Any ideas for a DIY ATO?

[Jakemac]

Any ideas for a DIY ATO?

Im running a 29 gal and i want to start using kalk. From what ive researched its best to throw it in your ATO so its done slowly.

I dont have a sump so i was thinking of running a 5 gal resivor on the side of the stand or find a HOB tank to use.

Anyone have any cheap ways to do this? Everyone seems to say go for autotopoff.com and grab the swtich from them but is a controller needed or...

Newbie help please!!!

 

[aherre07]

i ordered the diy kit from premium aquatics and works like a charm. does not run on my apex it can be a stand alone kit.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I used the Aquahub ATO Premium kit. It’s a DIY kit that comes with everything you’ll need. However, you do have to supply the pump and hose line. I used a Tom’s Aqualifter there. And, it runs independent of a reef controller.

The one thing I changed on this kit was the “Mold-A-Hold” plastic strip. I wanted something a bit more substantial, so I used regular plexiglass that I molded by heating in the oven. Otherwise I’m real happy with it having a backup float switch.

 

[Jakemac]

I guess im a little confused on what to get still

Anyone have any builds that they can show me. I just wanna make sure i do this right, I was thinking of getting a 5 or 10 gal bucket with a top and get a pump that does about 3gph and drill into my HOB whisper filter to put the tube that will push out the freshwater. Im thinking of getting the DIY kit from autotopoff.com for 51 shipped.

This will not be hooked to my sump

Ideas?

 

[mcarroll]

Sounds like a fine plan!


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

 

[shred5]

I guess im a little confused on what to get still

Anyone have any builds that they can show me. I just wanna make sure i do this right, I was thinking of getting a 5 or 10 gal bucket with a top and get a pump that does about 3gph and drill into my HOB whisper filter to put the tube that will push out the freshwater. Im thinking of getting the DIY kit from autotopoff.com for 51 shipped.

This will not be hooked to my sump

Ideas?

Don't use a hob filter buy a small maxi jet or a toms aqualifter if the rise is not to much (they can not handle much head.. I have used 5 gallon buckets before and they are fine.
Autotopoff sells a fine unit.

Is there a sump or are you putting this directly in the tank? I assume tank by what you said..If that is the case you need to enclose the sensor switch some how so snails etc. cant get at it. Also make sure there is not to much wave action in the tank. If the reservoir is below the tank you will want a check valve so water does not siphon back or make sure the return does not touch the water.

 

[Jakemac]

I was thinking something like this

Back of tank:

i would drill into the HOB filter so the tube fits in flush then have the water flow from the filter into the display tank


Top of tank:

Think this would work?

 

[mcarroll]

That would work - you definitely have the right idea! I like the idea of a power filter where you have it.

There are lots of possible other considerations, one is that kalk is known to eat pumps rather quickly. At least for the example, look up the Tunze 5074.

It sits in between you ATO pump and your tank. The force of the water from the pump entering at the bottom of the reactor does all the stirring required and pure lime water exits at the top of the reactor. Dead simple (not even a moving part), you never have to worry about mixing and your pump is protected and should last forever. It works best with Tunze's Osmolator kit (probably the nano Osmolator too) but I've been using it for a long time in a semi-DIY setup using a standard reed float switch (Ultralife) and off-the-shelf pumps...YMMV. To me the 5074 has been well worth the money, but I'm sure even a DIY reactor could be done pretty easily too.

-Matt

 

[Jakemac]

I like that idea of the stirrer. I think i'll hold off on that until i go bigger, for the moment im still doing a nano system so that kinda $$ i can see investing in something a little more important like a mp10. But in the future i will def remember that