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Evaporation Topp Off System


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#1 nickflood69

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Posted 26 August 2011 - 04:14 PM

hey fellas so i was bored today, always dangerous words around fish. anyway made a jazy little evaporation topp off unit outa one of those 25ltr jugs and a windscreen washer motor off a car. baught a powr converter to turn 240 back to 12 running 7.5 amps.think the washer motor runs about 5amps anyway its a bit more convenient thant doing topup cup by cup lol or just got too much time on my hands.

anyway the whole thing only costs about $40 for converter $30 for jug from bcf $10 for washer motor and say another $5 for switch and bits and pieces if you already have the tools. so for $85 or so i can have 25ltr on standby with topup at the flick of a switch. oh yeah it runs at about 1ltr a minute so probably only for those nano keepers out there. otherwise a bigger pump would be needed. completely unneccesary but i like tinkerin lol hope you like the pics

http://i1094.photobu...69/IMG_2749.jpg

http://i1094.photobu...69/IMG_2754.jpg

#2 werdna

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Posted 26 August 2011 - 05:42 PM

Why not go all the way?
Jaycar sell electronic float switches for $20, connect that to an automotive relay that flicks on the washer motor and you'll never have to worry about top ups again.
Water changes mean you empty to your normal level and walk away!

Does it really draw 5a or is that an estimate? Seems quite high current draw to me...

#3 Neakit

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Posted 26 August 2011 - 06:07 PM

im a big fan of the tunze osmolator myself.

#4 theonetruepath

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Posted 26 August 2011 - 06:47 PM

QUOTE (werdna @ Aug 26 2011, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Why not go all the way?
Jaycar sell electronic float switches for $20, connect that to an automotive relay that flicks on the washer motor and you'll never have to worry about top ups again.
Water changes mean you empty to your normal level and walk away!


Sounds like half a solution to me!

For my 7-foot 1100 litre tank I have two 3000-litre tanks outside. A valve on each allows to toggle which tank supplies to the automatic pump. Retic timer allows pump to run for a half hour twice a day.

Water enters house through hose poked through hole in wall, in back of cabinet, up through hose inside the stand pipe, overflow is down through same stand pipe into garden (to custard apple tree which rewards me richly each year).

Ferts are dosed directly into the tanks outside, measured in teaspoons.

Water changes are automatic, even when I go away for three weeks (both tanks turned on to get the full 6000 litres).

If I want to gravel-vac I can time it to just before the fill time, or manually override the retic timer if the noise of the filter return disturbs me with lowered water level.

#5 nickflood69

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Posted 26 August 2011 - 07:05 PM

5 amps is a max allowance estimate. and yes the osmolators are great but no need to be so serious everyone. in large instances of mass volume this scenario would render useles but in this day an age a bit of light hearted fun of playing mcguyver and sharing the fun is all that was intended.

#6 theonetruepath

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 03:26 AM

QUOTE (nickflood69 @ Aug 26 2011, 07:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
5 amps is a max allowance estimate. and yes the osmolators are great but no need to be so serious everyone. in large instances of mass volume this scenario would render useles but in this day an age a bit of light hearted fun of playing mcguyver and sharing the fun is all that was intended.


I think you'll find that with 7 inches of string, a small piece of bubblegum and a half can of old paint, McGuyver could make a pretty serious explosion.

#7 Neakit

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Posted 27 August 2011 - 03:44 PM

you forgot the paper clip.

#8 Riggers

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Posted 29 August 2011 - 05:42 AM

Hahahaha aha and his trusty pocket knife smile.gif




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