texanreefer Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I know this gets asked a lot but bear with me here because I think I may have a legitimate question. Maybe it has been asked before but after many hours of searching forums and google I cannot find the answer I need. So after a month with my Spec V I am already getting tired of topping off with freshwater everyday to keep my salinity in check not to mention when I'm gone for more than a day. I have researched pretty much every single ATO system there is out there and none seem to satisfy my needs for the spec v. They all seem too big to fit in the rear pump chamber and I don't really want to trust a float switch anyway. Since I have figured out exactly how much water evaporates a day I would like to set up a top off that fills an exact amount every 24hours. I've heard of some people using dosing pumps but I don't know much about them. What I was thinking was getting a Tom's aqua-lifter (since its a very slow, low volume pump) with some sort of digital timer that will turn it on say 20-30 seconds or whatever is needed to replenish the tank every 24 hours. Does anyone know of a timer that can do this? I have a cheap mechanical timer on my freshwater tank's lights but it only allows on/off in 30 minute intervals. If there is no such thing would some sort of cheap dosing pump fit my needs? If you have any ideas or experience with this please chime in, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Gunnar. Link to comment
Baroose_Le Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I think you are getting carried away. Just get double float valve from autotopoff.com Link to comment
texanreefer Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 I think you are getting carried away. Just get double float valve from autotopoff.com and put them where? I don't like the whole idea of float valves and my tank over flowing all over my carpet. Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Get an auto Aqua smart ato. Perfect for that size tank. It will turn on with less than 1/8 inch drop in water. Will drop two ounces and turn off. I use one on a 16 gallon (12 gallon of water). It's perfect and small. I believe they even just came out with like a micro version. Link to comment
jbb Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Get an auto Aqua smart ato. Perfect for that size tank. It will turn on with less than 1/8 inch drop in water. Will drop two ounces and turn off. I use one on a 16 gallon (12 gallon of water). It's perfect and small. I believe they even just came out with like a micro version. Smart ATO will not work through the frosted glass Link to comment
texanreefer Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 Smart ATO will not work through the frosted glass Yeah thats exactly why I didn't go that route. Believe me i've already looked into just about everything. However this "micro" version seems feasible if the article I just read is correct. http://reefbuilders.com/2015/09/09/autoaqua-smart-ato-micro-impressively-small Get an auto Aqua smart ato. Perfect for that size tank. It will turn on with less than 1/8 inch drop in water. Will drop two ounces and turn off. I use one on a 16 gallon (12 gallon of water). It's perfect and small. I believe they even just came out with like a micro version. So it will run for just a few seconds? I was under the impression it had a minimum time that it would turn the pump on which would probably be too much for a 5g tank. Guess I was wrong. Link to comment
holy carp Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Soon the Smart ATO micro will become available, and that will not be affected by frosted or opaque glass, as long as you can stand having the wire run down to the water line inside the tank. But there hasn't been any info since its announcement, sadly. I've been holding out for this one myself. Link to comment
Reefer69 Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Toms aqualifier and a digital timer you can set to the minute. Just get a good timer that doesn't reset itself or you'll have water on the floor. Link to comment
texanreefer Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 Toms aqualifier and a digital timer you can set to the minute. Just get a good timer that doesn't reset itself or you'll have water on the floor. but wouldn't you think even a minute would still be too much water for a spec v? Where do I even find digital timers at? Thanks Link to comment
Reefer69 Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 Home depot. aQualifier is very slow. I have mine set at four intervals of 5 minutes throughout the day. Link to comment
texanreefer Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 Home depot. aQualifier is very slow. I have mine set at four intervals of 5 minutes throughout the day. ok thanks good to know. What size tank do you have? Link to comment
REEFerMAdNESS88 Posted November 29, 2015 Share Posted November 29, 2015 I have a Tunze, the smallest they make, in my 2.5 pico and has not let me down yet. Link to comment
texanreefer Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 I have a Tunze, the smallest they make, in my 2.5 pico and has not let me down yet. Tunze osmolator nano? Looks like I finally found a digital time capable of a minimum on time in seconds and not minutes. I will most likely go with this paired with a Tom Aqualifter. That is unless Auto Aqua ever decides to reply to my comments to confirm if the new Smart ATO micro will work on the Spec's frosted glass or not. http://www.superfeederstore.com/acdt-20-weekly-digital-timer-minimum-on-off-time-1-second/#reviews Link to comment
metrokat Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I have a smart ATO on my Spec V. Works fine. Link to comment
jbb Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 I have a smart ATO on my Spec V. Works fine. Thought they don't read through the frosted glass, No? Link to comment
metrokat Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Thought they don't read through the frosted glass, No? occasionally it will sound the alarm for no reason so maybe you are right but it hasn't malfunctioned and I event went on vacation with it in place so. Link to comment
GlassHouse Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 a smart ATO in the main tank will work and you won't even notice it. Link to comment
REEFerMAdNESS88 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 Tunze osmolator nano? Looks like I finally found a digital time capable of a minimum on time in seconds and not minutes. I will most likely go with this paired with a Tom Aqualifter. That is unless Auto Aqua ever decides to reply to my comments to confirm if the new Smart ATO micro will work on the Spec's frosted glass or not. http://www.superfeederstore.com/acdt-20-weekly-digital-timer-minimum-on-off-time-1-second/#reviews thats the one and the sensor is inside the tank so will accurately read the water level. admittedly i have only had it for a month but so far so good and I have not herd any horror stories. it also has an auto shut off so if the sensor gets confused and does not turn off wwhen water level is met it turns off after like a minute or minute and half. Link to comment
smeagol108 Posted November 30, 2015 Share Posted November 30, 2015 occasionally it will sound the alarm for no reason so maybe you are right but it hasn't malfunctioned and I event went on vacation with it in place so. funny my smart ato will occasionaly sound the alarm for no apparent reason. had it for five months, I think this has happened twice. I really like the smart ATO, simple to use, registers very small changes in water volume so it will turn on and off often (less changes to your tank). I was shocked when I saw it would turn on in my 15 gallon (I have it in display) and would drop two ounces or so only and keeps the water level perfectly stable. It has some builtin protection features the main one being it knows how long it was on last. if it turned on for three second the last time, and the next time it turns on and is on for 9 seconds it wi;ll auto shutoff. the failsafe is three times the last normal run operaton. (I have never had it do this though). Link to comment
texanreefer Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 So Auto Aqua responded to my message. They said the smart ATO micro will work through frosted or tinted glass and they will be shipping to retailers in the next week or so. Can't wait to get one in! Link to comment
Tamberav Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 The micro looks good, only thing is the pump/return line looks huge/strong. Ive had issues with other ATO's that dump in water too fast and by the time they shut off, they have added too much to tiny picos. Hopefully this won't be an issue. Here is a video of the micro and it dumps in water pretty fast considering how small the back chamber of a fuval is. I would rather have been able to supply my own pump like an aqua lifter for gradual filling. I have a cover on my Fuval atm made out of plexi till I can find a suitable ATO. I am still debating on not using an ATO at all simply because if it failed... well.... goodbye tank. Still, I am hopeful this new micro ATO will work and be reliable. Link to comment
Mr. Schertz Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 How about a gravity fed auto top off? One with a needle valve. You could dial it in to drip slowly like an IV. How about a gravity fed auto top off? One with a needle valve. You could dial it in to drip slowly like an IV. Link to comment
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