Smart ato micro going crazy at night

[rolyat113]

The last few nights my smart ato micro has randomly started beeping and flashing red. I looked this up and it either means the reservoir is empty or there is a "bubble sound"... The reservoir has plenty of water each time. This has only happened at night. I'm wondering if maybe the moonlight on my nanobox is interfering with the sensor in some way. I turned the moonlight brightness down to .5% to see if that helps. If it was the light though, I would think the issue would happen during the day when the light is at full brightness.

 

Has anyone else had this issue at all?

[pgrVII]

Maybe a snail got on it?

I've also wondered if salt collects on the sensor would it mess up its sensing.

[rolyat113]

Maybe a snail got on it?

I've also wondered if salt collects on the sensor would it mess up its sensing.

These were my first thoughts. I keep it wiped clean so nothing on it. So far I haven't had any snails leave the DT. Plus it only happens at night. Which really sucks to wake up to!

[pgrVII]

These were my first thoughts. I keep it wiped clean so nothing on it. So far I haven't had any snails leave the DT. Plus it only happens at night. Which really sucks to wake up to!

Your first thought you had with the lights interfering.

[evilc66]

If you think the problem is your light, shade the sensor and see if things improve.

[Matteo]

the process of elimination beings!

[rolyat113]

It must have been the light. I shaded it for a couple of nights, and then repositioned the sensor so it doesn't get as much light from the nanobox. Last night without shade it gave no issue, so I'll leave it and see what happens.

[holy carp]

My understanding is those optical sensors work on the refractive index between seawater and the plastic prism compared to the refractive index between air and the plastic prism. Seawater is more similar in density to the plastic, so a light source within the device (mostly) projects through the plastic into the water. When the water is low, the density difference between air and the plastic is greater, so there is total internal reflection, and the light source is reflected back to the sensor instead of escaping the prism like it did under water. When the light reflect back in, it turns on the pump. From the images I've seen, it appears Autoaqua uses a blue light source. When I was looking into a DIY version last year, almost all optical sensors I found available were red or infrared. I wonder if it's possible that blue is more susceptible to 'confusion' from our aquarium lights.

[rolyat113]

My understanding is those optical sensors work on the refractive index between seawater and the plastic prism compared to the refractive index between air and the plastic prism. Seawater is more similar in density to the plastic, so a light source within the device (mostly) projects through the plastic into the water. When the water is low, the density difference between air and the plastic is greater, so there is total internal reflection, and the light source is reflected back to the sensor instead of escaping the prism like it did under water. When the light reflect back in, it turns on the pump. From the images I've seen, it appears Autoaqua uses a blue light source. When I was looking into a DIY version last year, almost all optical sensors I found available were red or infrared. I wonder if it's possible that blue is more susceptible to 'confusion' from our aquarium lights.

This is very interesting. I think you are correct. It happened again last night, and I just turned off the moonlight because I was frustrated. Even while shaded (with a magic eraser...) it started beeping. At some point I'll make a plastic cover of some sort to keep all light out. I'm surprised I'm the only one having this issue though!

[Marc.The.Shark]

This is very interesting. I think you are correct. It happened again last night, and I just turned off the moonlight because I was frustrated. Even while shaded (with a magic eraser...) it started beeping. At some point I'll make a plastic cover of some sort to keep all light out. I'm surprised I'm the only one having this issue though!

Mine did it just once a couple weeks ago. I've only had it for about a month and it's in the return chamber of my sump in the stand. I do have a fuge light that illuminates the interior of the stand. This happened at night & I toggled the power to the unit and it hasn't happened again. I thought it was maybe just a fluke? Maybe not

[rolyat113]

I was reading the instructions again and it said if the pump runs longer than the initial pump cycle it'll beep and blink red. Since I'm running the anti-siphon that leaks, maybe it's running longer? I would think it would do it during the day too though... I'll replace the hose when I can and just see if that makes a difference. This whole thing isn't a major issue, but just so annoying!

[Marc.The.Shark]

IDK, I hear mine come on & it only pumps for a few seconds (my return chamber is small). I'm running the anti-siphon thingy too. It pumps the water in pretty fast. I was used to an aqua lifter taking a couple minutes to refill. I was hoping this would be a better option than my Hydor in which the sensor failed & dumped the whole ATO contents into my sump (with Alk) in the middle of the night. I'll keep a better eye on it now. Like I said, I didn't know why it was beeping that night, but hasn't happened again. You would think that with all the different applications this would be needed for, that testing would have found an outside light source interference. I hope that's not what the issue is.

[rolyat113]

IDK, I hear mine come on & it only pumps for a few seconds (my return chamber is small). I'm running the anti-siphon thingy too. It pumps the water in pretty fast. I was used to an aqua lifter taking a couple minutes to refill. I was hoping this would be a better option than my Hydor in which the sensor failed & dumped the whole ATO contents into my sump (with Alk) in the middle of the night. I'll keep a better eye on it now. Like I said, I didn't know why it was beeping that night, but hasn't happened again. You would think that with all the different applications this would be needed for, that testing would have found an outside light source interference. I hope that's not what the issue is.

I made a better cover to shade it from light and didn't get beeping last night. In the instructions I found where it does say to place it somewhere away from direct light. More time will tell.

[Marc.The.Shark]

Please update in a couple weeks if this solved your problem. May need to look into something like that if I have issues again.

I made a better cover to shade it from light and didn't get beeping last night. In the instructions I found where it does say to place it somewhere away from direct light. More time will tell.

[rolyat113]

I've come to the conclusion that my moonlights were the issue. After running a cover over the chamber with the ATO sensor for a couple of weeks, it has not gone off again. I still need to make a better cover, but I'm just happy it's not beeping at night anymore.

[Marc.The.Shark]

I've come to the conclusion that my moonlights were the issue. After running a cover over the chamber with the ATO sensor for a couple of weeks, it has not gone off again. I still need to make a better cover, but I'm just happy it's not beeping at night anymore.

Thanks for the update. I'll keep placement in mind when I put the sensor in my new sump. If that doesn't work, then I'll look into covering like you did. Mine went off once in the last couple weeks but I think it was due to low level in ATO container, not the actual sensor.

[Cencalfishguy56]

Thanks for the update. I'll keep placement in mind when I put the sensor in my new sump. If that doesn't work, then I'll look into covering like you did. Mine went off once in the last couple weeks but I think it was due to low level in ATO container, not the actual sensor.

ive been running mine for about a week and have had no issues thus far in the sump, could be the light or low ato water level

[rolyat113]

And it's doing it again. I'm so pissed. It's done it twice tonight. I'm too tired to figure it out. If it does it again I'll just leave it unplugged. All I know is the sensor is clean and the water level is fine. I'll be contacting them with my issue this time.

[Cencalfishguy56]

And it's doing it again. I'm so pissed. It's done it twice tonight. I'm too tired to figure it out. If it does it again I'll just leave it unplugged. All I know is the sensor is clean and the water level is fine. I'll be contacting them with my issue this time.

interesting, I haven't had any problems with the sensor going crazy at night, maybe you have a defective unit possibly

[rolyat113]

So it's back at it again. I contacted coralvue who told me they'd send a new pump... Not sure that's the problem, but that's what they said the problem was.

[Cencalfishguy56]

So it's back at it again. I contacted coralvue who told me they'd send a new pump... Not sure that's the problem, but that's what they said the problem was.

yea that's weird mine has been flawless and I even had to clean it since it had some film algae growing, my sump light is even close to it so it should be triggered if that was the issue but it's been working flawlessly for me

[Marc.The.Shark]

yeah, no issues for me either since that one time, but that could have been low level for the pump as my current container is pretty shallow. I didn't really think about it at the time. Hopefully the pump fixes the issue.

[rolyat113]

Turns out they're sending a new sensor now. I stayed up late last night, past the time my lights switch to moonlight, and it didn't go off.. I really think it's the sensor not working properly.

 

Props to them though for the quick easy support.

[shelleyBoston]

Did you contact the company directly or the place where you purchased it?

[Canadianeh]

Turns out they're sending a new sensor now. I stayed up late last night, past the time my lights switch to moonlight, and it didn't go off.. I really think it's the sensor not working properly.

 

Props to them though for the quick easy support.

just wondering if your issue is totally gone.

 

Mine is brand new just installed it tonight. Suddenly it beeps with red light like yours and I notice that the sensor is way under the water. I turned the power off and back on, and it started to pump water despite the sensor is under the water. I had to shut off the power and will leave it off overnight. I can't risk it going overflow.