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Inherited 90
- Thread starter redfishbluefish
- Start date
Thanks everyone for the kind words.....but everything turned out well.
So the reason for that hole was so that I could get my hand into the left side of the back side of my tank. With the cabinet on the left, I can't access the left back side of my tank.
So the hole now allows me to put powerheads on the back left side wall. I wanted a door that was easily opened without having to get out any tools. So the door simply slides up and out. Here's the door being opened:
And here it is closed:
So the reason for that hole was so that I could get my hand into the left side of the back side of my tank. With the cabinet on the left, I can't access the left back side of my tank.
So the hole now allows me to put powerheads on the back left side wall. I wanted a door that was easily opened without having to get out any tools. So the door simply slides up and out. Here's the door being opened:
And here it is closed:
It seems like I've had too much equipment crapping out on me lately. I guess it's the issue with having an old tank. Tonight a double wammy.
ATO: I walk into the fish room and I see the water line on my sump is about an inch below the "line." My first though is the Tom's Aqualifter, in part, because I have two backups.....trying to be optimistic. Nope, it's not the pump. I notice that when I lift the float switch I don't hear the relay clicking on and off....it's a mechanical switch. So now I'm figuring it's the relay. The problem is that I need to be a contortionist to pull that stuff out. In the mean time I've pulled out an old JBJ and set that up to hold me over. The only thing I dont' like about JBJ is that there is no back-up float switch.....so only about four gallons in the ATO reservoir.
Vortech Wetside: Well, I'm now down another wetside....already lost two about a year or so ago....and now only one old guy remaining. The magnets leak and swell, causing the entire wetside to spin. Looks like another $75 for another wetside. Maybe I should just order two, because that last one (all 2006 vintage) is probably close to crapping out as well.
ATO: I walk into the fish room and I see the water line on my sump is about an inch below the "line." My first though is the Tom's Aqualifter, in part, because I have two backups.....trying to be optimistic. Nope, it's not the pump. I notice that when I lift the float switch I don't hear the relay clicking on and off....it's a mechanical switch. So now I'm figuring it's the relay. The problem is that I need to be a contortionist to pull that stuff out. In the mean time I've pulled out an old JBJ and set that up to hold me over. The only thing I dont' like about JBJ is that there is no back-up float switch.....so only about four gallons in the ATO reservoir.
Vortech Wetside: Well, I'm now down another wetside....already lost two about a year or so ago....and now only one old guy remaining. The magnets leak and swell, causing the entire wetside to spin. Looks like another $75 for another wetside. Maybe I should just order two, because that last one (all 2006 vintage) is probably close to crapping out as well.
Paul that sucks but hey if you want I have a JBJ ATO with two float switches and a Tom lift pump. You are more than welcome to use them as a backup/fail over if you want
James, you're too kind.....that's what I'm running now as a backup.....JBJ ATO with a Tom's. Thanks.
No problem Paul.
I had set up the JBJ ATO thinking it was going to be temporary....with the concern that it didn't have a backup float switch. As I was pulling out the original ATO, I remember that someone had mentioned that the single float switch "times out" after X number of minutes of pump run time....so I'm safe. So last night I decided to install the controller in the equipment stand:
I come down to the fish room this morning and the water level in the sump is below that magic line.....the JBJ had timed out. Now realize I have a Tom's Aqualifter as my feed pump from the reservoir.....to put it another way, if you're not familiar with the pump.....it's slow. I look up how to adjust the time in the JBJ, and it turns out to be real easy. Take out the four phillips head screws in the back of the controller and turn the adjustment screw (circled in yellow) counterclockwise to increase the time.
Supposedly the factory setting for timing out is three minutes of run time....with the maximum being seven minutes. I turn the screw all the way up to as far as it will go.....seven minutes of run time on a Tom's still isn't much water, so I'm safe.
My original ATO (AquaHub Premium installed ca 2008) will be repaired and used on my QT tank. Although I thought the relay had crapped out, it was a float switch. First time I've had a float switch loose continuity when it failed.
I come down to the fish room this morning and the water level in the sump is below that magic line.....the JBJ had timed out. Now realize I have a Tom's Aqualifter as my feed pump from the reservoir.....to put it another way, if you're not familiar with the pump.....it's slow. I look up how to adjust the time in the JBJ, and it turns out to be real easy. Take out the four phillips head screws in the back of the controller and turn the adjustment screw (circled in yellow) counterclockwise to increase the time.
Supposedly the factory setting for timing out is three minutes of run time....with the maximum being seven minutes. I turn the screw all the way up to as far as it will go.....seven minutes of run time on a Tom's still isn't much water, so I'm safe.
My original ATO (AquaHub Premium installed ca 2008) will be repaired and used on my QT tank. Although I thought the relay had crapped out, it was a float switch. First time I've had a float switch loose continuity when it failed.
I had set up the JBJ ATO thinking it was going to be temporary....with the concern that it didn't have a backup float switch. As I was pulling out the original ATO, I remember that someone had mentioned that the single float switch "times out" after X number of minutes of pump run time....so I'm safe. So last night I decided to install the controller in the equipment stand:
I come down to the fish room this morning and the water level in the sump is below that magic line.....the JBJ had timed out. Now realize I have a Tom's Aqualifter as my feed pump from the reservoir.....to put it another way, if you're not familiar with the pump.....it's slow. I look up how to adjust the time in the JBJ, and it turns out to be real easy. Take out the four phillips head screws in the back of the controller and turn the adjustment screw (circled in yellow) counterclockwise to increase the time.
Supposedly the factory setting for timing out is three minutes of run time....with the maximum being seven minutes. I turn the screw all the way up to as far as it will go.....seven minutes of run time on a Tom's still isn't much water, so I'm safe.
My original ATO (AquaHub Premium installed ca 2008) will be repaired and used on my QT tank. Although I thought the relay had crapped out, it was a float switch. First time I've had a float switch loose continuity when it failed.
Very nice Paul!!!!!!
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As I continued to ponder the addition of the JBJ ATO and the safety of the "time out" feature, I was now bothered by this feature being used when I was away on vacation. You know that's when equipment decides to crap out. So in this scenario, the float switch fails, the pump runs until it times out, and then that's it, no more water....for that two week vacation to Ireland!!! Can't have that.
I need to install a dual float switch arrangement with this JBJ. This way I'll have double protection....second float switch, and if that now fails, the "time out." I can live with that. What's the chances that both float switches would fail at the same time.
The first thing I wanted to test was how high the water level went up if the switch failed, and the pump ran until "time out." This would help me determine the offset of the two float switches. According to what I was told (or read) the timer switch turned all the way up runs for seven minutes. I marked the location of the water level for the current JBJ:
The float switch was removed and the pump allowed to run. I didn't start a stopwatch but simply looked at the time. It didn't stop after seven minutes....actually ran about 13 minutes. Still not much water for a Tom's. Here's the level after the pump "timed out," about 7/8 of a inch up.
Knowing the dimensions of this return section of the sump, that equates to less than 3/4 or a gallon.
I've just ordered more float switches.....now have to wait for them coming from China. While I wait, I'm working on a way to keep the tops of the float switches dry....that's what has been killing the current switches I have.
I need to install a dual float switch arrangement with this JBJ. This way I'll have double protection....second float switch, and if that now fails, the "time out." I can live with that. What's the chances that both float switches would fail at the same time.
The first thing I wanted to test was how high the water level went up if the switch failed, and the pump ran until "time out." This would help me determine the offset of the two float switches. According to what I was told (or read) the timer switch turned all the way up runs for seven minutes. I marked the location of the water level for the current JBJ:
The float switch was removed and the pump allowed to run. I didn't start a stopwatch but simply looked at the time. It didn't stop after seven minutes....actually ran about 13 minutes. Still not much water for a Tom's. Here's the level after the pump "timed out," about 7/8 of a inch up.
Knowing the dimensions of this return section of the sump, that equates to less than 3/4 or a gallon.
I've just ordered more float switches.....now have to wait for them coming from China. While I wait, I'm working on a way to keep the tops of the float switches dry....that's what has been killing the current switches I have.