DIY water changer

[Agua]

I just installed a DIY automatic water changer in my 90 gallon planted tank. The design is very simple and it functions beautifully. There are two sprinkler valves that control the drain and fill function. It is all controlled by a sprinkler irrigation controller. It all works as follows:

1) The controller activates the first valve which sends water to a python style valve. This creates the suction needed to start the drain process of the tank. The valve shuts off after about 1 minute. The siphon continues as my tank level is higher than my drain level. It drains to the level of the intake pipe and then the siphon is broken.

2) After a preset time the controller activates the second sprinkler valve which sends water through a whole house filter and then into the tank through a spraybar.

3) A rain sensor in the tank completely shuts off the water to the tank once the probes touch the water.

The whole process takes about 15 min and I don't have to lift a finger. The best part is I can essentially set it and forget it. And the parts really aren't that expensive.

I can't take credit for the design as it was my dad that built it. He has been using the system for 7 years trouble free.

 

[Flossie]

This is the most incredible thing ever! I'm SOOO jealous

 

[Mogurako]

I like it, I was going to try something very much the same, however I want a portable version.

 

[meegosh]

Very clever, glad it worked out for you! Welcome to AA too!

 

[CTFlowerhornLover]

Awsome!

 

[NyteGTI]

I'm assuming your water doesn't need to be treated with prime or do you do it before the process starts?

 

[BillD]

Since the water passes through a carbon filter it needs no chemicals added to remove chlorine. Nice set up.
Since I don't see any provision for temp control, I assume the changes are small. A mixing valve (similar to, or the same as, those used by photographers in the dark room) what would make it just about perfect.

 

[Agua]

The water changes are small. Roughly 10% each change. I am not worried about the incoming temperature with such a small water change. My tap water does have chlorine but most of that is filtered out through the whole house filter before it goes to the tank.

 

[5x5]

Really Neat Agua. My only concern would be the lack of substrate vacuuming and cleaning out waste/uneaten food or other debris. Do you ever manually do that with this system?

 

[Agua]

I am actually doing a deep sand bed in a heavily planted tank. I will let the detris accumulate and break down into the sand. My dads tank is a 45 gallon planted with 3 inches of sand and it has been working fantastic for him for 7+ years. I believe he tried vacuuming the sand for a short time and then decided to build this automatic water changer and never vacuumed again.

 

[CRUSHER]

heck.. you could have just bought a filter unit from home depot and put it in line of your syphine hose and connect to the sink faucet... temperature control plus chlorine free refill water straight into the aquarium.