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Re: Solenoid Valve for water changes



Alan,
I have a water supply line that goes into a PVC manifold I built. The 
manifold has three electric Rainbird irrigation valves attached to it. These 
are controlled by an irrigation timer. Each valve feeds a separate aquarium. 
The valve sends water thru a GAC water filter for dechlorination and on into 
the tank via vinyl tubing. The valves are adjustable in their flow rates. I 
have them set at 1/2 gallon per minute. I regulate the amount of water that 
goes into each tank by the amount of minutes the valves are open. Two minutes 
equals 1 gallon, ten minutes equals 5 gallons, etc.

I have a 65, 90 and 125 gallon planted tank on this system. Whatever 
percentage each day you want to do will determine how long you program the 
valves to stay on. My standpipes are plumbed to 3/8" ID tubing that carries 
the wastewater to the drain. I keep the flow rate into the tanks relatively 
slow so as not to flow more water in than the standpipes can drain. 

The regulation factor is on the supply side, not the drainage side. The 
standpipes are a simple gravity feed setup, nothing complicated, and about as 
foolproof as you can get.

I add a certain amount of SeaChem Equilibrium and Alkaline Buffer to each 
tank each day to maintain GH and KH at 4 each. My water comes out of the tap 
with GH/KH less than one, believe it or not. I stopped using R/O a couple 
years ago. Didn't need it.   



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