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07/16/2014, 09:31 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 173
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ATO using apex.
I'm new to reefing, and my basic tank requirements are met as far as lighting, skimming, filtration, water movement, etc. So I was looking now at ATO units since I'm already sick of topping off twice a day. I'm also looking at an Apex unit, and was thinking about how to turn the unit into an ATO.
Here's my idea: Instead of measuring water level, add on a conductivity/salinity probe. Whenever the salinity raises above X, a small pump kicks on in a reservoir of RODI water. Kicks back off when salinity is correct. This may not be a new idea, but will it work? Anyone do it this way? |
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07/16/2014, 09:37 PM
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#2 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 173
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I'm already seeing the flaw here... Salinity won't be instantly balanced within the water column with the addition of the FW. So how do you Apex users manage top offs?
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07/17/2014, 01:30 AM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Posts: 218
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You buy a breakout box for the apex for $40 or make your own for less than half of that , and then you just need to buy a float switch, and a small pump like an aqua lifter. When the water level drops the float switch activates the aqua lifter and pulls water from a reservoir until the float switch comes back up and closes the switch.
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07/17/2014, 07:42 PM
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#4 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 2,447
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+1 on above
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120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO |
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07/17/2014, 08:51 PM
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#5 |
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Grizzled & Cynical
 Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Stamford, CT
Posts: 17,319
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I have the salinity probe on my tank and it is completely ill suited to trigger an ATO. It is quite useful, and I do have my ATO setup to turn off in event there is a dramatic decline in salinity, but it reacts quite slowly to salinity changes and can drift a bit. Far better to use a pair of redundant float switches.
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Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs |
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07/17/2014, 10:19 PM
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#6 | |
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RC Sponsor
  
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 14,173
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Quote:
You don't want to use the conductivity probe to control an ATO. Use it as a failsafe but don't over think the ATO.. The Apex works great for ATO but keep it simple using a proven method. Breakout box and float switches work wonderfully. If you want redundancy, use multiple float switches and your Condx probe for a failsafe. Been doing it this way for years now and it works like charm and it keeps the sump level absolutely perfect and stable all the time!
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Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476 Last edited by slief; 07/17/2014 at 10:25 PM. |
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07/17/2014, 10:24 PM
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#7 |
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RC Sponsor
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 14,173
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Oops. Duplicate.
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Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476 |
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