AUTO AQUA SMART ATO MICRO ALMOST KILLED MY NANO

[ryboy707]

Bought this for my 5 gallon nano tank about 3 weeks ago. Came home to hear this thing beeping and water all over the floor. The rodi container was bone dry. At first I thought the tubing had slipped out of the holder that holds the line onto the tank because it fits so loose, then when I noticed everything was sound there I checked the salinity and my fear was confirmed. Salinity was at 16.5 ppt. The optical sensor failed and dumped the whole reservoir into the tank. Beware of this product

 

[Crabs McJones]

Sorry to hear I've been using the big brother version of this top off for almost 4 years now with no issues. Possibly a defective one from factory. How did you have it set up? Can you share pictures?

 

[eatbreakfast]

How is it setup? Where is the reservoir in relation to where it is topping off?

 

[jschultzbass]

From the Manufacturer:
AutoAqua incorporated their QST (Quick Security Technology) into the ATO’s monitoring system. The Smart Mini Controller records the time it takes to top off the aquarium the first time you turn it on. If at any time the refill pump runs longer than three times the initial top off time, the system sends out an audible alert and turns on a blinking red LED.

This is their backup in case the optical sensor fails. I'm surprised it didn't trigger!

 

[ryboy707]

From the Manufacturer:
AutoAqua incorporated their QST (Quick Security Technology) into the ATO’s monitoring system. The Smart Mini Controller records the time it takes to top off the aquarium the first time you turn it on. If at any time the refill pump runs longer than three times the initial top off time, the system sends out an audible alert and turns on a blinking red LED.

This is their backup in case the optical sensor fails. I'm surprised it didn't trigger!

Well this one definitely didn’t incorporate that technology. It has the blinking red light but still dumped the whole rodi container for some reason. The rodi container is just a 5 gallon container on the floor, and the tank is on a side table

 

[Entz]

Well this one definitely didn’t incorporate that technology. It has the blinking red light but still dumped the whole rodi container for some reason. The rodi container is just a 5 gallon container on the floor, and the tank is on a side table

It is certainly possible the controller is borked. Another possibility is that the sensor kept telling it was low incorrectly. It would turn on, then off, then On then Off. It would never trip the QST that way.

Like @Crabs McJones I have had one for 3 years or so and its been great and reliable if the sensor is kept clean but its one of those things that can go wrong fast without backups.

 

[reeferKen]

qst, alert and red light but i didnt read where it cuts power to the pump, Bummer. Thanks for the feedback OP

 

[Starganderfish]

From the Manufacturer:
AutoAqua incorporated their QST (Quick Security Technology) into the ATO’s monitoring system. The Smart Mini Controller records the time it takes to top off the aquarium the first time you turn it on. If at any time the refill pump runs longer than three times the initial top off time, the system sends out an audible alert and turns on a blinking red LED.

This is their backup in case the optical sensor fails. I'm surprised it didn't trigger!

Does the "QST" do anything more than sound an audible alert and a blinking light?
This is supposed to be an automated system so you aren't always going to be around when it's running. A beeping sound doesn't help if there's no-one to hear it!
Ideally, it should also switch off the pump?
And also... "three times the initial top off time"? If you do a one-gallon water change. It removes one gallon, add's back one gallon. The sensor fails, so it adds another 2 gallons. Even if it stops the pump at that point (and its unclear if it does or just beeps) you've put three times as much water in as you took out!! Potential flood right there.
I really don't understand why it doesn't have an emergency float switch or another optical or similar switch as a final, worst-case scenario backup. ie: If the optical sensor fails, it keeps running. It puts in too much water before the timer kicks on and is about to overflow the tank... then the float switch kicks in and stops the pump. Even if the float switch is another potential failure point it's also another layer of redundancy. Almost all ATO devices use a backup float switch or something as a "just in case". This QTS setup seems far too nebulous for me.
I like this piece of kit, and will probably get one, but I'm thinking I'll add another switch of my own (either optical or float) that simply kills power to the whole unit if it gets close to overflowing.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Does the "QST" do anything more than sound an audible alert and a blinking light?
This is supposed to be an automated system so you aren't always going to be around when it's running. A beeping sound doesn't help if there's no-one to hear it!
Ideally, it should also switch off the pump?
And also... "three times the initial top off time"? If you do a one-gallon water change. It removes one gallon, add's back one gallon. The sensor fails, so it adds another 2 gallons. Even if it stops the pump at that point (and its unclear if it does or just beeps) you've put three times as much water in as you took out!! Potential flood right there.
I really don't understand why it doesn't have an emergency float switch or another optical or similar switch as a final, worst-case scenario backup. ie: If the optical sensor fails, it keeps running. It puts in too much water before the timer kicks on and is about to overflow the tank... then the float switch kicks in and stops the pump. Even if the float switch is another potential failure point it's also another layer of redundancy. Almost all ATO devices use a backup float switch or something as a "just in case". This QTS setup seems far too nebulous for me.
I like this piece of kit, and will probably get one, but I'm thinking I'll add another switch of my own (either optical or float) that simply kills power to the whole unit if it gets close to overflowing.

Yes, when the alarm is sounding it kills power to the pump.

 

[Starganderfish]

Yes, when the alarm is sounding it kills power to the pump.

Well, that's a relief. Would have been a real bone-headed move not to. Still, three times the volume going back in is a lot. An emergency back-up float or second optical switch would be comforting. Just need to figure out how to wire in a float switch to kill the device's power. Kind of surprised such a thing doesn't seem to be readily available!

 

[jrill]

Just to be clear, are you sure this is not a back siphon issue. I run two of these and have never had an issue. Always shuts down pump if they run longer than when powered up.

 

[ReefNerd]

Just to be clear, are you sure this is not a back siphon issue. I run two of these and have never had an issue. Always shuts down pump if they run longer than when powered up.

+++ this

I would bet money this is what happened, I also have a run a few of Auto Aqua's products for over a year so am pretty familiar with how they work, the flaws and gotcha's you need to be aware of.

If it was not setup with the siphon breaks correctly installed, a siphon can drain the RO res into the tank very easily even if the QST kicks in and the pump is turned off... they are not peristaltic pumps, so siphons are always a possibility unless the siphon breaks are correctly installed.

The QST is fine for most issues, and the impact of 3x normal operation on a tank is usually negligible. But it wont do anything if a siphon has formed. (neither would a secondary or tertiary sensor or float switch for the matter, only a float valve would stand a chance of breaking a siphon.)

 

[jschultzbass]

Does the "QST" do anything more than sound an audible alert and a blinking light?
This is supposed to be an automated system so you aren't always going to be around when it's running. A beeping sound doesn't help if there's no-one to hear it!
Ideally, it should also switch off the pump?
And also... "three times the initial top off time"? If you do a one-gallon water change. It removes one gallon, add's back one gallon. The sensor fails, so it adds another 2 gallons. Even if it stops the pump at that point (and its unclear if it does or just beeps) you've put three times as much water in as you took out!! Potential flood right there.
I really don't understand why it doesn't have an emergency float switch or another optical or similar switch as a final, worst-case scenario backup. ie: If the optical sensor fails, it keeps running. It puts in too much water before the timer kicks on and is about to overflow the tank... then the float switch kicks in and stops the pump. Even if the float switch is another potential failure point it's also another layer of redundancy. Almost all ATO devices use a backup float switch or something as a "just in case". This QTS setup seems far too nebulous for me.
I like this piece of kit, and will probably get one, but I'm thinking I'll add another switch of my own (either optical or float) that simply kills power to the whole unit if it gets close to overflowing.

Water change? I'm not sure I follow. This shouldn't be used for water changes. It's an ATO (atuomatic top off) used for fresh water top off. When first installed , the water level should be at the sensor. Then when it goes to make its first autofill of fresh water it records the time and then will only fill up to 3x that. For my 80 gallon frag tank this 3x fill is only about 15 seconds.

 

[WVNed]

A lesson for life. Things are made on assembly lines. Nobody checks to make sure they work. When you put something new in use watch it and monitor it for a few days. A heater, an ATO, a controller, anything can fail. Some do.
Don't put something new in use and go off and leave it. Eventually it will get you.

 

[vangvace]

I don't recall if there is a max run time on the first fill once powered. With that in mind, another theory could be that the unit lost power and the first fill was the entire bucket.

That said, I have a pair of these currently running for a few years now.

Lastly, if a siphon were to have occurred, it wouldn't have been from reservoir to tank because the tank in higher. The ATO container would have flooded versus being empty.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

I don't recall if there is a max run time on the first fill once powered. With that in mind, another theory could be that the unit lost power and the first fill was the entire bucket.

That said, I have a pair of these currently running for a few years now.

Lastly, if a siphon were to have occurred, it wouldn't have been from reservoir to tank because the tank in higher. The ATO container would have flooded versus being empty.

Is the ato above or below the water line?

 

[vangvace]

Is the ato above or below the water line?

Based on the OP's statement I would say the ato is below the water line but unsure.

The rodi container is just a 5 gallon container on the floor, and the tank is on a side table

When mine flooded the RO container, I didn't have the ATO feed line at the correct level so it created a siphon and a flood in the ATO container.

 

[ryboy707]

The rodi container is way below the tank. The unit simply malfunctioned and dumped the whole rodi container. Yes I have installed the siphon break correctly. I plugged the unit into my apex and now have it only come on for 18 seconds a day.

 

[jrill]

The rodi container is way below the tank. The unit simply malfunctioned and dumped the whole rodi container. Yes I have installed the siphon break correctly. I plugged the unit into my apex and now have it only come on for 18 seconds a day.

If it malfunctioned have you contacted the company to have it replaced?

 

[Jay Z]

I had a couple small intermittent issues with mine when I first got it. It was my fault and my fault alone. Poor sensor placement.