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Thread: Auto Top Up
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28-09-2020, 12:54 PM #1
Auto Top Up
Hi All,
Has anyone ever fitted one of these auto top ups?
Over Flow Top Up Box.jpg
I have one and was wondering where I can plumb this in on my setup?
My pond has 4" bottom drain supplying an Oase Proficlear Compact on one return and also an Oase Aquaskim supplying a Aquaforte Mini Sieve which has a split return to pond and a bakki shower.
Could I fit this on the sieve inlet chamber side? As it would provide the easiest solution for me to access pond level for equalisation and also for overflow to waste. Its also close to where my water supply and de-chlorinator are.
Would the pond level / equalization work if plumbed into the sieve inlet chamber?
Obviously when the sieve is running the inlet chamber water level drops lower than actual pond level due to the pump draw? and so the the auto top up would be constantly trying to then top up? Or is it just a case of adjusting the auto top up to the water level when the sieve is running ?
Or is it a complete non starter?
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Stephen01 Thanked / Liked this Post
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28-09-2020, 04:36 PM #2
The problem is exactly as you have stated- the water level in the inlet side of both your filters will be lower than the pond so setting the appropriate level is difficult. So long as your pond has a built in overflow then the risk of too much water entering shouldn’t be a problem though.
Do you currently change any water in your pond?
By far the easiest way of managing pond topping up is to have a continuous trickle running in all the time via a dechlorinator unit, then simply let overflow run to waste. This then keeps your pond level always the same, and does your water changes for you. Requires no special equipment either, no valves to go wrong etc. etc.2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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28-09-2020, 05:45 PM #3
Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
Its a new install and no fish present yet, so no water changes.
The pond itself is a 1200 gallon EZpond so for whatever reason, unfortunately no built in overflow?
I was thinking perhaps the Oase drum filter open waste may act as an overflow? but I will need to test this to see if it will function as such.
I was also considering a trickle in anyway to replace the water used for cleaning by the drum, that is when I have worked out how much it gets through a week to enable a 10% weekly change/turnover.
If the drum doesn't work as an overflow it looks like I may need to install some type of flange fitting through the side of the pond?
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freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
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28-09-2020, 06:04 PM #4
Yeah that’s a bit of an oversight by the manufacturer not to have one. Potentially you would be out there with a bucket bailing it out in heavy rainfall if you didn’t have a filter that could potentially be set up to overflow to waste.
If your drum is set up so the waste chute is only just above water level when it’s running, then it could potentially function as an overflow. Some people have set theirs up this way because it keeps the waste chute clean as a beneficial side effect,
Perhaps check with someone else that has a Proficlear drum though because I’ve not seen one in the flesh myself yet.
You could actually put in an overflow connection in your drum. The only issue is with deciding what level to fit it at, because if your pumps stop the level will rise and then some water would start overflowing leaving you with a lowered pond level afterwards.
You cannot use your skimmer to install an overflow into unfortunately with that design.
A tank connector through the pond wall is certainly an option if you can find a place to do that where it doesn’t look ugly externally. It needs to be big enough not to get blocked up with surface debris but not so big a fish can exit via it!2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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28-09-2020, 07:19 PM #5
I have an oase proficlear premium drum. As long as you have the drum set at the optimum height it will work as an overflow. This is how I have mine set up and it just overflows direct to drain
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28-09-2020, 07:51 PM #6
I have one of those auto top ups (plumbed in through the wall of the pond), it has worked perfectly.
However, I am planning to move to a trickle in / out system for the good reasons stated above.
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29-09-2020, 09:03 AM #7
That's good to know.
By optimum, I guess you mean that the drum has been positioned correctly to the pond level and the drum water level is somewhere between the Min & Max level indicated inside the drum?
FOT_PRD_FREI_FRLI_47005-ProfiClear-Premium-TF-L-Gravitation-EGC-002.jpg
I suppose the only real way to find out would be to overfill and see what happens whilst there are still no fish?
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30-09-2020, 10:03 AM #8
Well,.... tried filling pond to simulate over flow last evening and the drum waste idea didn't work? Even though I have the recommended Oase drum install height bang on.
So I was maybe thinking of perhaps utilizing the spare drum inlet to give the top up kit access to the pond level etc?
Inked20200929_194417~4 (002)_LI.jpg
Water level in drum with pond approx 25-30mm from over flow
you can just about make out the Max normal level on the Oase Sticker.
Last edited by Ruffers22; 30-09-2020 at 10:34 AM.
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30-09-2020, 03:43 PM #9
Would it be possible for you to lower your drum a bit? (I know the pipe work often makes this difficult or impossible to do)
2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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Ruffers22 Thanked / Liked this Post
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30-09-2020, 03:56 PM #10
Auto Top Up
I’m not sure exactly how your drum is set up. Mine will overflow to waste via drum. Have you removed a screen in The drum to see how high the water level is compared to the drum waste shoot?
I’ll get a photo of mine.
I have my drum height set that c.1.5” from pond overflow will overflow to the drum waste
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30-09-2020, 04:12 PM #11
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30-09-2020, 04:23 PM #12
I let the water come all the way up last night.
It came right up over the edges of the upper screen as you look down on the drum if that makes sense? But I bottled it before the pond overflowed and allowed water out via the bottom drain purge.
I did try and remove a screen to take a look at the waste duct but couldn't get one out?? I will try again tonight as I believe you cant remove the screens at the top only when down the side?
Rather than change the height of the drum I think I should be able to use the spare 4" inlet on the drum and plumb in an overflow from there?
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Rusho Thanked / Liked this Post
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30-09-2020, 04:29 PM #13
So on mine you can see the water level if just above max, this is with the pump running at c8k lph
It flows just over the overflow for me
I normally have air running on the dirty side so this will overflow when it’s on max as the air will lift the water that little bit higher
Maybe the combi is a little different
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Ruffers22 Thanked / Liked this Post
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30-09-2020, 04:43 PM #14
That’s a good idea actually. A 90 and vertical pipe from a spare input should give you a pond level pipe of water and you could then have an overflow pipe plumbed into the side of that. The only thing is you are effectively creating a dead end pipe, so to ensure it doesn’t go stagnant you would need to make sure some water regularly overflowed from it.
2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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30-09-2020, 05:01 PM #15
o if you turn your pump/s off your water level will be higher still?
I thought that you set the Oase drum up when everything was off? so you got a true water level?
My drum is a compact combi and the water level sticker is in the clean/bio side.
At normal pond level and when the pump is running and air running the water is around or just below the minimum mark.
Last night I let the pond rise to within 25mm of overflow and the water level with pump/s running the level was about 15-20mm above the Max mark on the sticker.
I also have a Sieve on the skimmer line and with the pump running this was at MAX as well which at normal levels is well below when running at normal
pond level.
pond levelInked20200929_194417~4 (002)_LI.jpg20200929_194327~2.jpg
Oase-ProfiClear-Premium-Compact-M-Gravity-EGC.jpgLast edited by Ruffers22; 30-09-2020 at 05:07 PM.
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30-09-2020, 05:03 PM #16
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05-10-2020, 10:57 AM #17
Ok,
I got the auto-top kit plumbed in ok on the spare drum inlet and seems to work great as a pond overflow.
20201004_130137~2 (002).jpg
Now, looking at the suggested trickle in/out set up.
I think plumbing the trickle in to the overflow tank would be a waste of time, as all the fresh de-chlorinated water would just be going straight down the overflow to
waste, Right
So question is, where would be the best place to install a return from for the dechlorinated water? Or is it just a case of anywhere on the pond return side ie. back into the sieve or bakki?Last edited by Ruffers22; 05-10-2020 at 11:13 AM.
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05-10-2020, 08:52 PM #18
Auto Top Up
Can you not run a tube from the float valve to the drum to enter where the cables go in? Just some 6mm air line should do it
Great job there on the over flow.. can you take a photo of how you have this connected up the the drum input??
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Ruffers22 Thanked / Liked this Post
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05-10-2020, 11:24 PM #19EZ-pond 1200i Semi-Raised Pond, Spin-drifter BD, Oase Aquaskim, Oase Proficlear Compact Gravity, 1x Bermuda 10,000, 1x Evo-Aqua 20,000 Vari Wi-fi Pumps, 2x Evo-Aqua 70L Air Pumps , Evo-Aqua 55w UV, Aqua-Sieve Midi, 3 Tier Fabricated Stainless Shower, Hydro-Pro Z7 Heat Pump, 48" Big Blue De-chlorinator, Profi Auto Feeder & Seneye Pond Pack.
"That'll do pig. That'll do"
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06-10-2020, 01:08 AM #20
I think the ideal place to run your trickle in is after the filters, but appreciate this might be difficult in some setups. I have the RO and trickle pipes going into the very bottom of my shower, so it goes straight to the pond.
Apart from this being a convenient place to stick the pipes, my reasons were:
- If any chlorine did accidentally pass, it wouldn’t go into any bio media, but instead would get immediately diluted by the whole pond volume
- I don’t want to dilute water passing through the filters with clean freshly added water with nothing in it for the bio bugs to use
As you’ve said, adding it into the top up box with overflow in it would not make sense. You want to change actual pond water when it overflows, not freshly added water. Any other place would do though really.2016 new 6000 gallon pond
https://www.koiforum.uk/pond-construc...ghlight=feline
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Ruffers22 Thanked / Liked this Post
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