Evap and vacation...

[skybird]

What should i do if my sump runs below the minimum water line within a week and ill be gone for a week and a half?

Is it safe to stop the flow to the sump, and let the skimmer run in teh sump to get the circulation run, and let the power heads keep the main tank circulating. Or will that provide issues in the DT?

I dont have time to rig a ATO up, and dont have room for a bigger sump...

Any and all suggestions welcome!

 

[liverock27]

Can you get a neighbor or friend to swing by and top it off once or twice while you are gone?

 

[lilrobb]

An airtight bucket and a Waterhose into the sump is a relatively safe Jerry rig for an ATO...

 

[rolo65]

LilRobb;732998 wrote: An airtight bucket and a Waterhose into the sump is a relatively safe Jerry rig for an ATO...

+1.....ive actually done that before

 

[gnashty]

Fill the sump as high as you can go and try to beg a neighbor or friend to check on it.

You can also hire a petsitter service to come about 4 days in to fill the ATO - cost you about $18 per visit. I just hired one to come over twice per day for 4 days and let the dog out and do a visual on the tank, fill up the ATO. Even sent me daily updates via text. It was well worth the money. $18 is much better than worrying about a fried tank when you get home.

 

[islandreef]

I think the bucket is your best bet. I have a JBJ auto topoff so what I did was fill my 30 gallon trash can "just for fishy stuff" with about 20 gallons of RO water and put my pump into that. So that when it was getting low there was enough water in there for an entire week and a half. Worked like a charm. In you situation I would get as was stated above an airtight bucket, get as big as you can and do what the man says. Unless you can run out and pick up a auto top off system.

Good Luck

 

[KrisDeitz]

skybird;732979 wrote: What should i do if my sump runs below the minimum water line within a week and ill be gone for a week and a half?

Is it safe to stop the flow to the sump, and let the skimmer run in teh sump to get the circulation run, and let the power heads keep the main tank circulating. Or will that provide issues in the DT?

I dont have time to rig a ATO up, and dont have room for a bigger sump...

Any and all suggestions welcome!

Im close by if needed

 

[skybird]

i dont trust my neighbors....for reasons beyond description... ( i think they sell meth on one side, and the others are well, just off...) Everyone else is too busy to look in on the fish tnak.

How do i get hte bucket and hose to work? And where can i get a float switch cheap and quick? Or anyone got one i can borrow?

 

[lilrobb]

skybird;733020 wrote: i dont trust my neighbors....for reasons beyond description... ( i think they sell meth on one side, and the others are well, just off...) Everyone else is too busy to look in on the fish tnak.

How do i get hte bucket and hose to work? And where can i get a float switch cheap and quick? Or anyone got one i can borrow?

You don't need a float switch.

Drill bucket close to bottom and attach hose (John Guest works well here)
Run hose from bucket underneath (!!!) Waterline in sump
Fill the bucket to the max with RODI
Seal bucket lid airtight.

The water will drain from bucket (must be higher than sump) as soon as the hose inside sump falls dry and stop syphoning as soon as water reaches it.

 

[skybird]

Does the john guest fitting seal the hole in the bucket?

Where can I get a JG fitting locally.

 

[lilrobb]

skybird;733319 wrote: Does the john guest fitting seal the hole in the bucket?

Where can I get a JG fitting locally.

That depends on the hole you drill....

And HD carries that stuff...

 

[skybird]

a) your fast

b) should i do any additional sealing of the hole? I dont want to worry about this everytim i go out of town...

 

[lilrobb]

That's what I get paid for, haha

I would use some silicone or so, just for peace of mind...

 

[skybird]

cool, may give this a whirl tonight.

 

[twocute2b4u]

Skybird, I just shot you a PM. I am a professional pet sitter (licensed, bonded and insured). I could always swing by to make sure nothing out of the ordinary has happened.

Denise

 

[rdnelson]

When are you leaving Skybird? I just built a DIY ATO pretty easily. If you have a little time we could build one before you go.

 

[holabird]

I work in Duluth. I can stop by a couple times of you need it.