The AutoAqua Smart ATO is released! - Thoughts?

It will come back to normal operation automatically when the water drops below the water line. So this is not an issue in application.

So way880 was banned for shilling and now blackway creates an account???

Something smells fishy around here...:debi:
 
OK... After about an hour of the evaporation bringing the water level down, it successfully re-initialized. So we just have to listen to the annoying beeping for an hour if you don't want to touch it.
 
OK... After about an hour of the evaporation bringing the water level down, it successfully re-initialized. So we just have to listen to the annoying beeping for an hour if you don't want to touch it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
Let me understand this. In order to initialize it needs to be above the water line. If after initialization it is still above the water line it will fill the sump until it's below the water line again. So when setting it up you have to manually move it below the water line after initialization? That's not really a big deal. However in the event of a power outage when power is restored and it turns on it will need to initialize again and wont be able to because it's below the water line. So it will beep until the water evaporates enough for it to initialize and restart itself. If everything I just said is accurate then what's the problem? The tank won't run dry. The beeping would be annoying but my osmolator beeps when the water is too high for it as well, even though that is when water is really high not after a power out because it needs to be moved. Someone please comment on if I have this right or not.
 
Let me understand this. In order to initialize it needs to be above the water line. If after initialization it is still above the water line it will fill the sump until it's below the water line again. So when setting it up you have to manually move it below the water line after initialization? That's not really a big deal. However in the event of a power outage when power is restored and it turns on it will need to initialize again and wont be able to because it's below the water line. So it will beep until the water evaporates enough for it to initialize and restart itself. If everything I just said is accurate then what's the problem? The tank won't run dry. The beeping would be annoying but my osmolator beeps when the water is too high for it as well, even though that is when water is really high not after a power out because it needs to be moved. Someone please comment on if I have this right or not.

Correct. no big deal.
 
Let me understand this. In order to initialize it needs to be above the water line.
Correct.
If after initialization it is still above the water line it will fill the sump until it's below the water line again.
Correct.
So when setting it up you have to manually move it below the water line after initialization? That's not really a big deal.
When you first set it up, you can put the sensor just above the water line and let it auto fill until the sensor triggers it off, or you can set it up with the sensor above the waterline, and then slide the sensor down as soon as the pump starts going. Either way, no big deal.
However in the event of a power outage when power is restored and it turns on it will need to initialize again and wont be able to because it's below the water line. So it will beep until the water evaporates enough for it to initialize and restart itself.
Correct. And I have had to deal with this a few times this weekend due to the ice storm tripping our power. I have found a quick and easy solution... I have a SOLO cup sitting next to the tank and I scoop a cup of water out of the tank. After about 10 seconds the sump level drops below the sensor, it initializes, and I pour the cup of tank water back in.
If everything I just said is accurate then what's the problem? The tank won't run dry. The beeping would be annoying but my osmolator beeps when the water is too high for it as well, even though that is when water is really high not after a power out because it needs to be moved. Someone please comment on if I have this right or not.
My initial concern was that I assumed once it failed the initialization routine and goes into failure alarm mode, it would stay there until unplugged and plugged back in. Further tests proved my assumption false, as it will actually continue to try and re-initialize indefinitely.
 
Another item of note... I accidentally triggered one of the systems fail safe errors today. My jug of RODI water was getting low, so I removed the pump from the jug and took the jug into the other room to refill. When I got back, the alarm was sounding. It appears that the AutoAqua tried to top off my tank in the 5 minutes I was out of the room. It recognized that it was taking too long to top off, so it turned off the pump and sounded the alarm. Based on the long fill time, the AutoAqua knew that one of several things happened: 1) I was out of water, 2) the pump had failed, or 3) the sensor was not recognizing that the water level had risen. It doesn't know which specific condition happened, but it doesn't really matter. It shut the pump off so it won't burn out (if it is running dry), which also stops it from adding water so it won't over-fill (in case the sensor failed), and regardless, the alarm gets my attention so I can address the issue.
 
i was considering buying this one but my LFS had a deal o the hydor smart level i bought toms aqua lifter and set the sensor and forget. the toms pump let me set my top off jug 30 feet away in the water heater closet with out having to have a pump inside the jug just drilled a hole for the tube.
 
I'm considering this, to run in conjunction with my DIY ato as a fail safe measure. What are your guy's thoughts about salt creep?
 
I'm not the most mechanical guy around, I like how easy this thing is to set up and use, I seen it on Marine depot tonight and thought i'd see if there were any opinions on it here at reef central. Gonna think on it awhile before buying, but you guys provided some great feeback. That's one of the things I love about this site, plenty of feedback and REAL experience with the issues and equipment.
 
Just one more question...

The pump is a standard kinda powerhead pump? I ask bc my top-off tank is above my sump and I don't want it to siphon the entire 50g tank into my sump when the pump turns off. That is what I love about the peristalic pumps. Sump/topoff height does not matter.

Reading the manual it looks like you CANNOT have the top off resovior above the sump.

"The “Water Tube Output” must be higher than the “Normal Level” in the Tank/Sump and
“High Level” in the reservoir to avoid a siphon issue."

So this is a no-go for anyone with a low sump or high top-off tank.
 
Just one more question...

The pump is a standard kinda powerhead pump? I ask bc my top-off tank is above my sump and I don't want it to siphon the entire 50g tank into my sump when the pump turns off. That is what I love about the peristalic pumps. Sump/topoff height does not matter.

Reading the manual it looks like you CANNOT have the top off resovior above the sump.

"The "œWater Tube Output" must be higher than the "œNormal Level" in the Tank/Sump and
"œHigh Level" in the reservoir to avoid a siphon issue."

So this is a no-go for anyone with a low sump or high top-off tank.

It is a tiny little square pump, very similar to what you would find as a stock return pump in the little all in one pico tanks from companies like Fluval, except it is a DC pump.

If the top of your RODI container is higher than your sump, I would recommend adding a fill tower to the sump so the water fill tube can be raised higher than the RODI container.
 
I had a similar issue with my Tunze Osomolator and I purchased a 3$ 1/4 one way valve that has worked perfect for the last 2 years.
 
Has anyone figured out how long the reset period is?
If I lose power the sump fills past the sensor. It's gets mad and beeps.
When power returns water returns to normal or below sensor line.
It's still beeping.
How long before it resets itself?

If I'm home no big deal. If I am on vacation huge issue. If it resets itself (tries again) at some point I'm not worried.
 
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