evaporation,auto fill

brucewrs

brucewrs

Member
10 gallons in 3 days??That is alot of evaporation..So my auto fill sytem only lasts 3 days.Anyone else with this problem?Maybe I should get a bigger fresh water holding tank?
This is what I have so far...
210 gallon mostly fish (around 20) with a few inverts.Around 300lbs of live rock.Pro clear 400 wet dry and a 24x16x16 fuge that is connected.Two 1550 gph pumps that are in the main sump going back into the tank.I dont have the glass lids on because of the heat from the 542 watt system and a 130watt pc besides..Berlin XL skimmer and a ETTS devil which is going on this week.
This hobby is getting real expensive..LOL
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
You want the tank to evaporte......I don't think it's excessive.....the tank is cooling itself......
 
brucewrs

brucewrs

Member
10 gallons in 3 days? I thought that was alot..Maybe I will just get a bigger holding tank.Thanks,Bruce
 
tgfrench

tgfrench

New Member
I burn off approx 2 gallons a day off a 55 gal. I finally got mine connected to my new ro unit though a float switch in the sump. So 10 gallons in three days off a tank the size of yours isn't so much.
 
true74

true74

New Member
Tgfrench how did you set up the float switch up in the sump. I was thinking of doing that. Do you have a pic of it?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by tgfrench
I burn off approx 2 gallons a day off a 55 gal. I finally got mine connected to my new ro unit though a float switch in the sump. So 10 gallons in three days off a tank the size of yours isn't so much.
I advise you to watch that float valve very carefully and make sure it's closing properly.....Over time with addition of calcium and such it is possible to clog the float just enough and cause it to stay open and cause the RO/DI to start pumping water to your sump, and in turn lowering your salinity and worse case flooding your system.........FYI.....It's not really adviseable to do this.
 
gatorcsm

gatorcsm

Member
I've never had problems with my float valve and calcium deposits (most float valves are designed to have only the float sitting in the water), as it does not really come in contact with the water enough to get any calcium deposits (occasionally salt deposits if the water rises due to a power failure or a change in pump line up) but even then, the ro/di auto-rinses most by running through the mechanical joint.
but...
I do agree that it is good to keep an eye on your float and the water level to make sure everything seems to be going right.
 
gatorcsm

gatorcsm

Member
You believe that the use of float valves as part of a auto-top off is questionable? I don't necessarily agree, although on the surface it can be an easy conclusion to come to.
The way i use mine, is to have an electronic controller regulate the amount of water in a vesel, with a sensor to cut off flow to that if water volume in the tank gets to a certain level.
Then, the vessel that feeds the sump has a float valve regulating the tank volume. I have had good luck with it, and can't find many likely causes for failure.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
I think the practice is risky......some get away with it others don't.....I don't see a problem with it if you have a controlled amount of water that is connected to the float valve, but to hook it right to the RO/DI unit is just asking for trouble.....Anything under the clear blue sky could cause that baby to stick, and then what?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by GatorCSM
You believe that the use of float valves as part of a auto-top off is questionable? I don't necessarily agree, although on the surface it can be an easy conclusion to come to.
The way i use mine, is to have an electronic controller regulate the amount of water in a vesel, with a sensor to cut off flow to that if water volume in the tank gets to a certain level.
Then, the vessel that feeds the sump has a float valve regulating the tank volume. I have had good luck with it, and can't find many likely causes for failure.
Again your setup has a backup; safety involved tgfrench is hooked right to the RO/DI unit......Man what is going to stop the RO/DI unit from running if the valve fails???? Why do check valves fail?
 
fishstix4u

fishstix4u

Member
i can speak on this topic tonight.. my brother is gone away till tomarow. been gone for a few days... i've been going up to feed his fish and what not and i walked in to a flood today!!!!!!!!! i spent the last 3 hours putting together a skimatic adding 2 other fail safes and a normally open latching relay in case of a power outage and other items.. i added a secondary hold tank and small pump with a double backed up circuit to remove water from the sump if overflowing is present...and if the over flow becomes in use power to the solinoid for the RO is completly disabled..i have to agree with acrylic on the reliability of float switches.. i have been called a cheese ball for what i did on my own set up but belive it to be as basic and simple as possable to remove failure.. i used a basic pin swith i got from an elevator tech in the family.. its a small lever activated switch nothing special at all.. normally open. i mounted it above the sump in a small acrylic box.. i drilled a hole in the box and in the lever on the switch.. i tied fishing line to it and ran it out of the box... i then put a nice red and white bobber on the other end... so hight can be ajusted.. and i turned on the top off... when the bobber got to a desired hieght i clipped it on.. now when watr drops about an inch the weight of the bobber actuates the switch.. the water fills.. when it gets high enough the swtich lets up... the water stops.. the switch is sealed up other than a very very small hole.. and no water or salt gets in there! looks funny as hell but come on... i thought it was a great idea! im sure some will disagree.. but it hasnt let me down..
 
tgfrench

tgfrench

New Member
lols I didn't mean to start a fire storm about the float switch. Anyways mine has an adjustable float and ONLY the float sits in the water. Yea they can stick, I've heard stories. I've also heard stories about dirty ice from jet planes falling through roofs and smacking some poor sap asleep in bed. Its a choice i've made and I'll live with it.
 
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