Cali Kid Corals

Best Automatic Water Change Setup

J

Julius Chen

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I finally find a route in crawl space between garage and display tank. It will be ~50 feet run of tubing one way.

1. What are the best equipment you'd suggest to use?

I read about Neptune DOS, but heard the clear tubing recommended by Neptune kinks easily so it was a pain. Most folks seem to have air leak problem when using 1/4" RODI tubing instead. Saw one guy modified the to and from connectors on DOS to accept 1/4" tubing. Not sure how well it worked though long term.

If I use the clear tubing x 2 (for to and from DOS), and tape both to an RODI tubing as support to prevent kinks. The RODI tubing will also serve to replenish ATO reservoir inside the tank. Any concern? I'd let them go through 1" PVC pipe to protect from rodent chewing inside the crawl space.

2. My Apex will sit under the display tank. Thinking to use 4 float switches to monitor fluid levels - so I will be running 4 set of wires along the clear tubing and RODI tubing inside the PVC pipe. Am I missing any?
a. x1 switch to minitor if new salt water is too low in brute can in garage.
b. x1 switch to monitor if RODI water too low in the fresh water tank in garage (where I will mix Kalkwasser);
c. x2 switch to monitor low and high water level in ATO reservoir below DT stand

Also contemplating use 1" PVC pipe in crawl space to link DT to garage, so I can put skimmer, ATO reservoir, automatic water change setup at garage. Downside is larger foot print requirement, and heat loss in crawl space during winter time.

Thanks!
Julius
 
Yeah, hard to connect the DOS pumps to RODI tubing.
Spectrapure ones work well with RODI though. That is what I use. About 30'.

With DOS, suggest you use standard drip system tubing.
Hard enough not to kink/collapse.
Good UV protection.
Right near the pump, convert to the regular DOS tubing with simple drip system barbed fitting.
 
@rygh, Are you refering to Spectrapure LiterMeter III which is discontinued? You will need two sets, one for new and one for old salt water?

@jonmos75, will try surethane if i use DOS. Why do u need to use that many colors? How do u protect tubing from rodents and kinking?
 
Mine is about 30 feet. It’s not plumbing that’s being run, just 1/4 Rodi tubing. The dos can handle that. Having a remote sump 50 feet away is another story.

I used the dos for a few months but I found it too noisy. Now I’m using a dual head masterflex which is completely quiet, and can potentially change out a hundred gallons of water in a day (if I run it super fast, but then it gets noisy). Currently changing 2.5 gallons per day. How are you planning on draining the old salt water?


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Are u sure 1/4” rodi tubing works well with DOS? Heard cases where it leaks air.

Draining wise, plan to split the tubing and drain jnto two drain pipes in the crawl space. Splitting to two is in case one drain pipe is plugged. Or I guess install on check valve in line of the tubing should be good enough?

I remember you tapped into your drain pipe using the tapping tool I loaned you? Was it easy?

How much does the masterflex dual head cost? Does rodi tubing work here too?

Gablami said:
Mine is about 30 feet. It’s not plumbing that’s being run, just 1/4 Rodi tubing. The dos can handle that. Having a remote sump 50 feet away is another story.

I used the dos for a few months but I found it too noisy. Now I’m using a dual head masterflex which is completely quiet, and can potentially change out hundreds of gallons of water in a day (if I run it super fast, but then it gets noisy). Currently changing 2.5 gallons per day. How are you planning on draining the old salt water?


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One of the big advantages to the DOS is that it can run forwards and reverse. I had my AWC setup on one head and used a couple check valves and a ‘t’ fitting so that when it ran one direction it pumped water out of the system to a drain and when it ran the other way it drew water out of my SW reservoir and back to the tank. Then I had the other head free for my CaRx or Kalk or whatever. I’ve always just used regular RO tubing with my DOS and never had any issue. As far as the noise, @Gablami is right, it’s far from silent but I’ve got mine in my garage so I don’t hear it. Plus I had my AWC set to start when everyone was sleeping.
 
If you noticed I did not say 1/4" I said the exact measurements of the DOS tubing 4mm ID x 6mm OD. However some 1/4" tubing does work it all depends on the wall thickness as some will seal better then others.

I run them in a 1" Liquid Tight conduit to protect them from rodents and UV.

Here is the colors for the different tubes going to the tank:

Red = RO/DI waste (Goes to 55g barrel to water the yard)
Green = New Salt Water
Yellow = Old Sat Water
Clear = ATO RO/DI
LT Blue = Ca Feed pump (Controlled by another DOS)
DK Blue = AcroPower
 
Rodi tubing worked for me on the dos. You just need to fiddle with it (maybe warm it up with a blow dryer before pushing it on). @RandyC had a great deal for a used masterflex, and it may even be a dual head (not sure). Dual heads mean the same comes in and goes out. The rubber tubing for the peristaltic pumps goes to a nipple which can connect to standard Rodi tubing.

Yes I used your tapping tool which I still have. Would love to return it one of these days.

37ca48b94f3dbd63841099e30b046a25.jpg


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RandyC,

Nothing beats helping out a reefer rookie! And people are watching you....

Let me know when you make a decision. I can wait several weeks to 2 months.

Thanks,
Juliusl
 
I have a setup waiting for time to install too just like you guys going to do my auto water change with the masterflex.


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I had to buy my dual channel masterflex head separately new. It’s lucky to have one of those heads available used.


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Folks, here is my plan for AWC and ATO, with a few questions.

A. Equipment List:
1. AWC: Masterflex 7523-80 peristaltic pump at garage, 40~50 feet away from tank/sump in family room.
2. ATO: RODI in garage, feeding 20g tank for mixing kalkwasser with RODI. A pump in the 20g tank will replenish a 10G ATO reservoir inside the stand, again 40~50 feet away in family room.
3. 1xEB8 and 1x Apex controller inside the tank, and 1xEB8 at garage.
4. Couple of float switches (not sure how many and for what purpose yet), probably all horizontal mount type.

B. Setup:
1. AWC will use 1/4" RODI tubing over crawl space, inside 1" PVC pipes. Plan to run 5 sets of tubings (1 for fresh SW, 1 for sucking old SW out of sump, and 1 for draining old SW to drain pipe in crawls pace, and 2x as extra in case of future needs).
2. ATO will use a 5/8" black flexible vinyl hose for pumping RODI from 20g tank in garage to the 10g ATO reservoir inside the stand. This hose will go through the same 1" PVC pipes hosing the 5 sets of RODI tubings.
3. I will run 1 line of aquabus cable, and 4~6 pair of 22 gauge stranded electric wires in a separate 1" PVC pipe, or those gray electrical conduit, along the side of the 1" pipe mentioned above.

C. Questions:
1. Can someone recommend a place to buy 40~50 feet long USB cable that is compatible with Apex controller and EB8? The longest aquabus cable is 30 feet (?) only and pricey.
2. Pls recommend how many float switches I many need to buy, and where they should be located (garage vs. family room where the tank/sump is).
3. I can connect those float switches to the EB8 in the garage, and then the Apex controller at family room can control this EB8 remotely, hence no need at all to run 22 gauge sensor wires between garage and family room?
4. Do I need to add 1 or 2 power cords to the 1" electrical conduit mentioned in B.3 above? Don't think I need to since Apex can control the EB8 at each location.
5. Am I compliant with the building code?

Pls add if I missed anything.

Thanks,
Julius
 
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