ATO Pumps

five.five-six · 08/10/2018, 05:19 AM

I have a 135 gallon tank with metal halide lighting that is compleately cooled with evaporation. As such I pump a lot of kalkwasser with my ATO pump over the course of a year, about 800 gallons a year.

I started off with a TOM aqualifter because BRS boosts a cheep rebuild kit for it but by the time it started to wear out, BRS was out of stock of that kit. I kept my eyes open for it and even started a WTB thread but came up short. And even though BRS still hosts a video pitching the rebuild kit, they now mark that kit as discontinued.

I ended up getting a BRS 50ml paristolic pump because you can always get replacement tubing for those, right? Wrong. That pump started slowing down and when I went to order a replacement they were out. Even if they do get the proprietary tubing kit back in stock, I need a solution that dosen’t leave me needing to buy a new pump every 6 months or so.

LQT · 08/10/2018, 07:05 AM

Look at the Spectrapure stand alone 50 ml/min peristaltic pump or the Avast Marine 25 ml/min peristaltic pump. I use the Avast pump in combination with my Tunze 3155 ATO with no complaints.

http://spectrapure.com/DOSING-TOP-OF...er-Dosing-Pump

https://www.avastmarine.com/products...r-auto-top-off

Uncle99 · 08/10/2018, 07:16 AM

I switched back from ATO kalk delivery to 2-part dosing for the same reason.
Just could not keep the pump running in the solution for long, unless I cleaned it regularly with vinegar....which added extra work...

d0ughb0y · 08/10/2018, 09:15 AM

get a tunze ato pump on ebay or amazon.
the pump can suck water down to about 1/4" level on your ATO container.
you need to hook it up to a 12v DC power supply though.
you don't want to submerge the pump in kalk solution. best setup is to pump freshwater from ATO reservoir into a kalk stirrer and the output solution dosed to your tank.

I don't know why aqualifter became popular, its a pretty lame pump. I stopped buying anything from brs many years ago.

hkgar · 08/10/2018, 01:27 PM

I use a Cole Parmer Msterflex peristaltic pump (I got way before the prices soared on ebay), controleby Apex with a Avast Marine sensor.

2000se · 08/10/2018, 06:54 PM

Stenner -85M5- Adjustable between 4.3gpd and 85gpd. A work horse.

Or the Cole as mentioned above.

08/10/2018, 05:19 AM	#1
five.five-six Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Corona Posts: 7,827 Blog Entries: 6	ATO Pumps I have a 135 gallon tank with metal halide lighting that is compleately cooled with evaporation. As such I pump a lot of kalkwasser with my ATO pump over the course of a year, about 800 gallons a year. I started off with a TOM aqualifter because BRS boosts a cheep rebuild kit for it but by the time it started to wear out, BRS was out of stock of that kit. I kept my eyes open for it and even started a WTB thread but came up short. And even though BRS still hosts a video pitching the rebuild kit, they now mark that kit as discontinued. I ended up getting a BRS 50ml paristolic pump because you can always get replacement tubing for those, right? Wrong. That pump started slowing down and when I went to order a replacement they were out. Even if they do get the proprietary tubing kit back in stock, I need a solution that dosen’t leave me needing to buy a new pump every 6 months or so. __________________ Originally posted by yellowslayer13: "I hate that hole" Current Tank Info: SCMAS Member 225 peninsula euroreef RS180 Apex 400W X 3 20k radiums / Spectra mixed SPS

08/10/2018, 07:05 AM	#2
LQT Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 1,516	Look at the Spectrapure stand alone 50 ml/min peristaltic pump or the Avast Marine 25 ml/min peristaltic pump. I use the Avast pump in combination with my Tunze 3155 ATO with no complaints. http://spectrapure.com/DOSING-TOP-OF...er-Dosing-Pump https://www.avastmarine.com/products...r-auto-top-off __________________ - Leon (aka - Water Dog) Deep Blue 57 Edge ATI Acro Garden Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25573384#post25573384 Current Tank Info: DeepBlue 57 Edge

08/10/2018, 01:27 PM	#5
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	I use a Cole Parmer Msterflex peristaltic pump (I got way before the prices soared on ebay), controleby Apex with a Avast Marine sensor. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

08/10/2018, 07:16 AM	#3
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I switched back from ATO kalk delivery to 2-part dosing for the same reason. Just could not keep the pump running in the solution for long, unless I cleaned it regularly with vinegar....which added extra work...

08/10/2018, 09:15 AM	#4
d0ughb0y Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sf bay area Posts: 5,165	get a tunze ato pump on ebay or amazon. the pump can suck water down to about 1/4" level on your ATO container. you need to hook it up to a 12v DC power supply though. you don't want to submerge the pump in kalk solution. best setup is to pump freshwater from ATO reservoir into a kalk stirrer and the output solution dosed to your tank. I don't know why aqualifter became popular, its a pretty lame pump. I stopped buying anything from brs many years ago.

08/10/2018, 06:54 PM	#6
2000se Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: charlotte Posts: 532	Stenner -85M5- Adjustable between 4.3gpd and 85gpd. A work horse. Or the Cole as mentioned above.