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Innovative Marine Aquariums

Smitty's Pico Ato Guide.


SmittyCoco

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Is that AC voltage running through the float switch? :o

 

If it was me, I would run a cheap wall wart, pushing DC voltage through it, to a relay built for AC power and can take the motor startup. Less efficient yes, but far less likely to get stuck or kill you or your fish if something gets wet or shorts out. You can be as careful as you want, but things happen and in this case, it's things that can kill you.

 

 

 

Also, the line putting water into the tank, should have a check valve on it, if the end if it's below the water line otherwise it could backflow draining the tank in a power failure. The Aqualifter may have one built in (I think it does), but not all pumps do.

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20,000geeksUNDERtheSEA

I was looking at this design because I cant seem to get my battery aerator powered ato to work... Although this relay stuff is a bit confusing. any how ....

 

 

DEFTONES are the best band ever!

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Stephensx04

I have been running the same set up for over 2 years now. Only difference with mine is I use an air pump to pressurize a container that pushes water up to my tank. Only time I had an issue was when I plugged the lamp into the switch rather than the pump. Had to replace float switch. Also an advantage I see to using air is when the switch turns off it continues to push water in till air pressure in resivour bleeds down. This keeps the switch cycles to a minimum as it kinda over fills a bit. And water level stays very consistent. Are there better ways, sure. But this way does work.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 5 months later...

Well just to update. I still have my original set up in place and running. Original float switch, aqua lifter and even the original airline hose. So it has been over three years with no problems. Hth. Gl !

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  • 4 months later...
Well just to update. I still have my original set up in place and running. Original float switch, aqua lifter and even the original airline hose. So it has been over three years with no problems. Hth. Gl !

 

pm sent

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  • 2 years later...

Long time since there have been any activity on this post. I am first curious if this rig is still running fine?

Secondly, if you literally put this inline on a plain extension cord I dont see how it held up any length of time without a relay. How did it not fry itself almost right way?

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I can tell you that I have been running these the same way for years and never had one fail. I do, however, use a shutoff float but, it has never come into play.

 

I understand the safety factor of the relay, I even have a couple and the sockets for them. I think I will use the relay method on my nano project but that is just out of curiosity to be honest.

 

The thing I most definitely am leery of are heaters. I have had two tanks wiped out by bad heaters in the past and am going to use a controller of some sort in my new setup. People always seem to freak out about line voltage going to a float valve but, heaters and pumps do as well is most cases. I literally almost died from a submersible pump somehow getting a leak in the epoxy seal and shocking the hell out of me when I put my hand in the tank I was testing. My wife almost made me quit the aquarium hobby over it.

 

Steven

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