Water Sensor Tube

maineultraclassic · Post by **maineultraclassic** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 3:51 pm

What or how are people using to secure the water sensor PVC pipe in their sumps?

The pipe needs to not move so the readings are accurate, so what's the best/easiest way to secure it in place?

Thanks

rimai · Post by **rimai** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 5:42 pm

I put mine in between baffles.

maineultraclassic · Post by **maineultraclassic** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 4:25 am

I'm thinking about using some heater suction clips to hold it in place. I'm going to have it in my return section, and it is going to trigger my ATO......so it has to be solid and not moving around.

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 5:03 am

Get a pvc tee large enough for the tube to fit through the straight run. Take a hacksaw and make a notch to slide over the lip of the sump. If you have a frame use an elbow.

maineultraclassic · Post by **maineultraclassic** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:37 am

So I'm guessing it's ok for the tube to sit on the bottom of the sump?

Does it have to be vertical?

The suction cup heater clip fits great, but as with any suction cups it looses it's grip.

Between baffles won't work for me, I need it in my return section so it will trigger my ATO pump. I have a lid on my sump, so the PVC T and elbow won't work either.

What are some other ideas?

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:42 am

Drill a hole in the lid for the pipe to fit through but smaller than cap?

It can sit on bottom as long as water can get in it.

maineultraclassic · Post by **maineultraclassic** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:54 am

That may work, just have to get a longer pipe to reach the bottom

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:05 am

Also you could make some notches at the bottom of the pvc to make a strainer so water can get in but still sit firmly on the bottom

rimai · Post by **rimai** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:21 am

Here is how I use mine... I little different than what everyone uses theirs.
It's just that's how I made it when I was testing and never bothered to change it.
I have the pipe sitting on the floor. There is nothing wrong with it by the way. There is enough pressure that even if sitting on the bottom, water will go in and out of the pipe.
Then, I drilled a hole in the pvc pipe where I wanted the water to stay. Everytime water goes below the hole, air equalizes the pressure and shows 0%. At this point, I want to pump water and I turn on ATO pump.
When the water starts rising, it will close the hole and start building pressure. When it gets to 1% or 2%, that's when I turn off my ATO pump.
Just another idea for you.
All methods should work fine

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:10 pm

So how'd you calibrate 100%

Essentially your using it as a pressure switch then...

rimai · Post by **rimai** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:45 pm

Yes, but that's how I started the development and tested it initially... Got lazy

and never bothered to "fix it" later.
With the way I'm using it, I really don't care where the 100% is, right?

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:25 pm

True I guess you can manually pick a value

maineultraclassic · Post by **maineultraclassic** » Tue Oct 07, 2014 6:35 pm

I got it secured tonight, added an extra heater clip and it seems very solid right now. I'm going to let it read the next few days and keep an eye on it to see how it does. Then I'll use it for my ATO after I see how it does.
My Reef Angel ATO Pump should be here in a couple days, then I can finish my ATO mods and be done with that part.

maineultraclassic · Post by **maineultraclassic** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:15 am

Got it all mounted and worked into the system this week.
A double heater mount plus a single heater mount, and it's solid. I let it work all week to see how the readings would be, got my RA ATO pump Thursday, and then swapped everything over. So far so good.........everything is working good with much better accuracy then the old float switch.

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:54 am

Pics!!!

Sacohen · Post by **Sacohen** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:46 am

I did something similar to what Lee said in a couple of posts back.

I took a 1/2" T and drilled out the stop that keeps the pipe from going all the way thru.
the cut a slit in the other part of the T tha same size as my sump wall or tank banding and it keeps it perfectly still.

dedvalson · Post by **dedvalson** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:05 pm

Is there any reason that the sensor needs to be 1/2 inch pipe? Wouldn't it work just fine if the airline tubing went to the bottom of the tank?

rimai · Post by **rimai** » Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:45 pm

Not enough air displacement.

Ademster · Post by **Ademster** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 8:32 pm

I use these to hold my tubes, Works GREAT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquarium-Hose-H ... 1490101406

lnevo · Post by **lnevo** » Wed Dec 31, 2014 10:11 pm

Very nice!

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