ATO question

[forextrader]

Where do you place your sensor and the return line? Do they both go in the sump next to the return pump? Or do you place them in the display aquarium itself?

 

[anbosu]

The sensor should be by the return in the vast majority of setups. I have the return line going into the sump as well, there's no reason to add head pressure by running it up to the tank, plus the risk of a back siphon if it falls into the water in the tank is much higher.

 

[forextrader]

Thanks! I am doing it right, then.

 

[Webmanny]

Both should go into the same section. The only thing I would caution you about would be flow. Make sure that your ATO pump is dialed down to a very slow flow rate. Meaning that you only add a bit of water at a time. I originally had a large pump without restrictions and even though it fills up pretty quick, it also often overfilled because of the time it took the sensor to kill the power.

Another benefit of having it fill it up very slowly is that it won't affect parameters by much as it has enough time to mix it up before pushing it back to the tank.

You will find that this is one of the best investments you have made. I love my tank even more after eliminating the daily manual refills.

Good luck!

 

[rogergolf66]

Both should go into the same section. The only thing I would caution you about would be flow. Make sure that your ATO pump is dialed down to a very slow flow rate. Meaning that you only add a bit of water at a time. I originally had a large pump without restrictions and even though it fills up pretty quick, it also often overfilled because of the time it took the sensor to kill the power.

Another benefit of having it fill it up very slowly is that it won't affect parameters by much as it has enough time to mix it up before pushing it back to the tank.

You will find that this is one of the best investments you have made. I love my tank even more after eliminating the daily manual refills.

Good luck!

Agreed I love my BRS 50ml/min pump for my ato!

 

[dangros]

If I may add: make sure the ato line is ABOVE the highest possible water line in the sump. Otherwise, you can risk back siphon into the reservoir. That happened to me when I accidentally knocked the line into the sump

 

[forextrader]

Thanks everybody! All the little advice amounts to avoiding future disasters.