ATO Recommendation

G

GP125

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I'm fairly new to the hobby and very new to this forum. I would like any input on an ATO for my 28 gal AIO tank. Has anyone had any experience with Auqa Gadget HydroFill ATO Controller System by Innovative Marine?
 
Hi garey. I'm not sure about that particular one but there are a few options out there. If you have a controler it can be run through that like a reef keeper has a float switch system.
Then hydor has come out with an ato and so did coralvue. I've seen them both in action and they are neat setups. They use sensors rather then floats so no need to worry about salt creep.
 
I'm very very happy with my Hydor Smart Level. It always keeps the level dead on between the two posts (min and max) and the alarm works great as well. The only issue is the need to turn it off when I shut off the return pump since the water level in the return chamber rises and will trigger the alarm. Not difficult though with a nice large toggle switch right on the top of the unit.

Full disclosure, the first one I got was defective and would sound the alarm during calibration. It worked fine, but was just noisy for 10 min or so whenever it was turned on. Ken's Fish sent me a replacement and it works flawlessly.
 
I'm in the market too. I'm going to go with the AutoAqua Auto ATO. I know it is unproven, but I like the simplicity of it and I've read that people seem to like it.

I'm sick of filling up my 6 gallon topoff tank every other day. I'm going to get at least a 20 gal container and the ATO linked above. Then I can mix up my Kalk stew about once a week instead of every other day.
 
I'm using the aqua gadjet hydrofill and love it. The only problem I have is that if I do a water change and it fill it pass the whole sensor unit where the wires meet the sensor it stops working because it will keep registering that there is water present at that level. There seem to be a fail switch that still fills the tank even if that one of the two sensor goes out. Also, it was an easy fix by blasting air in the sensor to get all the water out every time I fill it pass the sensor unit.
 
I would stick with a smaller ATO container. You dont' want your ATO to malfunction and pump in 20gallons of fresh water into your tank. quite a few people have crashed their tanks with a malfunctioning ATO dropping their salinity because of all the fresh water pumped into their tanks.

Sawdonkey said:
I'm in the market too. I'm going to go with the AutoAqua Auto ATO. I know it is unproven, but I like the simplicity of it and I've read that people seem to like it.

I'm sick of filling up my 6 gallon topoff tank every other day. I'm going to get at least a 20 gal container and the ATO linked above. Then I can mix up my Kalk stew about once a week instead of every other day.
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ColaAddict said:
I would stick with a smaller ATO container. You dont' want your ATO to malfunction and pump in 20gallons of fresh water into your tank. quite a few people have crashed their tanks with a malfunctioning ATO dropping their salinity because of all the fresh water pumped into their tanks.
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Yeah, this is a good point. Especially since my topoff water is kalk water. I never thought of that. I guess it's a balance of having a big enough tank to not have to fill it all of the time but not big enough to crash your tank if everything goes in at once.

What size would you recommend for a total water volume of 275 or so? I know for a fact that six gallons is too small since I evaporate out nearly five gallons a day in the winter.
 
I have a 10g res and it last me like 3 days. Which is why I picked up an electric solenoid valve to auto top off my auto top off. But there will be fail safe sensors. All my of tanks run 2 float valves.

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Sawdonkey said:
Yeah, this is a good point. Especially since my topoff water is kalk water. I never thought of that. I guess it's a balance of having a big enough tank to not have to fill it all of the time but not big enough to crash your tank if everything goes in at once.

What size would you recommend for a total water volume of 275 or so? I know for a fact that six gallons is too small since I evaporate out nearly five gallons a day in the winter.
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I didn't know your system was that big :) I guess 10 or 20 gal works. my little 80gal system evaporates 1 gallon a day. yours probably evaps alot more.
 
The other thing I would really reccomend is using a glass tank for your ATO reservoir. When Petco has the $1/g sale, pick up whatever size you want and go from there. You can drill/customize it to your hearts desire and know for a fact nothing will ever leach into your top off water.
 
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