WTB: ATO with no sump

[OldReefGuy]

Looking for a ATO solution for my tank (no sump).
So container on the side and float switch would be in the tank. Any ideas....

 

[hernandezkeb]

Following

 

[Rakie]

I used to run a Smart ATO Micro directly into my Biocube -- Look into them. Single optic sensor is all it runs on. Run it for 2.5 years now. Absurdly reliable, stable, very accurate and sensitive to small drops in water.

Look into one.

 

[OldReefGuy]

Looks good, but no safety feature (running a dry pump) that I can see, like the JBJ AUTO TOP OFF (ATO) W/FLOAT SENSORS

 

[hersheyb]

tunze osmolators.. the nano version 3152 has only 1 sensor.. for extra safety go with the 3155. Had one the 3155 for almost 5 years now without any issues.

 

[Rakie]

Looks good, but no safety feature (running a dry pump) that I can see, like the JBJ AUTO TOP OFF (ATO) W/FLOAT SENSORS

It has an absolutely impressive safety feature.

If it ever runs for more than X seconds, it alarms and stops pumping until you deal with it. No other ATO does this.

Meaning when you first turn it on, it's first "dose" sets the amount of time it will / can run, plus a couple seconds for good measure.

That means you turn it on. It runs for 5 seconds to fill to the fill line. That means if it EVER fills for more than say, that 5 seconds, plus another 2-3 seconds, it shuts down, and sounds an alarm -- The alarm will not stop until you deal with it, manually.

So, it will never run dry for more than a few seconds, and it will never overfill.

 

[OldReefGuy]

Rakie,

Thanks for the info. Will look into it again

 

[Rakie]

Yep. It's a nice little ATO. Very accurate optical eye. It typically turns on for a couple seconds every hour or half hour in my tank. Aside from scrubbing the sensor once with a tooth brush, I've had zero issues with it whatsoever.

 

[bowlopho]

It has an absolutely impressive safety feature.

If it ever runs for more than X seconds, it alarms and stops pumping until you deal with it. No other ATO does this.

Meaning when you first turn it on, it's first "dose" sets the amount of time it will / can run, plus a couple seconds for good measure.

That means you turn it on. It runs for 5 seconds to fill to the fill line. That means if it EVER fills for more than say, that 5 seconds, plus another 2-3 seconds, it shuts down, and sounds an alarm -- The alarm will not stop until you deal with it, manually.

So, it will never run dry for more than a few seconds, and it will never overfill.

pretty impressive, I like how you can set it to only fill for x amount of time.

I use a hydor ato. when my pump runs dry it shuts off. has a max fill line alarm as well and if it runs i think after a certain amount of time, it will alarm as well until you do something. Since I run it on my Nuvo 40, it fills rather quickly to the max fill line. By the time the system will react and shut off the pump, it's to late and it goes over the fill line and sounds the alarm. I basically have my ato return pump dripping water into my tank now and all is good. lol

 

[OldReefGuy]

I settled (for now) on the JBJ ATO which I will hook to a Sterilite container. I did look at the Hydor also. That was my second choice.

 

[Rakie]

pretty impressive, I like how you can set it to only fill for x amount of time.

I use a hydor ato. when my pump runs dry it shuts off. has a max fill line alarm as well and if it runs i think after a certain amount of time, it will alarm as well until you do something. Since I run it on my Nuvo 40, it fills rather quickly to the max fill line. By the time the system will react and shut off the pump, it's to late and it goes over the fill line and sounds the alarm. I basically have my ato return pump dripping water into my tank now and all is good. lol

Oops, let me try that again!

So you don't set it, it sets itself based on the first time it fills up the tank.

THat means pretend you let the water get pretty low, and the first time you turn it on the ATO micro runs for 40 seconds. It will remember "Hey, I can run for 40 seconds. And that's normal" -- Now it will NOT fill above the optical sensor, but it will fill up to 40 seconds and think that's normal.

So one day it may try to fill for 45 seconds, and instantly it says "wait, that's too much more than 40 seconds, I better stop and sound the alarm something is wrong" -- So it stops, and sounds the alarm.

Whenever you unplug it, and plug it back in, you're "Teaching it" how long it should be running. And if it ever runs 2-5 seconds longer than that it will stop, and sound an alarm.

So it's kind of a smart ATO, and kind of a dumb ATO in some respects. Either way, it sounds way more complicated than it is -- I personally love the thing. Rock solid reliable, doesn't overfill, doesn't run dry.

 

[bowlopho]

Oops, let me try that again!

So you don't set it, it sets itself based on the first time it fills up the tank.

THat means pretend you let the water get pretty low, and the first time you turn it on the ATO micro runs for 40 seconds. It will remember "Hey, I can run for 40 seconds. And that's normal" -- Now it will NOT fill above the optical sensor, but it will fill up to 40 seconds and think that's normal.

So one day it may try to fill for 45 seconds, and instantly it says "wait, that's too much more than 40 seconds, I better stop and sound the alarm something is wrong" -- So it stops, and sounds the alarm.

Whenever you unplug it, and plug it back in, you're "Teaching it" how long it should be running. And if it ever runs 2-5 seconds longer than that it will stop, and sound an alarm.

So it's kind of a smart ATO, and kind of a dumb ATO in some respects. Either way, it sounds way more complicated than it is -- I personally love the thing. Rock solid reliable, doesn't overfill, doesn't run dry.

What do you do during water changes? Do you shut it off and let the timer set itself again ?

 

[Rakie]

What do you do during water changes? Do you shut it off and let the timer set itself again ?

I turn it off. Do the water change, then turn it on. For me, it typically only runs for about 2-3 seconds max -- Which is like 1/8" water volume in my sump.

But more than once I've forgotten to turn off the ATO during a water change, in which it does it's job by sounding an alarm if it runs for more than 5-6 seconds.

It's memory is 100% based on what it did when you turn it on last.

So if I turn it on and it runs for 10 seconds, it's a good idea to unplug it, and plug it back in so it doesn't "remember" that it's okay to run for 10 seconds.