Idea: Is it mine? Auto fill reservior using tiolet tank float?

[Noatec]

Has anyone ever thought of using a toilet tank float to auto fill your DWC reservoir? I've searched the threads and haven't found anything.

[LOC NAR on probation]

I have not seen it on individual buckets but that is how a control rez and a rez tank keeps the level in all that is hooked up to it.

I would be interested if you come up with something.

[Noatec]

I've got four plants in an 18 gallon Sterilite. My mom-in-law gave me three 30 gallon tubs today she couldn't use. I never put fresh tap water in my grow rez. I always let it sit in a separate 18 gallon for at least 48 hours before I use it. After 48 hours I pop in a bubbler to keep it aerated.
The full idea is run a supply line to my prep rez with a tank float and then put a float in my grow rez that triggers a pump from the prep rez. No more bucket filling.

[SpaceNeedle]

I have a float on my reservoir. I think I paid $6. Just go to your local farm supply store, like Cenex or others. and tell them you have a trough in your barn that you need on an automatic fillup. For me, I just drilled a 3/4" hole near where I wanted the water level, mount the float and then you can hook up a garden hose to it.

sn

[Noatec]

Thanks SN,
There is a Tractor Supply nearby. Do you happen to have a brand or model number to look for?

[SpaceNeedle]

Thanks SN,
There is a Tractor Supply nearby. Do you happen to have a brand or model number to look for?

Try not to get the kind that clip onto the top edge of your "watering trough."
The one I have is very similar to this one:
Google Image Result for http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00mBLTNSyMMPqUM/Hot-Water-Float-Valve-DN15-.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00mBLTNSyMMPqUM/Hot-Water-Float-Valve-DN15-.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/cqkeyu/product-detailFqPnNSyMlzVt/China-Hot-Water-Float-Valve-DN15-.html&usg=__6SUYwHMDyohT4p43IePcx8AsjN0=&h=400&w=660&sz=18&hl=en&start=26&tbnid=rkZv4yKufLKeuM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfloat%2Bvalve%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%2 6hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20)

[Noatec]

That looks perfect. The only I've found so far is the one with the side mount. The pic helps tremendiously thanks !!!!

[Noatec]

Can/Should I run tap water directly into the rez? I've read that it should sit for at least 24hrs to be rid of chlorine floride and any other chems that would be harmful to the ladies.

[Prodaytrader]

This is perfect. Thanks OP for opening this topic. I was logging on today to find a solution exactly like this. In my case I am installing my second res on a shelf above the first res. I will use some sort of float valve to control a gravity fed line to the res below. To get water to the top res I will use a mag drive pump capable of head pressure of at least 6 feet to pump the water upward. I think I will also install a timer to cycle the water every hour or so. I think a float valve is exactly what I need to make this work. I was also thinking along the lines of using a toilet float valve but hadn't yet figure how to make that work. Some how the bottom tank needs to have this float valve attached and I'm not sure how to make that happen. It didn't occur to me to think along the lines of livestock water tank valves.

[Noatec]

This is the one I'm looking for online.
This site is out of china. I tried to purchase online, but when you "add to basket" your adding to an inquiry basket and they want a bunch of info just to send you info.
A guy on another forum site said he found this one at a farm supply store.
Hot Water Float Valve (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00mBLTNSyMMPqUM/Hot-Water-Float-Valve-DN15-.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/cqkeyu/product-detailFqPnNSyMlzVt/China-Hot-Water-Float-Valve-DN15-.html&usg=__6SUYwHMDyohT4p43IePcx8AsjN0=&h=400&w=660&sz=18&hl=en&start=26&tbnid=rkZv4yKufLKeuM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfloat%2Bvalve%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%2 6hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20)
The gravity thing is a great idea. I may try that.
I was thinking this evening that a 90degree elbow adapter could be used to secure the toilet tank float to the side, rather than the bottom of the tank.

[Prodaytrader]

I decided this was the route to take: float (http://cgi.ebay.com/Hydro-Logic-Stealth-Float-Valve-Hydroponics_W0QQitemZ300341945737QQcmdZViewItemQQp tZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45edc66589)

I ended up at my local hydro store today and discovered that they carried the exact same float for 3 bucks cheaper and no shipping like I had to pay. On top of everything else, I got an email this afternoon saying they wouldn't be able to ship it for another week. Oh well. I wasn't really ready to start construction anyway.

As to this float that I got; The float part is adjustable to a degree and can be installed vertically or horizontal according to the site. The way I intend to do this, is to install this float via a bulkhead method. The float comes with a rubber washer and looks like it will attach quite easily through the side of my tote. On the other side I will connect a 1/2" black rubber line that's used very commonly in hydro. I will run the line up a few feet into another res that's about 5 gallons I think. I will probably not even plumb it and just feed it in through the lid. I think gravity will do a fine job siphoning and create an autofill for me. The store clerk and I got into an interesting conversation about whether or not he thought this float would be able to stand all the pressure from 50 gallons of water, but I think we both assumed I would be plumbing it through the bottom of the top res. By running it through the top of the res I can avoid having all the pressure on this float valve.

To accompany this gravity fed line I will install another line with a pump attached that will sit in the bottom of the root zone res. About twice an hour I can start the pump, which will pump water up to the top res, which will begin to lower the bottom res and thus trigger the float. The valve will open and the top res will begin to fill the bottom one. The float should also open every once in a while to fill the bottom res as the water gets used up from either the plants or dehydration.

Since the top shelf is easily 6 feet high, I will have to use a pump capable of handling all the head pressure.

Thoughts?

[Noatec]

PDT,
Cool, I'll check the Hydro shop on Friday (payday).
I picked up a traditional tank float at the depot today. Not the ones that slide up a shaft. That's sounds nice though.
It can be mounted horizontal.
I'll send a pic when I get it installed.

[Noatec]

Here's the pics.

[Prodaytrader]

Not the ones that slide up a shaft. That's sounds nice though.

Yea I bet that does sound nice. ROFL

Me likey what you did there with that toilet float. Way to use your inner redneckertude. Now I have a few questions for you if your in a position to experiment for us. How sensitive is your float? Does it take a drop in water level of a little bit or a whole lot before your float allows water to enter. Next I want to know how much pressure you think that valve could handle. If I do install a gravity system then I would probably use a 5 or 10 gallon bucket and it would be 6 feet over head. I have no idea what kind of psi that would be for a 1/2" black vinyl hose but if the valve couldn't handle that then I could always run the hose through the top of my bucket instead of the bottom and then the pressure would be far less I suspect.

Did you put your 2nd res up high as well and how does that float work then? Do you think you could install a pump in the tote with the float with a hose that runs back to your backup tote/2nd res? I was hoping to do something like that on a timer which would let me circulate the water around.

I also intend to float an aeromist fogger in my tote so I want to make sure and keep my temps down. I am unsure of exactly where I want my water level to be just yet. Can you adjust your float for different water levels or did you have to drill the hole exactly where you wanted the water level at?
This thread has helped a ton.

[SpaceNeedle]

I have very high water pressure in my city water system, and my little float valve has no problem holding that.... so anyone with a second res higher up will have no problem using it to flow into the main res. I know, because I've been doing it whenever I have to leave for out of town. After several months, you may want to clean it but that's about it.
My float is adjustable, but only up to the size of the arm, but of course the longer the arm of the float is the more adjustable it is. My float can adjust about 3 or 4" max. There are some floats with an arm 10 or 12" long which would give you more to adjust, but the negative aspect of that is the arm gets in the way of other things, such as hoses and water pumps inside the res.

sn

[Noatec]

I can't really comment on pressure as honestly I never thought about it until you brought it up. The float is adjustable almost 90 degrees straight up. This is for what I'm calling my prep rez. My water source is all the way on the other side of the basement and I got tired of wheeling all the way over there and sloshing water everywhere and shit. I'll run a pump from there to my root rez.

What are you guys using to support that much weight up high ?
my small rez's are 18 gallon 150 lbs full. The big ones I want to switch to are 30 250 lbs. full.

[mainegrown]

look into industrial grade table.. some are good to 600+ lbs
just a thought
btw nice thread :thumbsup:
~MG a.k.a. le Maine développé

[Prodaytrader]

farking good point about the weight though. You would be surprised at how much water can weigh. In my case I am only using a 5 gallon bucket which is what, 40 pounds or something? The shelf is a home made 2x4 plywood model which should be able to handle that.