Saltwater Mixing Station Design Build and Upgrades

[@ARandomTrex]

How have I not known about putting the probe in a float. 😅 auto water change and ato direct from holding tank is definitely on my list of upgrades. Thanks for the video

[@ReefDudes]

I just thought of it last week! happy to help!

[@Acidrain50001]

Nice setup! Another safety thing you could do is set a time code in the apex so when it hits the optical to fill then time how long it takes to shut off on the full optical. Then don't let it run say more than 2 min more than that. It's how I have mine setup so even if the optical fails the pump shuts off and sounds the alarm. Nice idea with the pool noodle I will use that.

[@ReefDudes]

Good call! I did that on my office tank. I’ll add it into this one too!

[@Reefahholic]

Great video Deven! Big lids are absolutely mandatory for me! Every time I see somebody buy a reservoir with a 3” hole I just think to myself how hard that’s gonna be to clean or install anything inside.

[@ReefDudes]

10000% being able to actually get your arm in and wipe it out goes along way!

[@Fish_Ventura]

Thx Devon, great ideas, I’ll do some of these.

[@6704whs]

Great video

[@ReefDudes]

Thank you!

[@yangsamyu8524]

Nice set up. Do you know the brand of the water storage bin? Want to get similar ones but had no luck.

[@ReefDudes]

Local plastic place alcro made them

[@mdowney14]

Awesome setup! If your Apex is on another floor, what are you plugging. your conductivity prob into?

[@ReefDudes]

There is pm2 and fmm module thst i mounted by the bins in the video. Apex is in the tank stand on the floor above

[@jkguy08]

Looking to set up auto water changes for my reef and start my automation journey. I noticed you have both dos and versa pumps. Do they both work well with a Neptune? What equipment would you recommend to get started that will grow as my tank needs do. 6 months old mixed reef.

[@ReefDudes]

I use the dos for the trident controlled dosing to let it tweak things based of the test results and versa for trace elements and continuous duty stuff like calcium reacror, kalk. Auto water change

[@SamuelSorto]

Any issues with using the pool noodle in the saltwater mixing bin. Like it leaking any unwanted stuff

[@ReefDudes]

In general foam is inert once cured so I’m pretty sure I’m safe.

[@mylesh36]

Add an overflow drain at the top and tap it into the washer drain. Then if anything fails on the float switch or accidentally pumping rodi to a full saltwater tank it just flows down the drain versus your floors. I had a float switch fail on me, now all my rodi / saltwater storage tanks have overflows.

[@ReefDudes]

That’s a solid ideas.

[@Zbryant91]

Curious to find out if you run into any issues with the lls in the bins. I've had 2 of the 35" ones go bad in my fresh ro bin. Not sure if it's the heat shrink seal failing or if it's upset about something else going on in the bin. Definitely need to get some foam to float my salinity probe. I believe mine has gone bad and started reading pretty high due to the seal being in the water for a year or so. Do you plan on using temperature compensation on the probe? I've had mine on but it seems to do some weird stuff since it's the 2nd probe. Seems to ignore the temp probe on the pm module and just reads the tank probe

[@ReefDudes]

Its possible if water seeped into the top it could bugger it. I have a few other LLS in other containers (but i have kept the top dry) in both RO/salt issue free.. so thats my guess. Same goes with the boot on it.. eventually water can seep in over time. I have been debating if i add a temp probe or not to make it a bit more accurate.. ill likely pick one up at some point. Ill let you know if i experience anything simliar!

[@Zbryant91]

@@ReefDudes would be nice if they enabled you to assign the temp probe of choice for salinity and ph

[@lovermansmith9082]

Nice Job ! Did or do you worry about tds creep ? Is it even a issue ?

[@ReefDudes]

Not an issue as it’s all contained

[@dlegarern1]

Neptune Wav is a good pump for mixing.

[@Trickmanii]

Where did you get the portholes?

[@ReefDudes]

The place that made the containers had them

[@Trickmanii]

@@ReefDudes I see but who made the containers? Lol

[@TheOdinPrime]

Where did you get those water containers?

[@ReefDudes]

Local plastic place. Picked the size that best from from their catalog of moldes

[@Sammy31Dee]

You ever get like a moldy smell inside them containers....i always wonder if that eventually leads to something bad

[@ReefDudes]

Nothing overly noticeable

[@EugeneRu777]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@petepalazzolo7849]

Do you have a link for the wifi tds meter??

[@ReefDudes]

www.reeffactory.com/?state=productsTDSMeterOverview

[@jackkain7141]

Should have installed the new modules above the water lines, not below. Don't need to chance leaks or drips onto them.

[@Kenny_Edmonton]

Ya if you got few thousand dollars, you to can have your own mixing station lol. This hobby has me broke 😂

[@ReefDudes]

Brute trash cans are a cheap solution, its what i used to use :)

[@unheardthreat5293]

How many gallons are those tanks?

[@ReefDudes]

I would have to re calculate it but I believe mid 40s

[@Reefer_NYC]

asking my wife if i could use her closet

[@ReefDudes]

Good luck!

[@revZ098]

Overcomplicating things. More points for things failing and complications arising. We strive to make things fully automated in this hobby but i think the manual husbandry of the reef tank is what gives us that sense of accomplishment when our reef thrives. If we automate everything then theres no fun left in the hobby and things are too easy and boring

[@ReefDudes]

Sounds like you don't have kids yet! I miss free time! Automation is a hobby in it self and a rabbit hole i thoroughly enjoy! Knowing What needs to get done happens on its own frees up my limited to to let me enjoy the tank rather than just maintaining it.

[@revZ098]

@@ReefDudes fair enough i didn’t think of it in terms of being a parents. My bad

[@ReefDudes]

@@revZ098 hahah yea, i feel you. i used to have way more free time, its slim Pickens these days!! In all honestly my tank would prob be way worse off and neglected if i didnt have most of it automated to fill in the gaps for me!