Automatic water questions for those of you with fish rooms

[Ceez]

I know a few of you here have full blown fish rooms. Do you have auto water systems in place to do your water changing for you? If so how do you have them set up?

The system I've been looking at is one hole drilled at a top corner of the tank for the water to drain with a 1-4 gallon per hour (adjustable) flow rate inlet. 2 500g tanks plumber together with 2" pvc and a ball valve to separate mixed water from unmixed.

I would plumb the drains with pvc gravity fed to a 40g tote and a automatic sump pump to pump it out the window to my lawn out front.

What are good brands/reliable of pumps to pump fresh water into the tanks? Good automatic sump? Any advice on quality parts, everything from hoses to the inlets to the inlets themselves would be highly appreciated.

auto water would change my life and also those of my fish. Trying to do my homework before I start drilling tanks and making this a reality. Who better to ask than those of you who have auto water already.

 

[GaryE]

I'm not in a good auto water climate. I still siphon out to a floor drain, and refill with a potable water hose.

 

[Magnum Man]

Yep, water is too hard here for most of my fish, in its natural state

 

[GaryE]

One of my friends had a beautifuuly set up system for constant water changes on a bank of 300 gallon plus tanks. The results were amazing, but predictably, the water heating mix failed in the dead of winter. We get very cold tapwater for 5 months of the year.

I considered a system with drilling to empty tanks only, via tap valves, which I would then fill via a hose. I didn't do it because I had the tanks when I moved (quick set up) , and the configuration of the room, with where the door had to be in relation to the water heater made it impractical.

 

[Ceez]

One of my friends had a beautifuuly set up system for constant water changes on a bank of 300 gallon plus tanks. The results were amazing, but predictably, the water heating mix failed in the dead of winter. We get very cold tapwater for 5 months of the year.

I considered a system with drilling to empty tanks only, via tap valves, which I would then fill via a hose. I didn't do it because I had the tanks when I moved (quick set up) , and the configuration of the room, with where the door had to be in relation to the water heater made it impractical.

I use heaters in my barrels to get the right temp. During summer I need a chiller. My water outside can get as hot as 95⁰ in June/July/August.

I just need advice on pump brands that are reliable and possibly a system setup that is tried and true. This will be my 1st go round with auto water and I know it's not rocket science but I'll always take the time to listen to someone that's done it before.

I also mix all my water, half RO half tap. That's why I'm gonna use 2 500g tanks plumbed together, one for mixing one that's mixed.

 

[Magnum Man]

If I were setting one up, I would use an RV style diagram pump for pressuring RV plumbing systems, like I use on my RO water tank, to fill aquariums… it will stall, ( you can restrict it’s flow, or put a shut off valve on the line, and the pump only comes on, when the pressure drops below the set point ) and you can adjust the working pressure… this is the one I’m using, there are lots similar in various sizes and models

Amazon.com

 

[Ceez]

If I were setting one up, I would use an RV style diagram pump for pressuring RV plumbing systems, like I use on my RO water tank, to fill aquariums it will stall, and you can adjust the working pressure… this is the one I’m using, there are lots similar in various sizes and models

Amazon.com

How long have you had that pump?

 

[Magnum Man]

It’s been about a year I’ve been doing RO, but they are designed for pressurizing plumbing systems, so I would expect a long service life…