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Unread 02/09/2018, 10:59 PM   #1801
iliriano6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swenholz View Post
These cover my ATO and semi-auto water change apparatus. The lower 15 gallon drum is for SW while the upper is the RO drum attached to the ATO float valve and gate valves to fill the lower drum. The upper drum is filled automatically by the RO filter attached to an RO filter float valve. Once SW is mixed, I have matching pumps and the valves are sent to remove old water from the overflow directly to the kitchen sink and add new water to the sump from the SW drum. The whole process takes about 15 miuntes. I have also recently added (not pictured) a secondary valve off the new SW sump fill line to be able to easily get water for my QT when needed.





Where did you get these? Thks


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Unread 02/13/2018, 09:48 PM   #1802
HeinPkoi
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Here is my new 150 gallons total volume mixing stations with bucket outlet and direct hose connection to fill without bucket




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Unread 02/17/2018, 08:35 AM   #1803
kalan850
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Can't really get a good pic because of the limited space in my shed.

Simple design that works



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Unread 02/28/2018, 08:38 PM   #1804
bitwise
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I just finished mine this past weekend. Next step is a leak test. I also have to paint the riser ply under each tank.


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Unread 02/28/2018, 08:40 PM   #1805
HeinPkoi
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I just finished mine this past weekend. Next step is a leak test. I also have to paint the riser ply under each tank.


No outlet for direct filling with the pump and a hose ?


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Unread 03/01/2018, 06:55 AM   #1806
bitwise
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Are you asking about filling the tanks or filling a bucket? Tank on the left (RO) will be filled via 1/4” tubing that I have to rig up. Buckets can be filled using the spigots in the front, gravity fed, choice of RO or saltwater.


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Unread 03/01/2018, 07:17 AM   #1807
HeinPkoi
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Originally Posted by bitwise View Post
Are you asking about filling the tanks or filling a bucket? Tank on the left (RO) will be filled via 1/4” tubing that I have to rig up. Buckets can be filled using the spigots in the front, gravity fed, choice of RO or saltwater.


Yes so you’ll still be carrying bucket in the house, instead of using a outlet 3/4 and plug in a hose to fill your tank


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Unread 03/01/2018, 10:09 PM   #1808
McCune
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So I am planning my mixing station build. I will be using 2 65gallon Norwesco tanks. I have a brand new reefflo dart pump I’m hoping to use to move the water between tanks and mix the salt water. My question is will that pump be to much flow. I have had it sitting storage and don’t feel like buying a smaller pump if I don’t have to


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Unread 03/01/2018, 10:13 PM   #1809
HeinPkoi
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McCune View Post
So I am planning my mixing station build. I will be using 2 65gallon Norwesco tanks. I have a brand new reefflo dart pump I’m hoping to use to move the water between tanks and mix the salt water. My question is will that pump be to much flow. I have had it sitting storage and don’t feel like buying a smaller pump if I don’t have to


Its never too much flow to mix water and salt you can alway add a fflow valve


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Unread 03/02/2018, 04:43 AM   #1810
lapin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McCune View Post
So I am planning my mixing station build. I will be using 2 65gallon Norwesco tanks. I have a brand new reefflo dart pump I’m hoping to use to move the water between tanks and mix the salt water. My question is will that pump be to much flow.
Hahahhahaha, yes a bit of overkill. Since its not running 24/7 it will work. Might be noisy with that much water movement. Keeping the return pipe ends under water will help. Fastest water changer award.


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Unread 03/17/2018, 08:09 PM   #1811
lionfish300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bitwise View Post
I just finished mine this past weekend. Next step is a leak test. I also have to paint the riser ply under each tank.
Are those 40 gallons containers? Just got my delivered today after 2 months waitting


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Unread 03/18/2018, 12:54 PM   #1812
Rodeo_Roger
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Some nice stations. Tagging along for this.


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Unread 03/21/2018, 07:06 PM   #1813
bitwise
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I just commissioned my automatic water changing system this morning. So far so good. It was a ton of work, but worth it.

There's a picture of my saltwater mixing station a few posts up.


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Unread 03/21/2018, 08:43 PM   #1814
chrishet
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HarlequinTusk View Post
I'm still building my new saltwater mixing station. I purchased two 65G tanks from Norwesco. I wanted to keep them off the ground by at least 8" since this is in my basement and there's always the potential to get a few inches of water if the sump or electric fails. I needed something that would easily hold well over 1100 pounds based on the fact that 130gals weighs that much. After some intensive googling, I ran across something called a "dunnage rack". They are used by restaurants to stack heavy bulk items (such as large bags of flour) off the floor. This is the one I bought: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/adv...09DUN2460.html

If anyone is looking to buy a rack instead of making one from wood, you should consider dunnage racks.
Great idea! Based on this post I just got one today from Amazon - plastic. My 2 water containers fit perfectly on it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Time to plumb in the RODI!


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Unread 06/11/2018, 02:07 PM   #1815
oakoen
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My wife did not "feel" my mixing station plans I had for the patio so I had to regroup. After some thought I proposed one with a herb garden on top which got the stamp of approval. Finished it this weekend. It's plumbed into the house and feeds my tank at the flick of a switch. Love it.

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Unread 06/12/2018, 05:38 AM   #1816
Mrs. Music
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That is unique and lovely. award for prettiest water change station!


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Unread 06/12/2018, 08:59 AM   #1817
Raptor72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oakoen View Post
My wife did not "feel" my mixing station plans I had for the patio so I had to regroup. After some thought I proposed one with a herb garden on top which got the stamp of approval. Finished it this weekend. It's plumbed into the house and feeds my tank at the flick of a switch. Love it.

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What size are those blue drums?


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Unread 06/12/2018, 09:51 AM   #1818
oakoen
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What size are those blue drums?

They are 15 gal each. My tank is 65 gal so the 15 gal works fine for my 10 gal water changes.


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Unread 06/12/2018, 11:43 AM   #1819
Raptor72
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They are 15 gal each. My tank is 65 gal so the 15 gal works fine for my 10 gal water changes.


Those are nice. I’ve never seen the 15 gallon drums.


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Unread 06/12/2018, 05:42 PM   #1820
mal7887
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I have my "station" setup in the Garage. I use a brute trash can to mix in, and do a daily water change with the Neptune DOS.




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Unread 06/13/2018, 12:26 PM   #1821
Headhunter
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hello all, just joined...my (awesome) neighbor passed his 150G SW tank to me (for free), fish & corals too...Had a local guy move & set it up for $400...been running for over 3 weeks now. I'm going old skool for first few water changes, but I need to build a mixing station. Love all these pictures and ideas, you guys rock. I can never tell my wife about this forum. In fact, I'm going to treat this forum like Fight Club...you guys know the 1st rule?

Curious if anybody has purchased the Ace Roto Molds Tanks lately...most seem to be out of stock on Rural King's site...also, any luck with free shipping?


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Unread 06/18/2018, 12:32 PM   #1822
Headhunter
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Originally Posted by Grnrado View Post
Here is my salt water mixing station. Just finished it today.
Great setup - thx for sharing. I'm using your design as inspiration.

I'm planning my setup with two 55G Nowesco horizontal tanks and I'm wondering what kind of shut off are you using for RO - vertical float switch?

TIA,
Tom


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Unread 06/18/2018, 03:53 PM   #1823
shellsea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oakoen View Post
My wife did not "feel" my mixing station plans I had for the patio so I had to regroup. After some thought I proposed one with a herb garden on top which got the stamp of approval. Finished it this weekend. It's plumbed into the house and feeds my tank at the flick of a switch. Love it.

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VERY NICE. inspirational!
I have 30 gallon drums set up in garage so may need to rethink it a bit. Plant light above? Very cool. I assume you irrigate the plants with wastewater?


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Unread 07/15/2018, 07:16 AM   #1824
Steve175
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I am sorry, but like shellsea's wife, I am "not feeling' reading 1800 posts about mixing stations. But felt I should share one concept which I love and likely would not be added until the 2500 mark or so. I plumbed my SW tank into the system with a valve so I can take it out of the system whenever I want. Which is INVALUABLE. The SW mixing tank is a bit higher than my sump and has a small pump [which also manifolds into several reactors, fuge and frag tank]. I have another small pump which recirculates water through the SW tank but also has a T with a valve and a segment of loose flex PVC [long enough to reach the sump] and a T-valve into the drain. A 2nd small pump is attached to the RODI reservoir. The SW mixing tank has one of my heaters in it permanently. When it is time for a water change: 1) I close the valve to the SW mixing tank isolating it from the sump, 2) I open the valve to the drain and drain it [actively pumped by the mixing pump], 3) I activate the pump from the RODI reservoir to fill the SW mixing tank [this pump is on my neptune apex and also auto-flushes my skimmer twice daily], 4) I add salt and wait 24h to both confirm the S.G. and wait for then water to warm, 5) then I open the SW mixing tank to my main system [which adds 10% more volume to the total system and therefore increases my systems' stability]. The crown jewel of the system, however, is that when I need emergency water [which should be never be the case but, shockingly, proves bi-annual or so], I can simply close off my SW mixing tank, and use its pump to pump IDENTICAL WATER [completely matched for temp, salinity, and all parameters] directly to the sump. The latter has saved my butt numerous times. If you have the space and can ensure that it is somewhat protected from major environmental temp swings, this system is highly, highly, highly recommended. $0.02.


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Unread 03/26/2019, 01:44 PM   #1825
reefEng10
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How are those of you with raised reservoirs (ie RO and or SW) higher than sump level who are also running these tanks as reservoirs for automatic water changes (SW) and ATO (RO) managing siphoning.

I'd like to do a two tank system similar to many of those described but ideally the RO reservoir would also be used for ATO and the SW reservoir also plumbed directly into the sump for automatic water changes.

Is a Tee after the pump that discharges back inside each reservoir into the air space (with the other branch to the sump) the safest way ?

My reservoirs and tank will be on the same floor, with one of the reservoirs significantly raised above sump/tanks height.

TIA!


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