DIY: Biocube 14g ATO

[Jblank44]

Materials:
-Drill with drill bits
-Xacto knife
-Hacksaw (or a saw of some sort to cut plastic)
-Super glue (I used coral glue cause I knew it was safe)
- Double sides sticky tape
-Optional: lighter
-2.5 gallon tank
-Tom aquarium vacuum pump
-Air line tubing
-AutoTopOff.com nano float switch
-1" sump mounting bracket (12" total length and comes with zip ties)
-extra zip ties

1. Cut mounting bracket down to fit in 3rd chamber, right under 4th set of holes.




2. Glue the float switch to the mounting bracket and apply a safety zip tie.




3. Place the mounting bracket on the rear of the tank almost against 2nd chamber divider.





4. Cut the hood so it will fit around the mounting bracket with the xacto knife. (It was very hard to cut with an xacto knife so I would heat it with a lighter and then cut, worked well)



5. With double sides sticky tape I stuck the relay to the back of the tank.






6. Connect the Tom vacuum pump to the float switch relay plug. The connect the tubing from the 2.5 tank full of RO/DI to the pump then from the pump to the top right of the tank.










You will have to add more saltwater to your tank to create a different max level.

[Jblank44]

Hope it helps you!

Jacob

[NaH20Eh]

Great job -- just a couple of questions. Is the RO/DI reservoir in the bottom of your stand? Is the aqua lifter on the top self of the stand? Does the aqualifter have any troble pumping to the water into the tank? I am going to make an ATO for my Bioube 29 but I am worried that the aqua lifter may not be able to pump the water from the bottom of the stand to the top of my tank (greater then the maximum 30 inches of head height for the aqua lifter). I guess the Biocube 29 would be taller then your 14... I think I will have to either put the reservoir on the top self or possible use to aqua lifters in series.

[Jblank44]

Great job -- just a couple of questions. Is the RO/DI reservoir in the bottom of your stand? Is the aqua lifter on the top self of the stand? Does the aqualifter have any troble pumping to the water into the tank? I am going to make an ATO for my Bioube 29 but I am worried that the aqua lifter may not be able to pump the water from the bottom of the stand to the top of my tank (greater then the maximum 30 inches of head height for the aqua lifter). I guess the Biocube 29 would be taller then your 14... I think I will have to either put the reservoir on the top self or possible use to aqua lifters in series.

I was thinking about putting it on my top shelf however I think the 30" is from the pump to the tank, not from the reservoir to the tank, if that makes any sense, it has zero problems pumping it though so I think you'll be fine! Just to be safe go ahead and put it on the top shelf! I may even give this a try sometime. The great thing about the aqua filter is that it pumps at 30 gallons per hour so it is very slow to the biocube can adjust accurately! If it was too fast it would fill the tank too much before the level got to the 3rd chamber, by that time you've put too much in. So he aqua filter is perfect!

[Jblank44]

Originally Posted by NaH20Eh

Great job -- just a couple of questions. Is the RO/DI reservoir in the bottom of your stand? Is the aqua lifter on the top self of the stand? Does the aqualifter have any troble pumping to the water into the tank? I am going to make an ATO for my Bioube 29 but I am worried that the aqua lifter may not be able to pump the water from the bottom of the stand to the top of my tank (greater then the maximum 30 inches of head height for the aqua lifter). I guess the Biocube 29 would be taller then your 14... I think I will have to either put the reservoir on the top self or possible use to aqua lifters in series.

Thinking about it now, I will probably put it on the top shelf because it will potentially create more flow and make it a bit faster. I will try it out soon!

[Dashylock]

Originally Posted by Jblank44

Thinking about it now, I will probably put it on the top shelf because it will potentially create more flow and make it a bit faster. I will try it out soon!

you can use a maxijet600 pump with 1/2" line - this will fill up the fuge faster and have the ability to pump a vertical distance larger than 36"

[Jblank44]

Originally Posted by Dashylock

you can use a maxijet600 pump with 1/2" line - this will fill up the fuge faster and have the ability to pump a vertical distance larger than 36"

Yeah but for a 14g it may be too fast because it will fill the tank too much before it gets to the 3rd chamber and once it all evens out and gets to the third chamber it will be too much. It is hard to explain.

[Jblank44]

Here is a little diagram that may help a little!

[cfronczek]

How has this held up 6 months later. Thinking about it for my biocube 14

[Jblank44]

Originally Posted by cfronczek

How has this held up 6 months later. Thinking about it for my biocube 14

Yep! So well that it's In my 45 gallon now!