Reef Discussion

potatocouch

Member
Jan 16, 2014
1,124
153
Sydney
Ato Not Those Modern Ones
I'm in the need for an ATO as am going overseas in 2 weeks time.

However, I have experienced 2 of the modern ones which i purchased, fail on the system where it pumps then beep beep beep which frustrates the hell out of me. Beeping is okay if it pumps but they don't.

So looking for off the shelf product prewired and ready to use, just manual one, valves etc, no more sensors.

Looking on those wavereef 2M for my 2 foot tank.

Apology for the dumb questions why the need of 2 and more Valves ? My guess is if 1 fail, the other act as a backup ?

Does this mean the 3m (3 valves) is better than 2m?

Does anyone have ever used this product ? Is the pump strong enough to pump from the bottom of the bucket with height 50 cm, over to the sump? Picture the sump and bucket on the same elevation, on the ground, side by side. Worry about the overhead that's all.

Any input will be much appreciated.thanks!
 

macca_75

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2,125
844
Any reason the trusty old Tunze 3155 won't work. Solid unit, stood the test of time. If you are concerned just through a new motor on it a week before you go
 

potatocouch

Member
Jan 16, 2014
1,124
153
Sydney
Any reason the trusty old Tunze 3155 won't work. Solid unit, stood the test of time. If you are concerned just through a new motor on it a week before you go
pump 1 second then beep beep beep beep.

Smart ATO and Tunze the same thing; i heard lotz of good reviews but never my luck. Always beeeeeeeeeepppppppppp.
 

ajkdark

Member
Aug 17, 2014
154
81
Cannot go past Neptune Apex ATK. Can be used without the Apex. Has two sensors and float backup. As well as smarts that prevent over pumping.
Solid unit.
You get what you pay for.
 

potatocouch

Member
Jan 16, 2014
1,124
153
Sydney
Cannot go past Neptune Apex ATK. Can be used without the Apex. Has two sensors and float backup. As well as smarts that prevent over pumping.
Solid unit.
You get what you pay for.
This is why i am paying for the cheapy because in my case, the tunze and smart ato have been negative to me.

All good, i just buy and see how we go.
 

macca_75

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2,125
844
pump 1 second then beep beep beep beep.

Smart ATO and Tunze the same thing; i heard lotz of good reviews but never my luck. Always beeeeeeeeeepppppppppp.
On the Tunze a Beeeeeppppppp means it has actually overfilled.

Depending on your setup a Top off should only ever pump 50-100ml on average.

For reliability you can't go past the optical sensor of the Tunze.

Maybe a pic of your setup?
 

potatocouch

Member
Jan 16, 2014
1,124
153
Sydney
On the Tunze a Beeeeeppppppp means it has actually overfilled.

Depending on your setup a Top off should only ever pump 50-100ml on average.

For reliability you can't go past the optical sensor of the Tunze.

Maybe a pic of your setup?
Sold it ages ago, both of them (Tunze and Smart ATO).

Did I do it wrong? In a nutshell what i did was:
  1. Mount the sensor (in the sump, in the chamber where no skimmer nor return pump nor overflow) where i want it to detect my desired water level.
  2. Then put the pump in a water bucket beside the sump (same elevation ground level). Pump is submerged all the way at the bottom of the bucket.
  3. To test, I put the sensor above the current water level by say 1 or 2 cm and theoretically, when i switch the power on, it should start pumping until the water level rise and to a point where the sensor is, it should stop.
  4. So, i switch it on and what happened in both units is: it started to pump for 1 second or 2 seconds max then beep beep beep and stop pumping. The water level is not even risen yet. Sometimes the water hasn't even travel all the way to the end of the tube and it stopped.
  5. The water bucket is just your normal Bunnings 20L and tube goes from the bottom of that bucket where the pump is, then goes to the sump.
Anything that i may have misunderstood in setting the ATO?
 

macca_75

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2,125
844
Sold it ages ago, both of them (Tunze and Smart ATO).

Did I do it wrong? In a nutshell what i did was:
  1. Mount the sensor (in the sump, in the chamber where no skimmer nor return pump nor overflow) where i want it to detect my desired water level.
  2. Then put the pump in a water bucket beside the sump (same elevation ground level). Pump is submerged all the way at the bottom of the bucket.
  3. To test, I put the sensor above the current water level by say 1 or 2 cm and theoretically, when i switch the power on, it should start pumping until the water level rise and to a point where the sensor is, it should stop.
  4. So, i switch it on and what happened in both units is: it started to pump for 1 second or 2 seconds max then beep beep beep and stop pumping. The water level is not even risen yet. Sometimes the water hasn't even travel all the way to the end of the tube and it stopped.
  5. The water bucket is just your normal Bunnings 20L and tube goes from the bottom of that bucket where the pump is, then goes to the sump.
Anything that i may have misunderstood in setting the ATO?
The senor should be in the last chamber of the sump (where the pump returns water back to the Display). In theory this should be the only chamber to have the water level change.

Personally I have the ATO pump hanging so it is suspending off the bottom by about 1 cm

An ATO shouldn't need to fill 1 or 2 cm of water, only 100ml or so. Think mm's of water difference. That said, it should pump until it times out. The Tunze controllers have a knob inside them - you can set the timeout time.
 

potatocouch

Member
Jan 16, 2014
1,124
153
Sydney
The senor should be in the last chamber of the sump (where the pump returns water back to the Display). In theory this should be the only chamber to have the water level change.

Personally I have the ATO pump hanging so it is suspending off the bottom by about 1 cm

An ATO shouldn't need to fill 1 or 2 cm of water, only 100ml or so. Think mm's of water difference. That said, it should pump until it times out. The Tunze controllers have a knob inside them - you can set the timeout time.
I agree but for testing purposes solely, it should pump until it times out, unless the time out was set to 1 or 2 secs. Any minimum time out that you can set on these devices ?
 

macca_75

Member
Apr 22, 2012
2,125
844
I agree but for testing purposes solely, it should pump until it times out, unless the time out was set to 1 or 2 secs. Any minimum time out that you can set on these devices ?
Minimum or maximum? On the Tunze you can adjust the maximum.

Honestly, grab a 3155 controller. I am confident we can get it setup and working - there are so many units out there and they are rock solid.