HELP!!! Going on vacation and need an ATO!!!

[Nano_reeflover]

I am going on vacation middle of next week and would like to install an auto top off. I know there is a simple on that can be rigged up pretty easy but now I cant find it. So please post your ideas, links, diagrams, etc. for an ATO. I would buy the kit from that one ATO website, but I would like to see my options first.

Thanks, Travis

[reefshadow]

i don't have any plans or tips on a.o's but wanted to advise you to be very carefull installing any automated equipment before leaving town.

it would suck if you had a problem or failure that couldn't be noticed and addressed while you were gone.

any chance you could have a tank sitter come in every couple of days and top off for you

[Danfish]

I'm leaving at the end of next week myself.

I just ran some airline tubing to a 5 gal bucket with a screw in flow limiter (was made for air, but works well enough for water) at the end.

Set up a siphon, set it to drip every second or two, monitor it over 3-4 days and document the change in water level in your sump. Correct as needed.

Have had my little setup running 2 weeks now (I wanted to make sure it worked before I turned my back on it) and at its current rate the water level gained 1 inch in the sump over 7 days. I can live with that.

Its not better than a real store bought system, but for now it will do.





EDIT: I tried knotts and I no longer trust them. All the ones I tied would ether losen over time and increase flow, or cause the airline tubing to collapse and stop flowing all together, over time.

The Maxijet powerhead I bought came with an end cap/restrictor thing for using it to pump air as well (for a skimmer). I just stuck that on the drip end of the siphon and it works fantastic and is very reliable with maintaining the drip.

[da colts]

I USE THE ULTRALIFE AND HAVE FOR YEARS.... SIMPLE TO SET UP AND WORKS GREAT WORTH EVERY PENNY.

[Shooter7]

Tunze osmolator is supposed to be a really good one.

[travisurfer]

i am also looking for an ato. i dont have enough space to setup up a big anough reserve for a drip.

[rdmpe]

I'm using a Spectrapure Liquid Level Controller.

It is working great for me. Cost is about $90 mailorder.

[shouldabenacowboy]

5 gallon water bottle..... $9
5 feet of air line........ free from other projects
battery powered air pump...... $10 @ LFS
2 float switches........ $12

20 minutes to setup and have never had any problems :)

SBC

[intenseimage]

Love my JBJ ATO

[SA057]

I just made an addition to my ATO. I use a small Kent float valve about $12 which works well but I always worried about it hanging open and flooding everything. I added 2 small float switches $12 and a HD lawn sprinkler controller $19 and a 24v sprinkler (all plastic) valve $12. I set the timer up to open @ night around 9pm, 3am, and 8am. It opens for 15 min. and from there the water goes to the float valve. The 2 switches are set level and just above where the float valve cuts the water off. The switches are just emergency cutoffs. My calk topoff is a 7gal walmart blue water jug $7. The float valve stills controls the water level and the other stuff is just insurance.

[Shooter7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7544514#post7544514 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by intenseimage
Love my JBJ ATO

What pump do you use with it, and do you use it to pump kalk water as your topoff water?

[SA057]

I don't use a pump it's all gravity feed. Yes, the calk is my topoff water.

[Shooter7]

Actually was inquiring of the JBJ auto topoff guy, but thanks. :cool:

[intenseimage]

MJ1200 pumping up 6 ft -- I have a nanocube type tank with no real sump so I placed the float switch in the rear compartment of the tank and the return line is clipped into the return side of my CPR BakPak.

With a 150w SunPod I had to topoff quite a bit and this makes my life super easy .. just fill the container under the stand every weekend and be done with it :)

No i am not dosing at all ... but am considering it in the future.

works great. It would probably work just as well with an MJ900

[jimsta]

I use the deluxe dual camber setup from top-off.com. AWESOME is the only word that describes it. It is one of the best things i ever did for my tank. I would highly reccomend it. I live in florida and have been on vacation now for 2 weeks. The person i have going over there to make sure everyhting is fine says it has been working perfectly.

So I reccomend this one!!!

[Nano_reeflover]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I will look into all of them.

[reefinmike]

i like this design a lot

http://melevsreef.com/plumbing/auto_topoff.html

cheap and reliable(atleast for me)