ATO

[reeferkeeper420]

Scratch what i said about tunze. Jist go gravity with a float..the tunze sensora can be a pain if not maintained properly or if a wavemakers bounces it to much...mine sticks all the time now and ive eeven gave it vinegar baths, stupid thing still sticks.

 

[TORX]

Worse case if my float breaks is that 5 gallons gets added to my tank (if the float brakes the same day/time as my just filling the top up bucket), still quite slowly through the 1/4 line, but in a 120 that does not affect it much. There is no need to know anything other then may need to add water to the bucket on day 4 for people watching my tank while I am out.

Apex for added security, shuts off my skimmer etc if the water level gets too high.

 

[Neopimp]

I gravity feed the top up water through a float valve.  Everynight the 5 gallon takes refill themselves from the RODI.  But my sump in in the basement so I have some flexibility

 

[TORX]

Personally, I do not know why everyone spends big bucks on all these different systems. There will be multiple interfaces and modules that all work independently. Apex will fix it all and save you tons of cash in the long run. Apex can even control a pump for your top up and with the additional features of email warning and remote access. At the same point works as a heater control, lighting control/timers, and the list goes on forever. Just spend the $500 for an Apex (or other controller) and save hundreds of dollars in the long run.

 

[reeferkeeper420]

Personally, I do not know why everyone spends big bucks on all these different systems. There will be multiple interfaces and modules that all work independently. Apex will fix it all and save you tons of cash in the long run. Apex can even control a pump for your top up and with the additional features of email warning and remote access. At the same point works as a heater control, lighting control/timers, and the list goes on forever. Just spend the $500 for an Apex (or other controller) and save hundreds of dollars in the long run.

i love apex. And i dont have a sump so the tunze was my best route for it, size wise unfortunately. I didnt want a bulky float in my dt along woth everuthing else.

 

[Jewel]

If my Float sticks and it overflows into my sump it may cause a big problem, 20 gl of fresh water into my sump, that would not be good. II'll have to look at a solution to this.

 

[TORX]

i love apex. And i dont have a sump so the tunze was my best route for it, size wise unfortunately. I didnt want a bulky float in my dt along woth everuthing else.

No sump...yikes. They do have small floats, maybe look into a hob sump/refuge. With an apex, you can just use floats and or timers to control the top up, no need for another equipment.

If my Float sticks and it overflows into my sump it may cause a big problem, 20 gl of fresh water into my sump, that would not be good. II'll have to look at a solution to this.

Yikes, sounds like the ato container is too large. Tunze or gravity, if something fails, you could be in trouble. That is why i selected a 5 gal container, i could have gone larger, but that is dangerous no matter what you select as an ato unit

 

[Bfofre]

Someone please explain apex to me....  Didn't exist last time I had a reef!  Seems like unneeded expensive toy to me.. 
The Internet tech generation catching up with the old school reef keeping.  Like having 14 powerpoints on your car these days..  A little over the top!

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

 

[reeferkeeper420]

Apex will controll everythig..tank gets to hot turns off the heater if the heaters malfunctioning, if it still gets to hot throws a fan on,if it continues to climb itll turn off your lights and diffpumps if you want it to. can control different powerheads like vortech, and dimmable leds. Like torx was saying you can have them control ATO so theres no need for a sensor. It can send you messages and emails alerting you if something isnt right withyour tank, for example if you jave overflow sensors for the apex youll get sent emails telling you theres a leak or some sorta overflow, and set off it own alarm to let you or someone else in the house know something is going on, hook it up to the net and you can access it from your cell and change w.e you want on your tank with the touch of your cell. Its a great investment, especially for stability in a tank IMO.

 

[Bfofre]

See.. Not to be critical..  But anything you sighted as a capability of the apex is not overly important to me or my system..
Maybe just the heat..

My WaveMaker are jebao with their own control,  along with my return pump.
I will have a less then $100 ATO system.
Lights are already controlled by timer built in.
..  Again seems like an expensive toy.  Not saying I wouldn't want it..  But not putting it  $500 for it..

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[reeferkeeper420]

The apex jr is half that

 

[curiousphil]

http://www.goreef.com/Double-Switch-Auto-top-off-with-controller-and-sump-mount.html

Anyone have any experience with the above?

I've been killing myself researching ATO...  I get a lot of feedback that Tunze is the only way to go..
I feel like I'm cheap'ing out any other way...  But you know..  Rather save money for something easy cooler then an ATO.



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I use this too.  No problems yet.  Can't justify 100+ for something as simple as a water sensor.  If I had the room to build a cabinet for an ATO container I would do gravity feed.  The route I've gone is simply to have a 5 gal bucket next to my tank with a BRS topoff pump attache to the autotopoff.com controller.