Good ATO for 200G mixed reef tank?

[Albertan22]

Very nice setup. By the way you have a bubble magus curve 9 i think which is what im putting in mine, how high do you have yours in your sump?

The skimmer is in 9 inches of water but it is actually a Curve 7, this tank is a recent upgrade from my old 120 gallon tank and I just kept the skimmer. I may upgrade it later once I stock the new tank heavier but the whole Covid situation has led to a fish shortage in my area so I barely have enough fish in the tank right now to get detectable nutrients. I’m actually only running the skimmer 12 hours per day at the moment.

 

[Reefrookie733]

The skimmer is in 9 inches of water but it is actually a Curve 7, this tank is a recent upgrade from my old 120 gallon tank and I just kept the skimmer. I may upgrade it later once I stock the new tank heavier but the whole Covid situation has led to a fish shortage in my area so I barely have enough fish in the tank right now to get detectable nutrients. I’m actually only running the skimmer 12 hours per day at the moment.

That stinks that you can't get fish or they've upped the prices so much, hopefully they will get back to normal soon.

Why do you only run the skimmer 12 hours?

 

[sharpimage]

The ato outlet can go into the dt, but most have it dump into the sump.

It is not great to have your rodi system tied into your ato. Most have a reservoir and fill that weekly or as needed. Then pump fron the reservoir into the tank.

I like tunze ato

 

[Reefrookie733]

It does not work with a VDM module as it is not a 0-10v variable speed/dimming device. If you do not own a BoB, you can order the one wired with the I/O cable and plug it into the I/O port on the Apex head unit that you would normally plug a BoB into.

Programming for the ATO pump outlet would be as simple as...

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If SW1 OPEN Then ON

For an added level of redundancy based upon salinity levels, this is of course after you properly calibrate your conductivity probe, you can add the line...

If Condx1 < 31.0 Then OFF

Holy crap...theres more than one BoB? killing me! lol

I haven't done any programming thus far so event the simplest "fallback if everything fails" is greek to me. I will have to take those episodes of BRS TV verrrrrrrryy slowly! lol But i will refer back to this once i set up the ATO on there

ok...went back and looked at the BoB and theres only one type. YOu were referring to how it connects to the main box. Got it! Unfortunately everyone seems to be out of them at the moment!

 

[Albertan22]

That stinks that you can't get fish or they've upped the prices so much, hopefully they will get back to normal soon.

Why do you only run the skimmer 12 hours?

I was worried that running at 0 Nitrates for too long might result in a dinoflagellate outbreak. I am considering dosing some nitrates but decided to cut back the skimming time to see if I could raise my nitrates a little first.

 

[Reefrookie733]

The ato outlet can go into the dt, but most have it dump into the sump.

It is not great to have your rodi system tied into your ato. Most have a reservoir and fill that weekly or as needed. Then pump fron the reservoir into the tank.

I like tunze ato

yeah just learned that when i saw alberts pic of his sump. He has a small reservoir on the side and that makes sense cause i have a 55 gallon drum of RO water and dont want all that in my sump or tank at any one time! lol

 

[sharpimage]

yeah just learned that when i saw alberts pic of his sump. He has a small reservoir on the side and that makes sense cause i have a 55 gallon drum of RO water and dont want all that in my sump or tank at any one time! lol

My tunze ato sits in my 55 gallon drum. Pumps about 20 feet to the tank. No issues in many years

 

[Albertan22]

Holy crap...theres more than one BoB? killing me! lol

I haven't done any programming thus far so event the simplest "fallback if everything fails" is greek to me. I will have to take those episodes of BRS TV verrrrrrrryy slowly! lol But i will refer back to this once i set up the ATO on there

The Apex tutorials in the R2R Articles section helped me immensely! You can find the 8 part series buried in here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/categories/aquarium-equipment.10/

 

[Reefrookie733]

The Apex tutorials in the R2R Articles section helped me immensely! You can find the 8 part series buried in here: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/categories/aquarium-equipment.10/

Thanks i will bookmark this so when i start programming my system. should be pretty soon.

 

[Reefrookie733]

I was worried that running at 0 Nitrates for too long might result in a dinoflagellate outbreak. I am considering dosing some nitrates but decided to cut back the skimming time to see if I could raise my nitrates a little first.

Got ya! Your balancing your system with turning down one thing to raise another! Man, im not even close to that point! lol
I don't even have anything in the dang tank yet!

 

[Reefrookie733]

My tunze ato sits in my 55 gallon drum. Pumps about 20 feet to the tank. No issues in many years

My drums are only about a foot away, not sure that would be a problem. I ordered an apex auto leak detection probe that will at least tell me if water does come out somewhere....i think! lol