Help I Need DIY Top-Off

[dmiles11]

Hello I have a 10gal tank and am looking for some good ideas for an auto top-off machine that I could either buy for cheap or make.

Any help would be great, thanks.

[hmott]

http://www.aquahub.com/store/floatswitches.html

6.49 for a float switch. I just finished my auto top off. Got the float switch listed in that link. A little power head, an extention cord from the dollar store, used scrap plexiglass, and a tupperware tub. Cost me less than $20 for everything and less than 2 hours to hook it all up. The float switch is the only thing you probably can't get local.

[sphelps]

Use a single float switch with a timer so you float switch isn't constantly turning something on and off. Use a small pump and reservoir or use a solenoid valve and plumb straight from filtered tap water (RO unit, or DI).

[dmiles11]

Yeah, I think I have seen a Kent one that you can buy separately?? I'm not to sure though.

[bigbris1]

Get a float switch, a 1 gallon bottle (plastic juice bottle), an air pump, airline tubing.

Splice the float switch to the air pump. Cut two small holes in the top of the juice bottle to squeeze the aitline into. One side of the air line goes all the way down to the bottm of the bottle, the other side goes thru the top only one inch.

Make sure the top is sealed well so no air escapes. What will happen is when the water level drops, the float switch will turn on the air pump which will pump air into the juice bottle (filled with make up water & an additive of your choice; calcium, PH buffer, Reef builder, etc.) & force water up the long tube into the tank replenishing the evaped water.

Instead of making a large snail guard, I just manupulated a large paper clip to hold the float switch out far enough so the snails can't get to it.

My cost:

1. Float switch - $6.50 shipped www.floatswitches.com
2. Air line tubing (6 feet) - $0.90
3. Air pump - had one laying around
4. Plastic bottle - Hawaiian punch.com

[Reefugee]

Personally - I would add a second float switch as a safety mechanism.

[dmiles11]

Thanks a lot bigbris, do you happen to have any pics of this set up?

[bigbris1]

I'll try to get some up, by the way the correct link is www.floatswitches.net

[rivdog]

The correct link is now www.aquahub.com

[adnup]

I made mine like this :

http://www.melevsreef.com/plumbing/auto_topoff.html

I bought a fountain pump off ebay for $2 or $3

[hmott]

yep thats basically exactly what I did.. and what I was trying to say.

[dmiles11]

Oh yeah there may be a problem with that. I have a 10gal?

[hmott]

No problem with it being a 10 gallon. I have a 20xh with a 10g refuge and my top off is on the 10 gallon. It goes through about 1 gallon a week. Its often even MORE important on smaller systems. 1/4 gallon of evaporation on a 10g is 2.5% but on a 55 1 gallon of evaporation is only 1.8%. It seems like way more but tank is bigger so its a much smaller percent.

[Racenrich]

heres is a simple design that requires NO POWER....put a float switch in your sump, K.M. is this one pictured....run some 1/4th tubing back to a top-off chamber, which has a john guest bulkhead installed...
wala, gravity fed top-off...no power or need for safety switch....

HTH

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/xcmtbkr/float_switch.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/xcmtbkr/autotopoff.jpg

[bigbris1]

I think for a student's 10 gallon, a simple air driven top off with a 1 gallon bottle will suffice. This way the bottle can be tucked away neatly.

I'll try & find the link to the one I got my idea from years ago. This time around I put it together in 10 minutes from memory.

[bigbris1]

Here's one with a crude sketch http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23814&hl=cheap+auto+top+off