ATO Container

[mrtian97]

Reefers,
I am building 120 gallon mixed reef tank with 40 gallon sump. Bought the Tunze 3155 ATO, and use the standard 5 gallon water container as the RODI reservoir. The water is top off to my sump and the tubing is clipped on the top of the sump (therefore the tubing doesn't touch the water in the sump to avoid siphon. My 5 gallon container is at the same level as the sump (inside the stand).

For vacation that 5 gallon top off won't be enough, I am thinking to use the Rubbermaid Commercial 1868861 Feed and Seed Brute with Lid, 20 Gallon, price only ~ $30. With this container, it won't fit into my stand, so I plan to just put it beside the tank. This container height is 23" with diameter of 20". Do you think this setup will work or is there any issue I should be caution of. Assuming effective volume with the pump only 70%, this gives my about 14 gallon, which should last me about 10 days.

Thanks

 

[redfishbluefish]

The only concern I see is that you don't want the end of the tubing to be lower than the level of water in the reservoir. If it is, it will simply siphon until the water gets to the level of the tubing end. This is simply fixed by raising the tubing end higher than the reservoir level, and if need be, place the end of the tubing into a pipe (I like 1/2" CPVC) that feeds into your sump. So the end of the tubing is higher than reservoir water level and simply pumps the water into the pipe that goes into your sump. I hope I explained this well enough to understand.

 

[melypr1985]

You could also clip the output tube to the overflow on the tank, that way it's above the water level of the reservoir tank.

 

[mrtian97]

Thanks for the feedback. Even if my Top off pump is submersible pump (comes std with the Tunze unit) which is at the bottom of the container, which is the inflow water level, I still have risk of siphoning action from the Top Off container if the top water level of this top off container is higher than my end tubing at the sump? This is the set up that I currently have with the 5 gallon container, the top water level of the 5 gallon container is higher than the end tubing at the sump.

 

[melypr1985]

yes. it could siphon until the water levels equalize

 

[porterreef]

I have a ATO and its at the same level if not a tad bit higher than the sump. Like everyone is saying it would siphon till it equalizes what I did for my particular setup was just have the water line sit well above the water line and for now my ATO container only stays 3/4 of the way full. Not sure if I'm helping but that is just my current setup.

 

[mrtian97]

Thanks