How many people do NOT have a ATO unit?

[intenseimage]

Originally posted by mhosts
WOW! You need to post some details on how you did that!!

Its really not hard -- ACIII programmed for the items to turn on/off during the feed cycle and 2 JBJ ATO's - one for SW and one for FW - float switches mounted at the same height in the sump to keep levels consistent. And the necessary 2 feed lines run from the reservoirs to the sump

[crooks]

I have a 1/4" line with a valve that has a constant gravity drip into my sump. No floats no pumps. I evaporate about a gallon a day and have a 5 gallon top off bucket.

[sikpupy]

Originally posted by SNAKEMANVET
I have heard too many stories,even the best ones will fail in time.

Thats why you run two floats in series. Chances both will fail are very slim, and, they both have to be on at the same time. You could always do three floats if your really paranoid. Now, maybe if the relay stuck on, but, I have NEVER heard of a relay sticking on, could happen I guess.

[Paco]

Originally posted by SNAKEMANVET
I am afraid to use one with the thought of pumping too much fw.I don't mind carrying 2 gallons a day for my 120 and a 1/2 gallon for my 24 daily.I have heard too many stories,even the best ones will fail in time.

I have my level-loc unit connected to my AC Jr and it's only "active" for 5 minutes every couple hours, so even if the float stuck open & the electric cut off failed, it is still limited in how much water it can overflow in a certain period of time. Granted, over the course of a week, it could be a disaster but it's extremely rare that my home is totally unoccupied for a whole week -- at minimum, someone would be by every couple days to feed the tank.

[sjm817]

I use a 44G Brute for Limewater ATO. It lasts ~ 2 weeks.

[suasponte2/75]

No ATO for years. I just keep hearing those horror stories about ATO's failing, over filling with FW, stuck snails, etc. that keep me from getting one. I top off 5 gallons every 3-4 days so it's not so bad on my 180G. I can actually let it go for a week or 2 since I have a large sump (60G w/ approx. 45G filled). I sometimes just top off when I do my weekly water changes .

[pamlee78]

No not yet

[Reefer08]

Originally posted by Imzadi
55g-20g sump.

I have a problem with ANYTHING automatic. My luck sucks, and murphy hates me. Black cats actually avoid ME. Manual or nothing.

Do you put your hand in your tank and move around the water also? LOL

[GoingPostal]

I don't. It takes less than a minute to top off tanks, I guess I don't see that as being "too much work". How do you auto top off people find time to feed or look at the tank if you don't have time to add water? I could see if I had a huge tank but my 135 loses about a gallon and my 12 needs a tiny amount every day. As far as vacations, we don't travel much and have a friend come over to take care of the dogs anyways so we leave some jugs out for him.

[sjm817]

I need the Kalk topoff for ca/alk and PH, It cant be added all at once. It would be nearly impossible to do that manually. I've been doing it that way for 6 years and never a single issue. ATO is not as difficult to do reliably as some are making it out to be. Like anything else, get good equipment and set it up properly, and it will work.

[terryagi]

I don't have one, but I need to set one up in case I want to go somewhere for more than three days.

[sikpupy]

Originally posted by GoingPostal
How do you auto top off people find time to feed or look at the tank if you don't have time to add water?

Ahh, here lies the whole reasoning in it.....for me....

Its all about what you do with your time. I have xx amount of time a day before I have to go to sleep. Do I want to carry water around for a half hour, or, free up my time to look at the tank and harras the fish for that half hour? Its not so much that it is soo hard to manual top off, but, I would rather spend the time harassing the fish or cooking dinner, or surfing the net while looking at my tank, go away from home for 2-3 days knowing my salenity is not a problem nor has any major swings.

[andygb54303]

life would suck without it!

[jasonrp104]

Do not. The top offs on my 45 are never much more than a half gallon

I will when I get my next tank though.

[LockeOak]

I have used several semi-DIY kits from Aquahub.com for my tanks, both home and research tanks. Really I can't imagine having a tank without one anymore. I've had one failure, that was due to my negligence in preventing the float switches from being immersed during tank maintenance (it failed in the "OFF" position, at least). It really is worth the relatively small investment.

Also, your poll is pretty much useless when you title the thread "How many people do NOT have a ATO unit?", since it biases your sample.

[cnaegler]

Let me pose this question. Could/ would an aqualifter, controlled by my ACII allow me to topoff WITHOUT fear of siphoning? I read that the aqualifter will pump 3 1/2 gallons / hr. I'm assuming that i could figure the amount of evaporation and set my controller to "refill" the sump in intervals throughout the day. Anyone see a downside to this? Seems awful inexpensive/ easy( $10 aqualifter), especially if you have a controller already. The main question is, when it's off, will it siphon through the pump?

[sikpupy]

Originally posted by LockeOak
Also, your poll is pretty much useless when you title the thread "How many people do NOT have a ATO unit?", since it biases your sample.

Oh contrare. I thought about keeping the post in a strict sterile format. Logically, yes, your right, but, have you ever seen how many people post what an orange taste's like when the original poster asked how to sharpen his lawn mower blades? Okay, a little(?) exageration there, but, some people do not pay attention to the thread and or follow along very well. My thread is for chatting about it and the poll is there for everyone to take a whack at it. Though the WHOLE thread is not streamlined from point A to point B, its here for everyone.


cnaegler: I am sure you could do that, but, personaly I would not do it. I would be too figity wondering if every day it topped off correctly. One hot day, one cold day, you could be off. Not by that much but, problem is, who knows how much?

[LockeOak]

Originally posted by cnaegler
Let me pose this question. Could/ would an aqualifter, controlled by my ACII allow me to topoff WITHOUT fear of siphoning? I read that the aqualifter will pump 3 1/2 gallons / hr. I'm assuming that i could figure the amount of evaporation and set my controller to "refill" the sump in intervals throughout the day. Anyone see a downside to this? Seems awful inexpensive/ easy( $10 aqualifter), especially if you have a controller already. The main question is, when it's off, will it siphon through the pump?

Leaving aside the issue of whether or not it's going to be regularly adding the correct amount of fresh water, just have the top-off hose dripping into the tank, not submerged. There's no way it can siphon then.

[cnaegler]

Originally posted by LockeOak
Leaving aside the issue of whether or not it's going to be regularly adding the correct amount of fresh water, just have the top-off hose dripping into the tank, not submerged. There's no way it can siphon then.

Sounds good. I'll set that up this evening then. Thanks!

[Korrine]

Originally posted by cnaegler
Sounds good. I'll set that up this evening then. Thanks!

I just got done talking w/a fish store who suggested an aqualifter with an airline valve to control flow. Could we set up a cheap one like that for $20 or less? I have a 29g and would like to go on vacation.

[Kdocimo90]

theres a DIY top off for like 30 or 40 bucks at bulkreefsupply.com
I got it but returned it. Better off just buying one prebuilt

[cnaegler]

Originally posted by Korrine
I just got done talking w/a fish store who suggested an aqualifter with an airline valve to control flow. Could we set up a cheap one like that for $20 or less? I have a 29g and would like to go on vacation.

I suppose that you could. I imagine it would be difficult to get it set but it would work well once you got it dialed in. It'd definitely be under $20.00. I'm taking it that you don't have a controller then? A controller would be ideal for this kind of setup, but you could get by with your idea.

[Korrine]

nope I don't have a controller.

Would the JBJ controller really be that much better than floats from autotopoff.com??

I've been eyeing the double switch ATO and it's only $50:

http://www.autotopoff.com/products/DT1/

I have airline tubing and would only need a pump. Slower less powerful pumps are relatively cheap.

[cnaegler]

Originally posted by Korrine
nope I don't have a controller.

Would the JBJ controller really be that much better than floats from autotopoff.com??

I've been eyeing the double switch ATO and it's only $50:

http://www.autotopoff.com/products/DT1/

I have airline tubing and would only need a pump. Slower less powerful pumps are relatively cheap.

I'm sorry, i 'm not sure if you know what i meant by controller...I meant like an Aquacontroller jr. or something like that. Forgive me if you undestood. I think the aqualifter/ airline flow adjuster might work... maybe instead of a knob, a timer that you could set down to the minute or even every fifteen minutes. i personally am not going to spend that much on a float switch style ATO, IMO. Just my .02

[Korrine]

I just bought the dual switch controller w/a pump on autocontroller.com
I'm going into this blind w/out seeing an ato in person before (unless I didn't know what it was at the time).

If anyone wants, I'll give my feedback when I receive it.

Kj