Do diy bottle top offs work
- Thread starter GHOSTLY
- Start date
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Gtinnel
10K Club member
I don't watch his YouTube videos but assuming it's just a bottle that drips water into the tank then it should work as long as it drips in an amount equal to what you evaoprate out daily. It would also require checking salinity more often because the amount of water you evaporate out changes with many different factors.
Gtinnel
10K Club member
If you have a sump you could also just mark a water level line on the sump and as long as the bottle keeps the water level near that line then it's working just as good as an ATO based upon water level sensors.
OP
OP
GHOSTLY
2500 Club Member
I plan to make one of those. Would it truly work or would it be inconsistent
OP
OP
GHOSTLY
2500 Club Member
did you buddy keep sps?
Bad Company
Well-Known Member
BRS has an kit called "Auto-top-it-off" or something that is $50. It has two redundant float switches, and it's a bit finicky to set up, but has worked well for me for 6 years (barring one stuck sensor that got gunked up with stray algae)
UnderseaOddities
Well-Known Member
The bottle method like the king of diy wont work @GHOSTLY because there is constant surface movement in a reeftank and his bottle is clever it utilizes negative pressure to create a siphon,
(Mainly used for low flow freshwater to top off in a corner were there is no movement)
If youre trying to be practical you can buy a cheap return pump (5 to 20$) put it in a bucket and run h20 at 1.000 connect with drip line an buy a float valve from your local hardware store(5 to 12$)just gotta check it to make sure it doesnt stick every so often
Your own ato for under 20$
Or you can skip that and go on ebay amazon or brs and buy an ato with a controller
(Tunze osmalator,hyger,etc etc)
I also believe based on our past conversations you're headed down the right path!
You can even take it one step further and start testing dkh cal mag daily(salinity in morning and at night before lights out)
Nitrates and phosphates once a week
And since you have a nano tank u can use the ato as a makeshift dosing pump adding an aoi bottle(like polyp labs one or tropic marin all for reef (to a ratio of ml per x galllons) and eliminate the need for a dosing pump
So many options are available it's all in the person and time you have available
I know people who top off by hand and dose by hand but do a 35% wc a day know people who have just a float valve in sump tied into ro res and doses via balling method and do a wc bi weekly of 15%... I used to do both but in the earlier days of reefing I was schooled... I started making my own soda lime and putting it in a tote with a float valve, then started using brs 3 part when it came out and dosing by hand then bought a jebao dosing pump in 2012 and I'm still using it 12 year later but now I use aquaforest 3 part and tlf acro power on the 4th pump....
It's all in budget and what your trying to achieve and how much time is available
Aswell as the owner's personality and preferences
Just my 2 cents but I would go for this if you are on a budget and since you live in Canada brs charges more so I would buy certain things off ebay and amazon
would be an easy fail proof way to dip your toes into dosing you can buy a product like this https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/one-complete-alkalinity-and-calcium-solution-polyplab.html?dfw_tracker=43788-212880&utm_term=&utm_campaign=EL+|+ACQ_Prospecting_Shopping+|+ROAS+|+Additives&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7373341438&hsa_cam=11654373737&hsa_grp=112632155439&hsa_ad=480766840926&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-309199068700&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3oHKp6LZ8gIVRcDICh1FqwE8EAQYASABEgJH8_D_BwE
Or this
www.bulkreefsupply.com
which are 3 part aio bottles, alot of people are neighsayers(probably amateur chemists) but this stuff is practical for beginners and takes out alot of the guesswork of mixing and dosing your own 3 part) it's more of a ready use and is beginner safe for the most part aslong as you measure it out and dont go pouring usually the company recommends 1ml per 10g on the polyplab one and for tropic marin
5ml per 26g
I hope this answers your question / helps @GHOSTLY
Happy reefing!
(Mainly used for low flow freshwater to top off in a corner were there is no movement)
If youre trying to be practical you can buy a cheap return pump (5 to 20$) put it in a bucket and run h20 at 1.000 connect with drip line an buy a float valve from your local hardware store(5 to 12$)just gotta check it to make sure it doesnt stick every so often
Your own ato for under 20$
Or you can skip that and go on ebay amazon or brs and buy an ato with a controller
(Tunze osmalator,hyger,etc etc)
I also believe based on our past conversations you're headed down the right path!
You can even take it one step further and start testing dkh cal mag daily(salinity in morning and at night before lights out)
Nitrates and phosphates once a week
And since you have a nano tank u can use the ato as a makeshift dosing pump adding an aoi bottle(like polyp labs one or tropic marin all for reef (to a ratio of ml per x galllons) and eliminate the need for a dosing pump
So many options are available it's all in the person and time you have available
I know people who top off by hand and dose by hand but do a 35% wc a day know people who have just a float valve in sump tied into ro res and doses via balling method and do a wc bi weekly of 15%... I used to do both but in the earlier days of reefing I was schooled... I started making my own soda lime and putting it in a tote with a float valve, then started using brs 3 part when it came out and dosing by hand then bought a jebao dosing pump in 2012 and I'm still using it 12 year later but now I use aquaforest 3 part and tlf acro power on the 4th pump....
It's all in budget and what your trying to achieve and how much time is available
Aswell as the owner's personality and preferences
Just my 2 cents but I would go for this if you are on a budget and since you live in Canada brs charges more so I would buy certain things off ebay and amazon
Smart ato System, Auto Top Off System, Fish Tank Sump Water Filler Refiller | eBay
Fish Tank Sump Water Filler Refiller`s the range of water level from aqurium sump top is 0-17cm or 0-6.7". The Smart ATO Complete Kit will never make water overflow your tank, it is especially suitable for the sump with a lot of evaporation.
www.ebay.com
would be an easy fail proof way to dip your toes into dosing you can buy a product like this https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/one-complete-alkalinity-and-calcium-solution-polyplab.html?dfw_tracker=43788-212880&utm_term=&utm_campaign=EL+|+ACQ_Prospecting_Shopping+|+ROAS+|+Additives&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7373341438&hsa_cam=11654373737&hsa_grp=112632155439&hsa_ad=480766840926&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-309199068700&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3oHKp6LZ8gIVRcDICh1FqwE8EAQYASABEgJH8_D_BwE
Or this
All-For-Reef
Tropic Marin All-For-Reef is a revolutionary approach to dosing, combining calcium, alkalinity, and other trace elements into a single, easy to use solution. It's no longer necessary to maintain two, three, or four solutions, or a complicated reactor. All-For-Reef is a balanced source of calcium...
www.bulkreefsupply.com
which are 3 part aio bottles, alot of people are neighsayers(probably amateur chemists) but this stuff is practical for beginners and takes out alot of the guesswork of mixing and dosing your own 3 part) it's more of a ready use and is beginner safe for the most part aslong as you measure it out and dont go pouring usually the company recommends 1ml per 10g on the polyplab one and for tropic marin
5ml per 26g
I hope this answers your question / helps @GHOSTLY
Happy reefing!
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
UnderseaOddities
Well-Known Member
@GHOSTLY when you grow up you're gonna be a pro reefer Idk you were only like 9 or 10 talking to you b4 i assumed you were an adult lol that's awesome kid! You got this by the time youre a teenager you might be able to keep nps lol. Keep in the game and always bug your parents for an allowance for coral and buy cheap shroom and zoa rocks fragem up and trade to lfs for better stuff u can get 10 to 15 frags per colony and trade them to lfs on credit for fish or coral, then your parents wont be mad you pay like 80$ for a mushroom rock with like 15 20 frags u trade to lfs on consignment he or she gives you like 5 to 10$ instore credit per frag u makeout! Yumas are what sell the best if you can find a good source but then again coral prices are generally cheaper in canada so as an American i am ignorant as to how much you would get on a trade in
OP
OP
GHOSTLY
2500 Club Member
im neither 9 or 10 first of all. And secondly thank you for your help! I don't buy any of my stuff I just use chaeto credit
OP
OP
GHOSTLY
2500 Club Member
the plan was to put it into the chambers of the evo where there is VERY little flow, not directly in the tank. Would It work?The bottle method like the king of diy wont work @GHOSTLY because there is constant surface movement in a reeftank and his bottle is clever it utilizes negative pressure to create a siphon,
(Mainly used for low flow freshwater to top off in a corner were there is no movement)
If youre trying to be practical you can buy a cheap return pump (5 to 20$) put it in a bucket and run h20 at 1.000 connect with drip line an buy a float valve from your local hardware store(5 to 12$)just gotta check it to make sure it doesnt stick every so often
Your own ato for under 20$
Or you can skip that and go on ebay amazon or brs and buy an ato with a controller
(Tunze osmalator,hyger,etc etc)
I also believe based on our past conversations you're headed down the right path!
You can even take it one step further and start testing dkh cal mag daily(salinity in morning and at night before lights out)
Nitrates and phosphates once a week
And since you have a nano tank u can use the ato as a makeshift dosing pump adding an aoi bottle(like polyp labs one or tropic marin all for reef (to a ratio of ml per x galllons) and eliminate the need for a dosing pump
So many options are available it's all in the person and time you have available
I know people who top off by hand and dose by hand but do a 35% wc a day know people who have just a float valve in sump tied into ro res and doses via balling method and do a wc bi weekly of 15%... I used to do both but in the earlier days of reefing I was schooled... I started making my own soda lime and putting it in a tote with a float valve, then started using brs 3 part when it came out and dosing by hand then bought a jebao dosing pump in 2012 and I'm still using it 12 year later but now I use aquaforest 3 part and tlf acro power on the 4th pump....
It's all in budget and what your trying to achieve and how much time is available
Aswell as the owner's personality and preferences
Just my 2 cents but I would go for this if you are on a budget and since you live in Canada brs charges more so I would buy certain things off ebay and amazon
Smart ato System, Auto Top Off System, Fish Tank Sump Water Filler Refiller | eBay
Fish Tank Sump Water Filler Refiller`s the range of water level from aqurium sump top is 0-17cm or 0-6.7". The Smart ATO Complete Kit will never make water overflow your tank, it is especially suitable for the sump with a lot of evaporation.www.ebay.com
would be an easy fail proof way to dip your toes into dosing you can buy a product like this https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/one-complete-alkalinity-and-calcium-solution-polyplab.html?dfw_tracker=43788-212880&utm_term=&utm_campaign=EL+|+ACQ_Prospecting_Shopping+|+ROAS+|+Additives&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7373341438&hsa_cam=11654373737&hsa_grp=112632155439&hsa_ad=480766840926&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-309199068700&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3oHKp6LZ8gIVRcDICh1FqwE8EAQYASABEgJH8_D_BwE
Or this
All-For-Reef
Tropic Marin All-For-Reef is a revolutionary approach to dosing, combining calcium, alkalinity, and other trace elements into a single, easy to use solution. It's no longer necessary to maintain two, three, or four solutions, or a complicated reactor. All-For-Reef is a balanced source of calcium...
which are 3 part aio bottles, alot of people are neighsayers(probably amateur chemists) but this stuff is practical for beginners and takes out alot of the guesswork of mixing and dosing your own 3 part) it's more of a ready use and is beginner safe for the most part aslong as you measure it out and dont go pouring usually the company recommends 1ml per 10g on the polyplab one and for tropic marin
5ml per 26g
I hope this answers your question / helps @GHOSTLY
Happy reefing!
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Shirak
Valuable Member
yes as long as the level stays at one spot and there isn't a ton of turbulence at the surface.
