ATO Reservoir

[Idoc]

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

 

[30cubereef]

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

My 90 gallon has a camping style water jug attached to a simple float valve. It lasts approx 5 to 6 days

 

[Crabs McJones]

When I first started, I used a 5 gallon food safe bucket with a sealed lid, drilled two holes for the water line and pump power line. Worked great. Eventually upgraded to a 5 gallon acrylic reservoir. But food safe pails work great as an expensive option.
Also on my 40 breeder open top with a 20 gallon sump that's half open the 5 gallons lasts me usually a week during the summer and about 5 days during the winter.

 

[XNavyDiver]

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

Those are perfect imo. Good choice on the ATO also.

 

[Reef man 89]

I'm use an old nutri-sea 5 gallon jug for my ATO and works fine. Sure it's not no fancy top of the line acrylic box but I just can't justify spending $100 on it to. I would rather buy some new live stock with the money. But thats my opinion.

 

[mcarroll]

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

I like those and plain 5 gallon buckets.

As long as it's more than a day's worth of water, it's "plenty" in my mind. 5 gallons is often a week for most folks, give or take. Too much risks flooding if there's an ATO accident. No sense in risking that to begin with.....5 gallons is plenty.

 

[Ranjib]

thi

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

this will work just fine as long as the pump can go inside. I use a 1 Gallon jug for my 29G DT, with smart micro ato.

 

[SalinFL]

That is exactly what I use. I enlarged the small "air hole" enough to accommodate the tube. Inside the jug, I weigh down the tube with a piece of coral and fishing line. The water lasts over a week.

To refill - I fill a 5 gallon bucket, toss in a water pump fitted with tubing, run the line into the larger hole. In seconds it is ready to go again.

 

[mcarroll]

That is exactly what I use. I enlarged the small "air hole" enough to accommodate the tube. Inside the jug, I weigh down the tube with a piece of coral and fishing line. The water lasts over a week.

To refill - I fill a 5 gallon bucket, toss in a water pump fitted with tubing, run the line into the larger hole. In seconds it is ready to go again.

Somehow I forgot all that......a 5 gallon bucket is definitely better for a reservoir. A waterboy is much better for carrying water though!

 

[tidefanjam]

Works great, label comes off easy

 

[Ty Hamatake]

This is what I use. My system is about 75 gallon with about a gallon of evaporation a day, so I get about two weeks between refills. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0026GO5CA/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[DSmithZ28]

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

AMEN BROTHER! I used the same 5 gallon jug with a JBJ ATO and a Toms Aqualifter. If you are using a AL, adjust your JBJ timer. The AL is as slow as Christmas.

 

[Greasemonkey13]

Didn't realize it was that dirty but I use a cute little brute can for my ato holds about 11G also only about 15$

 

[mcarroll]

Instant ocean bucket. I assume that everyone knows what those look like. Perfect size since it lasts about a week+ AND it's small enough that even if 100% gets dumped during an ATO malfunction it's no big deal to the system.

My bucket is modded with a Tunze 5074 mount point so I can use the kalk reactor when I want.

It's also got the plumbing and electrical slightly integrated so the lid can be on enough to exclude dust.

 

[Rob77]

The jug you have is what im using food grade .... amazon like 15.00 dollars ... awesome!

 

[William Norman]

I purchased a dog food bucket from Ross. They also have them at TJ Max and Marshalls. Was $11. Very easy to fill up due to the big opening and easy to move around since it is on casters and I have extra long hose going to the tank, so I can pull the container out and still keep the pump inside.

Here is a link to one at Walmart - https://www.walmart.com/ip/IRIS-Airtight-Pet-Food-Storage/20904042

The one i have is 20lbs size and it holds 24 gallons of water, but I usually only keep it half full.

 

[Idoc]

I purchased a dog food bucket from Ross. They also have them at TJ Max and Marshalls. Was $11. Very easy to fill up due to the big opening and easy to move around since it is on casters and I have extra long hose going to the tank, so I can pull the container out and still keep the pump inside.

Here is a link to one at Walmart - https://www.walmart.com/ip/IRIS-Airtight-Pet-Food-Storage/20904042

The one i have is 20lbs size and it holds 24 gallons of water, but I usually only keep it half full.

I have one of these as well that I purchased to use as an ATO reservoir...nice size! But, I have a 12" opening for the cabinet where I was going to put the reservoir, and the darn thing couldn't fit in through the opening! So, I had to scrap the idea...but I still have the pet food bin! If I end up keeping my ATO Reservoir outside the stand, I might go back to this container.

 

[spiraling]

Somehow I forgot all that......a 5 gallon bucket is definitely better for a reservoir. A waterboy is much better for carrying water though!

agreed

You will be filling it every few days. A 5 gal bucket, brute can shown in one post, or a rubbermaid container, all with big openings with lids, are all a lot easier to fill, assuming you will be using 5 gallon buckets carried from your water making station.

As far as size goes - figure out your evaporation rate and how long in between fillings you plan. I leave for 3 days at a time quite often, so I need at least 4 days worth, One one tank and I evaporate over 2 gallons a day in summer. So I have to have over 10 gallons, and I have a rubbermaid that is 20 gallons so If I'm away for a week I don't need to worry about it. I do have an apex that will shut it off if salinity drops though. On a second tank that is smaller and has a lid a 5 gallon bucket lasts over 2 weeks.

 

[MaddyP]

Trying to find an inexpensive ATO Reservoir option...refuse to pay $100 for a freakin acrylic box! Thinking of using this 5gal container...LFS sells water in them, assuming safe from leaching contaminates. Anyone have luck with this type container? Other ideas? 5gal big enough for a 75g DR with approx 25g in sump?

Btw...will be using Tunze 3155 Osmolator.

I've used this type of container for top off for several years on my smaller tanks. Lasts about 6 days on my 75g tank.

 

[ChiCity]

People charge waaaaay too much for acrylic, don’t they?!
But yeah, any potable water container will suffice