DiY ATO
- Thread starter danreefs
- Start date
tangtang clown
New member
me too.
tangtang clown
New member
So I just checked out autotopoff.com com and the I am wondering how to wire this thing up to power. If I am running the plumbing under my house, should I run the electrical(extension cord) from the top off pump in my garage all the way to the sump/topoff cords?
THE ROOK
New member
Yes, you would need to run a power cord. I ran tubing & an extension cord up thru a closet & back down inside a wall to the sump. I then purchased a kit from aquahub but for the $20.00 extra I feel the autotopoff is much better. Includes a much nicer bracket & is already assembled.
The only reason I have not finished was finding a good but inexpensive pump.
The only reason I have not finished was finding a good but inexpensive pump.
tangtang clown
New member
I will order mine today from ato.com, and hopefully be able to get it going this weekend. I will most likely have to run the hose and power cord under my floor in the crawl space ( I have a relatively high crawl space) and either come up through the wall or the floor.
Hopefully the wall, so I can put an outlet with a cover plate in the wall with a male end( is that possible?).
What size hose are you using, and what pumps are you looking at? I will start with the pumps I have laying around and go from there.
Hopefully the wall, so I can put an outlet with a cover plate in the wall with a male end( is that possible?).
What size hose are you using, and what pumps are you looking at? I will start with the pumps I have laying around and go from there.
THE ROOK
New member
I ran some 1/2" tubing. It's the hard kind, like rodi tubing. At the same time I pulled an extension cord (one end removed) thru the wall. I installed another outlet box. You can simply use a blank cover plate drilled for the tubing & cord.
I ran 1/2" because I was originally planning on using a Mag 9 I picked up. But I have not tried it yet. I like the idea of using th osmolator because I believe I could switch to a smaller tubing, maybe 1/4" & also get a much slower flow than what the Mag 9 would do. I'm concerned about using Kalk with the Mag as it may dump too much at once. I need to get one of those osmolator's and find out what others use for tubing size.
I ran 1/2" because I was originally planning on using a Mag 9 I picked up. But I have not tried it yet. I like the idea of using th osmolator because I believe I could switch to a smaller tubing, maybe 1/4" & also get a much slower flow than what the Mag 9 would do. I'm concerned about using Kalk with the Mag as it may dump too much at once. I need to get one of those osmolator's and find out what others use for tubing size.
tangtang clown
New member
Cool.
james3370
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14588646#post14588646 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by danreefs
Will the only way this looks like it will work for me is if i drop 100 bucks on a pump
like i said.....i can tote a whole damn bunch of water up some stairs myself for what a pump to do it for me will cost LOL
as a buddy of mine said.....sometimes making it "easier" costs 10X as much $$$ & invovles 10x the work too
THE ROOK
New member
danreefs- Why $100 for a pump? I thought you were going to get a osmolator for $22 & give that a shot.
Set a brute container on a stand, drop in the pump, run a cord, run some tubing, hook up a autotopoff.com kit & your done. Whole deal would probably cost $125.00 - $150.00.
Then just manually fill the brute container from the rodi unit once a week.
I lugged water daily for nine months until I finally hooked up an ato. Can't believe I waited that long. It's a great investment.
Set a brute container on a stand, drop in the pump, run a cord, run some tubing, hook up a autotopoff.com kit & your done. Whole deal would probably cost $125.00 - $150.00.
Then just manually fill the brute container from the rodi unit once a week.
I lugged water daily for nine months until I finally hooked up an ato. Can't believe I waited that long. It's a great investment.
tangtang clown
New member
I oredered my ato today with 70ft of 1/4 tubing. I am determined to get this to work. Dan, let me know how that pump works out for ya.
tangtang clown
New member
So I received my ATO Saturday and everything arrived in one piece($74). Sunday I finished most of the grunt work(priceless. This included drilling through a solid cinder block wall in my garage so I could run the 1/4 inch vinyl tubing and extension cord into my crawl space. Then I went under my house at the opposite end, approx. 55feet, drilled up through the floor into the wall, then cut a hole in the sheet rock behind my tank stand where I wanted the cord and tubing to come through. A friend helped me out by "fishing" both up to me.
This seems to be the hardest part, I will take some pics today.
What pumps are most people using? 12volt or 120?:mad2:
This seems to be the hardest part, I will take some pics today.
What pumps are most people using? 12volt or 120?:mad2:
