• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Auto Top up - Fridge filter system.

Mark Grigg

Mark Grigg

Member
Joined
23 Mar 2018
Messages
49
Location
UK
Hi All,

from what I'm reading I'm going to have to do more water changes than I had originally thought, as time is sometimes hard to come by I've decided to create a auto water change system in my sump, I'm planning to add a small pump to the sump, connect it to the waste under the sink, loop the pipe up as high as possible as not to get any backfill (or add a one way valve), plug the pump in to a timer set for 1 minute and remove 2-3 gallons per day (TBD).

For the return I'll tap in to the cold feed, and then I was planning to run through an inline fridge filter, via a float ball valve and replace the water.

Does anyone see any challenges here, is there anything I've overlooked? Will the fridge filter suffice?

Tank is circa 120 gallon


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00OOY2JXO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2S9GE868FT0LH&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078GYVJJ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=AI61N2VIVFUYQ&psc=1
 
Hi Mark, what I do, is use air line to syphon out water from the main display & allow the ball valve situated in the sump, to auto top up.
I use water straight from the mains supply (no problems where I live) my ball valve can easily keep up with the air line syphon.
As the air line syphon's from the top few mm below water line, I don't have to worry about draining the tank. I actually run the syphon into the toilet which is about 10mt away from the tank.
I did work out the flow once but I forget how much it is now, however I run this for a couple of hours a few times a week normally while we are home in the evening watching tele.
 
Remember dechlorinator or dechlorinating prefiltet when adding water, as chlorine in tap water is extremely toxic to fish and filter bacteria. Even more so if chloramine is added to water. Many people with auto top ups direct from mains water have wiped out £100's of fish when emergency chloramine is added to their water.
 
foxfish said:
Although Ian makes a good point...I have been use water straight from the mains for 40 years, so your concern does not apply to everyone.
Click to expand...
AIUI chloramine has not been widely used in the UK but seems this is on the increase and more and more treatment works are using it. I believe chlorine will gas off after 24 hours but chloramine won't and I am sure someone scientific can chip in with the truth but ISTR reading something about it being worse than chlorine if not treated. I know some treatment works use ozone instead of chlorine but I would imagine they would add chlorine if there was a leak or they were flushing pipes in your area.
 
jameson_uk said:
reading something about it being worse than chlorine if not treated.
Click to expand...
Yes, chloramine doesn't gas off in 24 hours and tends not react so quickly with organics to stays "fatally" in the water longer.

I am only quoting people who have used tap water straight off for years, than zap one day chloramine added to water and all fish wiped out. A dechlorinating water filter would stop this.
 
Thanks all, I can't syphon out so I'll have to pump it to waste, just drilled a sneaky 1" hole from the back of my aquarium through the wall and discreetly in to the utility room under the sink, connected to a spare drain fitting which has a flap washer to stop backfill, I've lifted the pipe as high as possible.
Just tested a full sink of water and nothing came through, so all good.

Float valve has arrived, just waiting for some Perspex to silicone in to the corner of the sump so I can drill a hole and the valve.

Reading the above, I'm ditch the filter I've ordered and see if I can squeeze an RO unit in somewhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top