ATO Recommendation (No Smart Tech)

[snakeybird]

What Automatic top off systems are folks using and happy with for nano tanks these days?  A lot of what I read about is WIFI computer controlled, but I am not interested in Smart tech for this aquarium.   

 

Generally I favor low tech tanks, but would like an ATO unit this time around. 

[FlytheWMark]

I had one that just went out and bought this one.  Get great reviews (on here and Amazon).  Love it so far..

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195D3LC6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[snakeybird]

1 hour ago, FlytheWMark said:

I had one that just went out and bought this one.  Get great reviews (on here and Amazon).  Love it so far..

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195D3LC6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks! I was not planning on having a sump.  I just realized that might complicate an ATO system.

[feixjai]

Check out AutoTopoff.com, I've had many other reefers suggest them. I don't have any personal experience, but have been researching about them 

[Justind823]

1 hour ago, feixjai said:

Check out AutoTopoff.com, I've had many other reefers suggest them. I don't have any personal experience, but have been researching about them 

+1000 

I've had one of their's for going on 8 years now. Never failed me.

I did take a break from it for about a year to try out an Auto Aqua Smart Micro ATO - but that one failed miserably on me. A brown out must have damaged it and pumped the whole ATO in my tank (mostly on the floor.) 

Whatever you go with make sure it has a backup system, unlike the Smart Micro. My autotopoff.com unit is the one with the dual float switches, the only negative thing I can say about it is that it's large.

[snakeybird]

Thanks for the autotopoff website suggestion.  I will have to check out YouTube to figure out how the system works, but that is ok.  Only float switch I am familiar with is on the sump pump.

 

What do you use as a reservoir? 

[FlytheWMark]

1 hour ago, snakeybird said:

Thanks! I was not planning on having a sump.  I just realized that might complicate an ATO system.

I don't have a sump either, I have a small 1 gallon container beside my tank that holds my top off water.  Works great.  I refill it once a week.

[snakeybird]

Thanks everyone!  I think I will go with a system from autotopoff.com.  I can deal with a larger unit.  I do need to install doors on my stand to hide it, but that is doable.

[MainelyReefer]

12 hours ago, Justind823 said:

+1000 

I've had one of their's for going on 8 years now. Never failed me.

I did take a break from it for about a year to try out an Auto Aqua Smart Micro ATO - but that one failed miserably on me. A brown out must have damaged it and pumped the whole ATO in my tank (mostly on the floor.) 

Whatever you go with make sure it has a backup system, unlike the Smart Micro. My autotopoff.com unit is the one with the dual float switches, the only negative thing I can say about it is that it's large.

When you first turned the smart micro on you must have made it pump a whole bunch as the shutoff settings are initiated by the duration of its first fill.  If that makes sense.

personally had great luck with the smart micro haha

[jservedio]

I used the AutoTopOff guy for making me a backup system to shut down my return pump if the drain stops working, but I really don't like using float switches for the ATO. He's a really reliable person and will customize anything you need, make brackets, etc..

 

I personally like the old school Avast Marine ATO since it uses a pressure tube system (like your garbage disposal button) and has no moving parts inside the tank. Mine's been running for 7 or 8 years now and I am super happy with it. I've never had to clean it or do any maintenance on it. They aren't super precise, so unless you have a sump or smaller return chamber, it may not be a good fit.

[parajax]

My opinion is that few things that we use can cause a disaster like a cheap or malfunctioning

ATO.  Get the best and you won't be sorry and will have peace of mind.  I researched this a year ago, saw all the new ones with all sorts of claims.  I went with Tunze 3155 Osmolator.  Best decision for me, even on a 20 G Nano.  You can adjust the flow depending on tank size.  

[snakeybird]

1 hour ago, parajax said:

My opinion is that few things that we use can cause a disaster like a cheap or malfunctioning

ATO.  Get the best and you won't be sorry and will have peace of mind.  I researched this a year ago, saw all the new ones with all sorts of claims.  I went with Tunze 3155 Osmolator.  Best decision for me, even on a 20 G Nano.  You can adjust the flow depending on tank size.  

Thanks.  I am concerned about a malfunction with an ATO, however, when I set up a 10 gallon nano 20 years ago, I discovered keeping salinity stable was a real challenge.   Trying to plan how to do better this time around.

[Hasted]

15 hours ago, parajax said:

I went with Tunze 3155 Osmolator.  Best decision for me, even on a 20 G Nano.  You can adjust the flow depending on tank size.  

What reservoir do you have with this system?

[parajax]

I have a 4.5 gallon Tupperware type container inside the cabinet.  I also dose kalk in the ato.  No issues.  

[cody6766]

I've been using a dual float switch ATO from autotopoff.com since I got into reefing....probably bought it used in 2007 or 2008.  For those not familiar, the lower float switch turns the pump on when its float drops. The upper float switch opens the circuit when its float raises, killing the pump and preventing an overfill.

 

The used unit I bought is still working in my tank today. I have a second system that I used when i had more than one tank and never had an issue that wasn't caused by lack of cleaning with either one of them. You have to wash out the float switches every so often to keep them from sticking. "Cleaning" means swishing it in my sump for a second. There was never a need to pull it out and really wash it. In all the years I've had it, I've only had both float switches stick at the same time. That taught me to use a smaller ATO reservoir, haha. I've probably had the lower switch stick less than once a year, and it's never been a failure of the switch. The only downside is the size of the switches. They're fine in a sump, but a bit of an eyesore if you're sump-less. They'll fit in most back chambers, but it's harder to make the dual float system work. 

 

I use a 5g bucket for my reservoir. I made sure that I have more than 5g of extra volume in my sump should the ATO fail on. 

[mcarroll]

On 4/2/2020 at 2:31 PM, snakeybird said:

Generally I favor low tech tanks, but would like an ATO unit this time around.

The only way to get lower tech than a basic ATO is to have no tech.

 

I'd suggest the Tunze Osmolator nano...

 

...or one of the kits from AquaHub...

 

All use reed-style float switches....there is nothing more reliable.

 

They also come with snail guards.

 

Use a snail/splash guard if there's any danger of something like a snail climbing on your sensor to clean it off.  (Not a bad idea if the guard is translucent black or opaque black to keep out light.)

 

In the sump there is less danger of this (never in 10 years did I have an issue with a sump mounted sensor)...but in the display it's almost a guarantee.

 

On 4/3/2020 at 10:21 AM, jservedio said:

a pressure tube system

The old Blueline Tsunami AT1 popularized that style, and I'll give you that they are reliable, but I've never liked them just due to the lack of sensitivity.  

 

http://www.bluelineaquatics.com/products/topoff_system/index.html

 

The AT1 was my first ATO and the water level would vary up to a whole inch before it would kick on, which is like a kneecapping of your protein skimmer.  

 

Had to returned it. 

 

I eventually picked up an already-ancient/used Ultralife ATO with a reed-switch and it held my sump at a virtually unchanging level through thick and thin for >10 years.

 

In fact, add Ultralife to my list of recommendations. (Though they don't make that ancient unit where everything is hard-wired anymore.)

 

https://www.ultralifedirect.com/product-category/ultralife-products-float-switches/

 

[snakeybird]

Thank you for the recommendations.  This post has generated a lot more replies than I anticipated.