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Auto water change VS bucket filter idea

1K views 25 replies 8 participants last post by  jozdavid 
#1 ·
Is this idea a valid one?

Instead of always changing water weekly all at once and using a bucket filter, why dont I just make a auto change system...

1 bucket full of water under the stand with a small pump (aka diy auto top ups) via float valve ect..

2nd empty bucket with an airline tube and flow controller so the drip system allows a slow drip rate, maybe so slow that it takes 7 days to fill 5 gallon bucket...

This way water is still being changed out with fresh water 24/7 just very slow.

now if I do this, would I still require a seperat filter???
 
#3 ·
I think he is trying to create a loop between the buckets and tank.


[tank]
/ /
{bad water bucket} {good water bucket}

As the water is being taken out of the tank via air hose to the bad bucket, good water would be pumped into the tank from the good bucket. You would only have to emtpy the bad water and then just fill up the good water bucket. No more putting water directly into the tank. I've never messed with a sump set up, but this seems like a poor mans sump with buckets lol
 
#5 ·
he mentioned a float valve though, so i guess that would be for an emergency shut off if the tank filled too much. such as... what happens when the pump shuts off and siphons back into the 1g bucket?

my only concern with a system that runs continuously like this is you're more likely to end up with something going wrong. I'd be more interested in the "flip a switch" water change that you can run while supervising.
 
#7 ·
i'm building my own aquarium controller and including an auto top off system for the sump, and i'm very much worried about that. I'll be using two float switches connected to each other (so one is an emergency shut off if the sump water gets too high it'll break the electrical connection), and a check valve, for extra safety. and i'm still worried it'll overflow something...
 
#12 ·
Pretty much.. My only concers is the "timeing" of how long it takes to fill the "bad water bucket" with water from the tank... If I can get it to take 5-7days to fill, then really all I have tk do is set an alarm to reminde myself to dump the bucket and fill the other bucket with good water..
 
#10 ·
The only point of the float valve is to have the "good" water enter the tank when the tanks water drops below the float valves level. Basicly thats the only time the pump would be "ON" other wise it would off and the only thing still running 24/7 would be the drip line into a 5gal bucket...

I just wanted to know if I still would require an actual filter VS having water changes do it for me, since I dont pay for water I dont care how much water I use...

Still, weekly water changes would be super easy with a drip system..
 
#23 ·
This was pretty much my thought also. If your tank needs weekly water changes, I don't see how dripping fresh water constantly is going to prevent that need. If your low tech and fighting evaporation...maybe beneficial? Just doesn't seem worth the risks or effort. If your trying to be ultra efficient maybe go with a sump that has fill and drain pipes that tie into your home plumbing.
 
#21 ·
I applaud your creativity :proud:

Most of these systems turn into engineering monsters be they hard pumped or mobile. In the time it takes to haul out the assorted pumps, hoses, run pythons across rooms, then clean & put away all the equipment, I could have done my W/Cs 3X with my humble bucket & hose.

Sometimes tech toys are not worth the investment in time they require.;)
 
#24 ·
Revised idea:

drill 1/2" hold in back of tank with pipe that leads to an empty bucket
have a second bucket with a pump in it.
When the pump gets turned on and only when its turned on the new water entering the tank will cause the tanks water level to overflow through the hole and into the first bucket...

Hence, still gets a 5gal water change weekly, just dont have to lift buckets 4' off the ground to do it.

Makes sence to me, no moving parts to depend on and its only "On" while Im there to watch things.

How does this sound? does this make sence? its excatly like a sump, but only works when the pump is pluged in to do the water change, then the pump is off again till next time.
 
#26 ·
Yeah it overflowed once when the power went out and the pump wasn't running to push to water out. That was in the old house; our new house has a well so if, no power no water either. It's been a long time since I’ve changed the water and everything in the tank is doing well. :proud:
 
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