Large Build Infrastructure

[Spectre2006]

I've been thinking a lot about what a large build entails and to make the hobby as easy as possible given my work schedule.

From the start it seems a RO/DI system directly hooked up to plumbing and waste water removal is necessary. A TDS meter is also a must to check if membranes need changing.

Tap water --->RO/DI ---> TDS meter ---> RO reservoir.

The RO reservoir would have to be plumbed into a salt/water mixing chamber that is tied into a heater with also a conductivity probe tied in.

RO reservoir ---> salt/water chamber(heater/conductivity probe/temp probe/ph probe/ORP probe).

Once the salt water has reached desired salinity and temperature it is useable and can be pumped into the system.

SW chamber ---> Sump(heater/temp probe/ph probe/ORP probe/conductivity probe). Similar to salt/water chamber.

If water needs to be added or changed in the system. The sump volume or height would have to be in excess of the desired working volume.

Sump ---> building sump ---> public sewer.

or

Sump ---> refugium ---> building sump ---> public sewer.

or

---> refugium ---> system( display tank/pumps/salinity probe/temp probe/ph probe/ORP probe


The refugium would also have probes to monitor the 4 parameters(temp/conductivity/ph/ORP)

water change
1) start RO/DI system
2) wait for reservoir to fill desired height/volume
3) open valve to SW mixing chamber
4) add specific amount of salt to chamber
5) turn on heater for chamber, turn on mixing in chamber mixing pump
6) wait for parameters to be in line with system
7) dump the same volume of water as in SW chamber from system
8) open valve to dump SW chamber water to system/sump

top off
1) start RO/DI system
2) wait for reservoir to fill desired height/volume
3) open valve to SW mixing chamber
4) dont add salt to chamber
5) turn on heater for chamber
6) wait for temp to be same as system
7) open valve to dump SW chamber water to system
8) top off sensor in sump closes valve

It almost seems you would need a separate chamber for small top offs since salt water making can occur at the same time if separate chamber is used.

A secondary outlet from RO reservoir to sump would solve this.

[Spectre2006]

5 main chambers or volume of water would be:

1) display tank

2) sump

3) SW mixing

4) RO/DI

5) refugium

All chambers would need the 4 parmeters measured except RO/DI, which would mainly need temp and TDS.

[shaginwagon13]

..... I'm not sure what your question is lol

[Spectre2006]

trying to think through everything to make it easier having a large system. In terms of plumbing and sensors. Also reading through some of the build threads.

[shaginwagon13]

If you buy a controller you can program to do all your ATO and water changed for you.

Just a thought.

[Spectre2006]

for the mixing chambers, which ones would you use, or just acrylic/glass aquariums, I've seen some use large plastic containers like drums.

[shaginwagon13]

Originally Posted by Spectre2006

for the mixing chambers, which ones would you use, or just acrylic/glass aquariums, I've seen some use large plastic containers like drums.

Yes, I use drums as well. I have two 50-gallon drums. One holds salt water and one holds RO/DI water. I always have them filled in case I need to make a sudden water change or top off the sump with RO water. My Profilux controller is programmed to take care of filling the sump with RO/DI water when the set level in my sump gets below a certain point.

I copied my mixing station off another reefer. Here is the link to his build:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...2#post15752942

[Spectre2006]

yep, this is exactly what I was thinking about for the mixing/ato unit.

[shaginwagon13]

Originally Posted by Spectre2006

yep, this is exactly what I was thinking about for the mixing/ato unit.

It works perfectly, I would recommend using this design if you can.

[Spectre2006]

do you have schematics for it?

[Spectre2006]

diagram

[Meshmez]

not sure why your rodi reservoir or sw mix chamber would ever dump to building sump... but i guess if you wanted to flush them out?

[Spectre2006]

[Spectre2006]

Originally Posted by Meshmez

not sure why your rodi reservoir or sw mix chamber would ever dump to building sump... but i guess if you wanted to flush them out?

yep if you let either chamber unused or stagnant for too long.

[Spectre2006]

for RO SW chambers... 200 gallon capacity for each

http://www.plastic-mart.com/item.aspx?id=5928

[Spectre2006]

instead of duplicating the probes in each chamber, flow from each can be diverted for testing in separate chamber. Constant monitoring of sump parameters would still be needed for controlling other equipment.

[Saltydrip]

Why would you need 200gal holding tanks for top off and water change??

If your talking a DT in the 750-1000+gallon range I get it but why so much?

[Spectre2006]

Originally Posted by Saltydrip

Why would you need 200gal holding tanks for top off and water change??

If your talking a DT in the 750-1000+gallon range I get it but why so much?

The chambers are 3 feet in diameter and over 4 feet tall. So not that big of a footprint. For SW mixing, I want to be able to do a large water change if I have to.

[Saltydrip]

I must say though.... Good find on the jugs. I need one for my girls horse trailer!! Lol.

[Spectre2006]

inlet/outlet are top/bottom, what pump would be good to mix salt and could handle small particulate salt? I was thinking of closed loop, but to avoid large chunks of salt getting into the pump to plumb the direction of flow:

top outlet ---> pump ---> bottom inlet, so the direction of flow would be from top to bottom, in order for pump to work the water level would have to be high enough to have water flow into pump.

[Saltydrip]

I would think you would want to take water from the top and pump it in to the bottom. I know some particulates would still make it to the pump but any larger chunks would be less likely to make there way to the pump.

Seeing how this pump would not be as critical as one in your living system. I would go with a pond type pump that is a cheap easy rebuild. Same for the supply pump plumbing into your main system.