Reef-Filler Top-Off Pump
The one chore I dislike more than water changes is the constant top off of evaporation water. My routine is to make about 7 gallons of DI water a week - no, actually 9 gallons a week because no mater how hard I try, I always forget I'm making water and at least 2 gallons overflow. I only did that a few times before I began filling the container in the tub. I am also planning on dosing kalkwasser and there is no way I want to make daily batches of that. My job requires that I travel a lot so although my wife never complained, I wanted to make things easier for her when I was away. So to that end, I decided to buy a top-off system. I was undecided as to which one to purchase, the Reef-Filler or the Litermeter. Since noise wasn't a concern, and because the Reef-Filler was around $70 cheaper, I decided on the Reef-Filler.
When you open the box and unpack the pump, you also will find some 3/8" I.D. poly tubing , vinyl tubing, and all the fittings to connect the input and output. Unless you're installing the Reef-Filler right next to your tank the included tubing is of no use because there isn't much of it. For my installation I went to Home Depot and bought 50 feet of the semi-rigid milky white poly tubing for 14 cents a foot. Again the size is 3/8" ID and ½" OD. You could also use the more flexible vinyl tubing although it is more expensive and might kink on you if you are taking a circuitous route to your tank.
Installation was straight forward. I mounted the pump on a shelf in a closet in my laundry room. The pump comes with about a 10 foot long power cord but I still had to go to Walmart and pick up a 15 foot extension. While I was there I also paid 6 bucks for a 35 gallon plastic trash can to be used as the reservoir. For water source, I tapped into a cold water pipe using a $5 valve kit I purchased from True Value hardware. This kit is designed to clamp onto a water pipe and then pierce the pipe. A 5 minute installation which will provide you with a spigot for a ¼" plastic hose. I attached this hose to the input of my first Tap Water Purifier and attached the output of the second TWP to a hose which drains into the trash can. To overcome my problem of forgetting that I'm making water, I planned to use a simple float valve to turn off the TWP when the can was full. Well, that doesn't work because the TWP units are not made to hold pressure. If you close the output of the TWP in a matter of seconds enough pressure will build up to not only cause the TWP to leak water, but is causes the release of the resin crystals into the output as soon as you release the pressure. So in order to make this work, I will have to find a float valve with both input and output fittings so I can run the input t the TWP through the valve. If you know of such a valve, send me an email at bespo@cereal.mv.com
Ok, so I've mounted the pump, the input water and the reservoir in the closet and now have to run the tubing to the tank. That was easy but I had to drill a hole in the hardwood floor behind the tank (still haven't told my wife about that one) which was awkward because of the limited space. I created an elbow in the poly tubing by using two 90 degree 3/8" couplers I also purchased at True Value. So, installation is finished.
The next step after filling the reservoir was to start the pump. The instructions say that it is self priming but mine would not suck up any water until I removed the output tubing and poured a little water into the diaphragm valve area. After doing that it began to pump. The Reef-Filler is rated for 0 to 3 gallons a day and I knew that I was evaporating about a gallon to a gallon and a half a day so I initially adjusted it to 40% stroke. Oh yea, the adjustment know is labeled in percent of stroke. I assumed 0% being 0 gallons and 100% being 3 gallons. 40% was way too much and I readjusted it to 10% and believe it or not, on the second try I matched my evaporation rate. The one drawback to this type of top off system is that if you are in a climate where it's dry one day and humid the next, the amount of makeup water is going to be off. I live in New Hampshire and this should not be a problem from September to March but will and has already proven to be a minor problem for the other months. I think I will save up and buy a good electronic float switch and set it up so that I don't overfill my sump. By the way, the Litermeter already comes with one so the price difference is negated by that fact. Also the Reef-Filler is noisy and can be heard even with the closet doors closed. It sounds like an electric can opener, but not as loud. Because of the noise and the included float switch, the Litermeter may be a better purchase for those who don't have a long run from the pump to their tank. Remember that the Reef-Filler can pump water 200 feet, the Litermeter cannot.
All in all I'm satisfied with my purchase of the Reef-Filler and can recommend it to those not concerned by it's noisy operation.