How do ATOs work?

[Fretfreak13]

I just straight up don't understand. I know what they do, but HOW? I'd like to get/build one, but wouldn't know where to start. Shed some light, pwnsome RC peoples?

[funkejj]

First off check the DIY section there are plans there. Typically there is a float switch that shuts off the incoming water when the water drops. I did not want to mess with building my own and they are cheap enough I just bought one that works great right out of the box. But check out the DIY area.

[stevie-o]

http://www.autotopoff.com/products/ it's pretty much a sensor that turns a pump on

[Sk8r]

You know that floaty ball in your toilet tank? Same deal, in a cylinder that fills with water. When it trips due to water evaporating, it sends a signal to a little circuit [plugged into wall] that kicks on a pump you have in a topoff reservoir. I have mine rigged to a Maxijet 1200, and I have used reducing couplers to reduce the output hose diameter of that pump from fat to very skinny [airline tubing.]

I have corals, so I also dump pickling lime in that reservoir, and the same pump supplements calcium and buffer [the lime dissolved in my topoff water] to my tank, so I don't have to dose: it's automatic.

It means if you have to leave for a month, you just get a big Brute trashcan of ro/di, put your topoff pump in there, and you've got 32 gallons of topoff keeping your tank safe until you get home without having to rely on Aunt Petunia to do your topoff accurately.

It's a sanity saver and prevents your being chained to your tank for life.

[MrTuskfish]

It means if you have to leave for a month, you just get a big Brute trashcan of ro/di, put your topoff pump in there, and you've got 32 gallons of topoff keeping your tank safe until you get home without having to rely on Aunt Petunia to do your topoff accurately.

It's a sanity saver and prevents your being chained to your tank for life.

Well put! You often hear people going nuts because the fishies may go without food for a few days; so Aunt Petunia comes in with her darling children to feed the fishies....and just a little more food, they seem so hungry, even though you left premeasured cups in the fridge and....well you know.

I think I can leave my tanks without feeding for longer than I can without topping off, an ATO is priceless.

[Fretfreak13]

I was planning on buying from ATO.com, but I don't know what to get. lol They've got the do-dads all separate.

This is my basement (http://i55.*******.com/2141h02.png). I MIGHT be able to get my mom to let me switch the locations of my water storage with the fridge (its not even full or plugged in lol) but I have a feeling she'll have a cow.

So, lemme try to run this back to you lol. The ATO...thing (float switch) clips into my fuge in my sump and runs a hose into my bucket of RO, which then connects to a pump. When the water goes down in the sump, the floaty ball drops and tells something to put water back in. I just dont understand what to plug in and where? Does the ATO machine plug in? If so, how does the pump get power when it needs to go on? How does it know when to go off?

Man, I would feel a lot less stupid if I had one of these infront of me. lol

[bigdoug]

There are also easy ways to do a gravity fed ATO. I built mine for under $30 and it hasn't failed me yet. There are a lot of videos on you tube that show how many variety are made. Take a look, and find what's right for you.

[Fretfreak13]

I was planning on buying from ATO.com, but I don't know what to get. lol They've got the do-dads all separate.

This is my basement (http://i55.*******.com/2141h02.png). I MIGHT be able to get my mom to let me switch the locations of my water storage with the fridge (its not even full or plugged in lol) but I have a feeling she'll have a cow.

So, lemme try to run this back to you lol. The ATO...thing (float switch) clips into my fuge in my sump and runs a hose into my bucket of RO, which then connects to a pump. When the water goes down in the sump, the floaty ball drops and tells something to put water back in. I just dont understand what to plug in and where? Does the ATO machine plug in? If so, how does the pump get power when it needs to go on? How does it know when to go off?

Man, I would feel a lot less stupid if I had one of these infront of me. lol

[Mike Ordner]

I run my ATO using a reef keeper lite controller. The ones they talk about are stand alone controllers. You plug it into the wall socket and you plug in your ato pump into their device. The power is switched on and off by the float which opens or closes the switch.

[Mike31154]

I'm with bigdoug on this one. If I read your tank info correctly it's a 5 g nano. I'd say getting an electrically controlled ATO and a garbage can for RODI is probably overkill. Depending on the height of the fridge parked next to your system compared to your sump, you could use it to your advantage. A one gallon container on the fridge should be able to gravity feed your sump through a mechanical float valve and keep your small system going for a week. Or use the table on the other side if possible. No wires, pumps, electrical gizmos required, eliminating one failure mode, a power failure. Keep it as simple as you can, every component in an electrical ATO is a possible failure mode, pump, float switch etc. With gravity fed, the only component realistically prone to failure is the mechanical float valve.