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Thread: AWC 30 Gallon? Dos or PMUP?

  1. #1
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    AWC 30 Gallon? Dos or PMUP?

    looking to automate water changes of 30 gallons but I want to be able to have it happen fairly quickly , not over a long span of time.

    What's my best option of achieving this? anyone using a PMUP for something similar?

  2. #2
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    The DOS is not designed for large water changes over a short period. It is meant for continuous water changes to maximize parameter stability. 30 gallons requires no less than 24 hours with a DOS. The ideal scenario for a DOS is to do 0.5-1% daily changes evenly spread over 24 hours, 6-7 days a week. Doing changes like this is set it and forget it with almost no coding involved.

    The PMUP is not a high output pump and will take quite some time to change 30 gallons (probably about an hour). The PMUP (or any submersible pump for that matter) cannot accurately add or remove specific volumes based on timing alone and requires a complex sequencing that uses a combination of timed VOs that use floats and/or optical sensors to deliver the correct change. This is a lot of work and can easily fail without redundant floats and proper failsafe in the sequencing.

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  3. #3
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    thank you for the clarification. Do you feel doing water changes of this size slowly with the dos is the way to go? or does it really lose the benefit of a larger water change. Additionally how about the wear and tear on the dos heads?

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    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    They each have their benefits. I personally do continuous water change because it results in the most stable water parameters and allows me to to save some 2 part dosing by using a salt mix that has higher parameters than you would keep your tank at without causing alk shock. It's also much easier to program.

    The drawback to continuous changes is that it is less efficient. A 30 gallon continuous water change is equivalent to a 26 gallon remove then add.

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    I've been using the DOS for a continuous water change now going on 3 years (I-Think?... Whenever the DOS came out) Anyway right after the DOS came out I set this up and have been using it ever since. I'm very happy with it. One of the best things I've done. Not having to do water changes with bucket forever changed my engagement in this hobby lol.

    I vote for the DOS. Like Zombie said... Set it, and forget it!
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  6. #6
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    I have done AWC with DOS and 1 button water changes with 2 PMUPS. DOS cant do big water changes and PMUPs are slow.

    Right now I am using PMPUPs and float switches

  7. #7
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    @Mal7887 - I'm curious what you're doing with that control panel box and the solenoids on your RODI system. Are you using this to discard high TDS water/flush the system with the Apex?

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    I use 4 120V solenoids plugged into an EB4 to control ATO and the filling of my AWC storage container. I use the APEX to flush the line for 15 seconds with a solenoid when the RO system starts to save on DI resin consumption.

    The control box is a small project box I created using an Audrino board and some inexpensive solid state relays. It visually gives me the status of each of the inputs and then closes/open the circuits hooked into the I/O port of the Apex for it to respond accordingly. I have four buttons and two float switches. When one is activated the corresponding light is illuminated, along with the solid state relay to notify the Apex. I also have Red/Yellow light that will flash depending on the item activated and a piezo speaker that makes noise depending on the condition. Cost me like $30 bucks and time to build.

    It's no different if I had these items plug into the Apex I/O directly, this just give me visual indicator and a warning/alarm light depending on whats triggered.


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  9. #9
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    This is cool. I have a RODI flushing system I built that uses relays and 12v solenoids to do something similar. I like your way of tying your arduino into the Apex. I might have to do that. Right now it’s completely independent.
    independent.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tha Bizness View Post
    I have done AWC with DOS and 1 button water changes with 2 PMUPS. DOS cant do big water changes and PMUPs are slow.

    Right now I am using PMPUPs and float switches
    Any chance you mind sharing your Apex programming? I am trying to do the same with my PMUP's.

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