ato and apex help / suggestion.

[lolgranny]

Hey everyone!

So im new to this controller thing but im about to get my 300g+ system rolling this weekend and i want to hook up a ato to my apex. Im a little confused at what i need to buy exactly so im looking for some opinions.

I know i need a breakout box, a aqualifter pump, and 4? Float switches. One for too high, one for regular water level, one for the ato container so the pump doesnt run if its too low, and one for my skimmer locker(not needed to be said lol) i was thinking of having another in my sump just incase.

Is that basically all ill need? Oh and a bracket. Then program it and boom done?

Or would u go this route. The avast ato kit with the manual float valve and the pressure sensor.

Thanks for any opinions! This is honestly the one thing thats confusing the crap out of me lol. If any of u can be like yo buy this this and this and then your set id be satisfied haha.

Rly appreciate it guys

Thanks
Dave

 

[Steelerfan747]

In all honesty I would recommend a Tunze osmolator. It's an all in one so theres nothing else to buy, does not take up space and keeps the level perfect. Out is by far one of my favorite pieces of equipment and worth every penny

 

[lolgranny]

Thanks for the response. I actually have one on my 40gallon and i like everything about it besides the fact when i do water changes i have to unplug it bc i have no controller and i have to plug it back in prior it to reaching the first sensor otherwise it thinks the water is too low. So its a race after i plug it in then add the rest of my saltwater.

I could go that route again, but for 200$ i could do the entire system with more redundancy and add some extra floats elsewhere.

 

[StReNuOuS BiOmArKeR]

i would ditch the breakout box and the float switches..... too much room for error. i just ran airline, some hard some soft, from my ato container to luft to my sump. i plugged the luft pump into one of my eb8 and treated it as a pump.
i then would add 30 seconds to the pumps on time after every 24hrs until it would fill the sump to my max line. it really cant mess up unless you mess up the time, ie adding to much time to how long the luft would run.
ive had enough problems with float switches and valves to get rid of em

elos or tunzes is nice but jesus christ $200 for it .....my $40 setup is doing just fine luft pump, airline, and a rubbermaid

 

[StReNuOuS BiOmArKeR]

if you dont have apex and 10 for a timer that will do minutes

 

[lolgranny]

Ditching the float switches seems like a bad idea due to the fact of what if your system fails and you have nothing to tell the system to shut off. I want to make sure i have redundancy

 

[CJO]

I know i need a breakout box, a aqualifter pump, and 4? Float switches. One for too high, one for regular water level, one for the ato container so the pump doesnt run if its too low, and one for my skimmer locker(not needed to be said lol) i was thinking of having another in my sump just incase.

Is that basically all ill need? Oh and a bracket. Then program it and boom done?

That's it (and an empty slot in your EB8 to plug in your aqualifter.

CJ