Auto Water Change Help--Replicating Dean's System

[Blake Calhoun]

I've been zooming into all of Dean's fish room tours, but haven't been able to figure out the following: 

 

-What brand of pump does Dean use in his bucket? Can anyone recommend one similar?

-I see the solenoid valve outputs to 1/4 fridge tubing, which then Ts off to individual tanks. How does he route it? I remember one video where he has the 1/4 tubing filling up a PVC tube, others he has going directly to the tank. How does he plumb it so he can do 1 rack at a time, rather than 1 row around the fish room? Hopefully this question makes sense. 

Thanks for any help!

Blake. 

[Zenzo]

@Dean’s Fishroom 

[Dean’s Fishroom]

My water pump in the bucket is an old one that I had on hand. It is an Odssey WP-1000. I'm sure there are many newer ones that would do the job really well. You just have to make sure that the pump will handle the highest volume of flow that you'd ever drain into the bucket and also will carry that at the amount of head that the pump will have to overcome.

 

For the water supply with a bunch of trial and error I've found that the 1/4" press fit plumbing fittings and hose work great for me. I use lots of T's to put it all together and the little ball valves for each tank are the barbed ones from Two Little Fishies. For the most part I hold it in place with zip ties and also 1/4" cable clamps like these https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Clamp-pack-inch-Natural/dp/B004FV0ZL4

Hope this helps

[ARMYVET]

On 9/29/2021 at 12:41 AM, Dean’s Fishroom said:

My water pump in the bucket is an old one that I had on hand. It is an Odssey WP-1000. I'm sure there are many newer ones that would do the job really well. You just have to make sure that the pump will handle the highest volume of flow that you'd ever drain into the bucket and also will carry that at the amount of head that the pump will have to overcome.

 

For the water supply with a bunch of trial and error I've found that the 1/4" press fit plumbing fittings and hose work great for me. I use lots of T's to put it all together and the little ball valves for each tank are the barbed ones from Two Little Fishies. For the most part I hold it in place with zip ties and also 1/4" cable clamps like these https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Clamp-pack-inch-Natural/dp/B004FV0ZL4

Hope this helps

Sir, your fish room is nothing short of miraculous.  I have watched every video with you in it and have taken so many ideas you use to implement into my own fish room.  You prove that is not the size of the room or the number of tanks you have but the person running it that dictates success.  

I would like to say thank you for everything you do to further this hobby and make it to where we can learn from you and enjoy similar successes.....some day.

 

[Blake Calhoun]

@Dean’s FishroomThank you! And thanks @Zenzofor tagging in Dean. D

Dean, do you use right angle press fittings as well to get water flowing to a single rack at a time? I'm trying to wrap my head around how to fill one rack per solenoid. 

Again, thank you! Appreciate the help. 

Blake. 

[Zenzo]

On 9/29/2021 at 7:27 AM, Blake Calhoun said:

@Dean’s FishroomThank you! And thanks @Zenzofor tagging in Dean. D

Dean, do you use right angle press fittings as well to get water flowing to a single rack at a time? I'm trying to wrap my head around how to fill one rack per solenoid. 

Again, thank you! Appreciate the help. 

Blake. 

@Blake Calhoun You're welcome. It's always helpful when we have someone as knowledgable and helpful as Dean!

[JakeH]

On 9/29/2021 at 10:27 AM, Blake Calhoun said:

@Dean’s FishroomThank you! And thanks @Zenzofor tagging in Dean. D

Dean, do you use right angle press fittings as well to get water flowing to a single rack at a time? I'm trying to wrap my head around how to fill one rack per solenoid. 

Again, thank you! Appreciate the help. 

Blake. 

Dean’s RO lines are a game changer. The concept saved me hours and the final product definitely feels more polished and flexible.
 

I think your missing this piece, you’ll need to use these (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YYKB9K2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_DEQ6X71E1EVGQY8GGRMC ) to split your lines by shelf on the rack and then build manifold runs across the racks, each tee dropping a line to each tank. I used the Ziss air valve to end each of my lines in the tank. 

Are your tanks all the same size? I have a similar system set up and I have each valve feeding similar sized tanks. (i.e. one for the 10s, one for the 20s and so on) This way I can feel pretty confident that each tanks water change over is fairly consistent. If you run a line to a rack with mixed volumes your larger tanks will get a smaller % water change per minute of flow than the others.

Check out Greg Sage’s water change system videos. He maps out his system in detail. Steve Poland Aquatics also has a great video on the topic. I up with a hybrid of a few different systems that fit my needs.

Pump wise I was able to find a 1/3hp sump pump on eBay cheap. It’s got the power, but it is very loud (especially in a plastic bucket). My rack is in the basement and I can hear the pump kick on through the floors. I didn’t consider this when planning and it’s the only regret I have with the setup.

[Blake Calhoun]

@JakeHThis is an epiphany, thank you! I knew I was missing something simple, and this is it. Thank you so much. 

 

The tanks will be the same size on each rack. But one way to get around it is to put more than one tap on your larger tanks (e.g., two water inputs on a 40 breeder, 1 on a 20 high) for more consistent water changes. 

Thanks to the community again!

 

Blake. 

[DavidR]

The way Dean has his fishroom setup is a masterpiece. We all aspire to add a bit of his ingenuity.

One of the reasons we all love his fishroom tours. I find myself noticing something else each time.

[StevesFishTanks]

I use these 24v ac solenoid valves that work with the 1/4" water lines

I control them using the 12 zone orbit sprinkler timer

I use manual 1/4" valves near the input per tank that lets me turn off tanks without editing the program.

For my tanks that are not drilled I just run 1/4" with a manual valve near the tank for easy water changes after draining.