skunkydelight
03-02-2006, 01:57 PM
Ok guys, I have been doing a lot of dreaming as to how I can auto-top while on vacation. I hate using a toilet float valve for this application as it seems more unreliable than an electrical pump, so here we go. All you will need is like a 250gph pump or bigger from the pet store...This of course depends on the size you use for control res's and auto-topping/catcher res's. I use all 10gal Sterilites as they are dark grey and with aluminum foil keep all the light out very well.
How does it work: Well, it's very simple infact..I'm surprised I haven't come across this method online yet. [reference the pic as well]
It includes 3 res's. One, your control res, that sits on the floor next to your room. This handles the recirc. system. If you aren't familiar with recirculating DWC systems, see my other thread in this forum on how to build one. You will also need 2 more res's, one that sits next to your control res and one that sits on top of that one. One to feed the control res at all times, and one to "catch" the "waterline overflow" and pump it back up to the autotop res. Look at the pic and it will make simple sense. Also, another good point about this method is it gives your system double the fresh nutes, all the time...it's like having 2 control res's, so the PH, EC and temperature will stay much more consistant. Plus having the ability to have a smaller pump in the control res decreases the amount of heat released, which decreases water temp as a whole, IN THE SYSTEM. Plus, you have a pump to fully drain the system more quickly now as well and don't have to disconnect your recirc. pump.
I just came up with this method and am in the middle of testing it, so any questions or comments would be helpfull...but I think when I get it dialed in, it will be easy to leave for up to two weeks at a time.
-sD
How does it work: Well, it's very simple infact..I'm surprised I haven't come across this method online yet. [reference the pic as well]
It includes 3 res's. One, your control res, that sits on the floor next to your room. This handles the recirc. system. If you aren't familiar with recirculating DWC systems, see my other thread in this forum on how to build one. You will also need 2 more res's, one that sits next to your control res and one that sits on top of that one. One to feed the control res at all times, and one to "catch" the "waterline overflow" and pump it back up to the autotop res. Look at the pic and it will make simple sense. Also, another good point about this method is it gives your system double the fresh nutes, all the time...it's like having 2 control res's, so the PH, EC and temperature will stay much more consistant. Plus having the ability to have a smaller pump in the control res decreases the amount of heat released, which decreases water temp as a whole, IN THE SYSTEM. Plus, you have a pump to fully drain the system more quickly now as well and don't have to disconnect your recirc. pump.
I just came up with this method and am in the middle of testing it, so any questions or comments would be helpfull...but I think when I get it dialed in, it will be easy to leave for up to two weeks at a time.
-sD