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Why ATO?


MSunkin23

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Quick question for you. Is everyone who is running an ATO running an open top aquarium?

 

Reason being is that I have a closed top Biocube 16 which can go two weeks with minimal evaporation (not enough to even top off sometimes). I am asking this out of curiosity if I remove the top down the road and upgrade to AIPrime or Kessil, I would also have to figure in the cost of an ATO.

 

Does anyone have the need to run an ATO with a closed-top system? - Or with Steves LED?

 

-M

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I've a BioCube 16, and I have installed an ATO - Smart ATO Micro. I still have my hood and I don't plan to upgrade in the future. I'm saving up for a bigger tank and then my current one will become a quarantine and/or frag tank 🙂 

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I run open top. My tanks  must be filled daily.

 

Open tops do have a lot more evaporation than a closed top.

 

I don't run an ato on any of mine, I top up manually every morning.

 

Most run ato to ensure salinity has no fluctuations  as well as its convenient.

 

Some ppl don't have the time in their schedules to manually top up, with busy lives some ppl forget to top up,  It also allows you to travel without worry, etc etc. 

 

 

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I run an ATO and open top. I prefer the rimless look. I like the stability of water parameters the ATO ensures, plus it's less work for me. My 5 gallon ATO reservoir lasts well over a week before it needs to be refilled. My tank is a C-Vue 26

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Over the past year I have never topped off my 32 g biocube with top on. Salinity has been stable. When I upgrade the lights I will go with one of the retrofit options to keep the hood. 

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58 minutes ago, LeoB said:

Over the past year I have never topped off my 32 g biocube with top on. Salinity has been stable. When I upgrade the lights I will go with one of the retrofit options to keep the hood. 

One year with no evap. That’s gotta be some kind of record.  

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No need for top offs at all with my Biocube 16. 

 

But boy oh boy with my new IM Nuvo 10 the water evaporates like crazy and I added an ATO this week. 

 

@Krish87, didn’t you mention you’re propping your lid open a bit on your Biocube to help with cooling,  which is leading to increased evaporation?  Did you have any evaporation issues before? Not that a little evaporation is a bad thing, evaporative cooling can work wonders...

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9 hours ago, banasophia said:

No need for top offs at all with my Biocube 16. 

 

But boy oh boy with my new IM Nuvo 10 the water evaporates like crazy and I added an ATO this week. 

 

@Krish87, didn’t you mention you’re propping your lid open a bit on your Biocube to help with cooling,  which is leading to increased evaporation?  Did you have any evaporation issues before? Not that a little evaporation is a bad thing, evaporative cooling can work wonders...

To your point, yes the BioCube 16 never has any issue for evaporation. Personally I never had high evaporation rate. Yes, I do have the lid open at times to fight the temperature spike. This is going to be for another 2 months. Once summer is done, back to normal then.

 

The ATO helps me in 2 ways,

 

1. I travel for work, so it is really a savior for regulating the top-offs and maintaining salinity.

2. Once summer is done, I plan to keep the heater in chamber 3 where the pump and the ATO sits, so that also becomes an added advantage.

 

You don't really need one for your BioCube 16, but it's convenient to have one!

 

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15 hours ago, MSunkin23 said:

Quick question for you. Is everyone who is running an ATO running an open top aquarium?

 

Reason being is that I have a closed top Biocube 16 which can go two weeks with minimal evaporation (not enough to even top off sometimes). I am asking this out of curiosity if I remove the top down the road and upgrade to AIPrime or Kessil, I would also have to figure in the cost of an ATO.

 

Does anyone have the need to run an ATO with a closed-top system? - Or with Steves LED?

 

-M

Nope I run the nanobox with my lid on.. very small evap . I actually started dosing my tank and had an extra pump on the doser so I just use that to top off daily now.. not much like 75ml... works great for me bc i keep my hvac on my house on 24/7 so evap is consistent 

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Some may think there is no evaporation but it is seen in the second and third chambers so it can be "hidden".  So make sure to check your salinity without an ATO in a tank like the BioCube before doing a water change.

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Hey Stevie,

 

No evaporation was an exaggeration, but only mentioned to contrast the need for any type of ATO system.

 

I measure salinity before/after every change and see about a shift of 0.001 units. 1.025 to 1.026. Instead of topping off, I just do a water change with 1.024 water and it usually brings me back to 1.025. I do water change every 1-2 weeks.

 

Tank stays between 79-81F degrees in the summer so far.

 

M

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25 minutes ago, StevieT said:

Some may think there is no evaporation but it is seen in the second and third chambers so it can be "hidden".  So make sure to check your salinity without an ATO in a tank like the BioCube before doing a water change.

Uh no, when I say there is no significant evap with my Biocube that is including the back chambers. 

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1 hour ago, banasophia said:

Uh no, when I say there is no significant evap with my Biocube that is including the back chambers. 

Get on him! @StevieT is a total noob anyway. 

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Evap in every tank will be different.

 

It changes all the time.

 

Once you get to know your tank, testing salinity before and after every top up and waterchange is not necessary.

 

I test my salinity after waterchange.

 

 

 

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Nano Nano Boo Boo

The question is really what ATO is the best. Currently in between Tunze and JBJ. Seems none of them have sparkling reviews. 

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3 hours ago, Nano Nano Boo Boo said:

The question is really what ATO is the best. Currently in between Tunze and JBJ. Seems none of them have sparkling reviews. 

Look into the IM hydrofill. Not the cheapest but I’m very happy with it. I like the sensors not being float switches or optical. 

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