Push Button Water Change Anyone?

I like the idea, but this could be done much simpler if you didn't have a controller.


Removing waste water....DT/sump --> bulkhead --> waste line pipe -->ball valve --> bucket.

Adding new water....30g water storage can --> ball valve --> water line to tank(for new water) --> return over the rim of the tank or through a bulkhead.

Means of adding water would be easy. You could have the line gravity fed by having the a bulkhead in the lower section of the 30g (new water) can. Keep your news & old waterlines at the same rate. No pumps needed.

 

of course the waste container could be bigger at the reefers digression. I just show a 5g bucket because I only have a 30g tank.

You could also have it so the waste line goes directly outside.

 

the waste line is going outside, i cant install the bulkhead because the tank is full of water and i dont want to drill a loaded tank. and there will be a SW storage tank in the garage that will supply the new SW. all of the water is traveling ~70-80 feet so i think the pumps are needed or it would take forever. if it would even move at all

 

In my previous FOWLR tank, water changes were a pain...in my current system I tried to simplify things a bit.

I have a 55g sump, ~1/2 is the skimmer section. I setup my plumbing is such a way that I don't ever have to shutdown the system to do a water change.

I have a valve to shut-off flow to the skimmer section that holds roughly 20, and reroute the overflow to the next chamber by opening another valve.

I have a dedicated pump in my skimmer section to pump out the old water.

I also have a dedicated pump in my 35g make-up water container to pump new water into the skimmer section of the sump.

So my water changes usually take about 5-7 minutes to change ~15-18g. With the turn of 2 valves and the flip of 2 switches. Not fully automated but beats lugging buckets around, making a mess.

 

thats the goal, to make life easy. good job

 

OK sounds good then.

 

Be aware, constant dumping of salt outside will kill any plants in the area. Grass, trees, etc, and the area affected will get larger over time.

 

i will be on cement so im good

 

It'll roll off the cement, and end up the the dirt on the sides, unless you live in one of those there concrete jungles.

 

one of those there concrete jungles



pretty much, lol. the area where it will drain is cament like i said and there is a french drain built in so i am good . anything on that side of the house can die for all i care, is a field of weeds and snakes and undeveloped land. die weeds die