But with so much wasted water from the ro/di unit..I wanted to connect it in the basement so i can at least have the waste go into the washing maching for use.
Do you think it would work if I just put some kind of reservoir in the sump area and just refill manually with the ro/di water and then have the float valve put in?
For ANY ro/di system...do you need to have somewhere for the waste water to go? a line or such. Is there any filtration system that I can just manually put a reservoir and have it feed it the tap water and then it comes out clean without needing a line for the waste water to go through? I assume not..but figured I would ask..
Thanks so much for all the help everyone!!

 

[tree]

It should work. Your reservoir in the sump area will need to be higher than the float valve for it to work.
For a full RO/DI filtration, I think all the systems out there produce waste water which is drained away.