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[APD] RE: Continuous Flow Water changer
My system is similar to Dave's in that it can automatically change water,
but the "weak points" are set up in different places.
I have an automatic water top-off system that connects straight to the house
water line (ice box hookup kit), through a typical rain-bird sprinkler valve
that fills the tank until it's tripped by a float switch. Wereas Dave's
system will mess up if the overflow backs up for some reason, mine will
overflow if the float valve/sprinkler valve system manfunctions. Dual float
valves (wired in series, not parallel) will add redundancy, as would extra
overflows or larger diameter exit tubing (which I think Dave has now, 2
overflows). Both work, you just pick your poison.
The system is drilled tank w/ a canister filter. Instead of having the
water leave through an overflow standpipe, mine leaves through another valve
in the filtration loop. After the filter another sprinkler valve turns on
(under the tank) and a combination of gravity and the pump pushes water
through the valve instead of back up into the tank. As the water level in
the tank drops, the float valve trips and fills back up.
Output sprinkler valve is timed, the input valve is not. An advantage is
that I can Python my tank for cleaning and the tank automatically fills back
up (albeit slowly with the small diameter input tubing).
Here are some pictures of the auto-top off design with my old sump (I pulled
out the overflow for CO2 loss reasons). I ditched the sump in favor of the
canister and moved the float valve the top of the tank, rather than the sump
PVC holder.
http://pvelasco.net/CAASBBS/viewtopic.php?t=1246
Chris
"Engineering is the art of molding materials we do not wholly understand
into shapes we cannot precisely analyze so as to withstand forces we cannot
really predict in such a way that the community at large has no reason to
suspect the extent of our ignorance."
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