Red Sea Reefer ATO Float Valve

[Westside Guy]

Thanks!!!

 

[Mario P.]

Can you upload a picture of your setup?

 

[Westside Guy]

Thanks for posting the pictures. Out of curiosity is there a reason why you have the water from the ATO going to the top of the tank into the overflow as opposed to the pump section of the sump as Red Sea originally had the tubing from their ATO directed?

 

[Mario P.]

drain line from the tunze pump has to be higher than the top of your water level in your ato container so you dont create a siphon

 

[Westside Guy]

Noted when you have the hose going into the overflow, I am still a little confused where to place the ATO tank from Red Sea which I would like to use as opposed to buying a new ATO tank. Can it still be sitting on top of the sump as originally configured or do I have to put it on the floor of the cabinet to the right of the pump?

 

[Mario P.]

Noted when you have the hose going into the overflow, I am still a little confused where to place the ATO tank from Red Sea which I would like to use as opposed to buying a new ATO tank. Can it still be sitting on top of the sump as originally configured or do I have to put it on the floor of the cabinet to the right of the pump?

keep it on the sump and run the water line to the overflow

 

[Midrats]

If you are going to replace the stock ATO I'd just get a larger reservoir and place it next to the tank. Get creative, use a black floor vase, or put the bucket inside a basket or something. If you want to use the Red Sea reservoir, just use the float valve it came with. It actually works well, it's just that it only lasts three days or so. Will you be at the tank at least once every three days?

 

[Westside Guy]

If you are going to replace the stock ATO I'd just get a larger reservoir and place it next to the tank. Get creative, use a black floor vase, or put the bucket inside a basket or something. If you want to use the Red Sea reservoir, just use the float valve it came with. It actually works well, it's just that it only lasts three days or so. Will you be at the tank at least once every three days?

That is my issue as my wife and I do travel and can be gone a week or more several times a year.
By the way, do you know whether anyone puts a cover on the Red Sea ATO to slow down any evaporation from that tank?

 

[Midrats]

Then you'll definitely want to get a different ATO and larger reservoir. I use a Litermeter so I can dose limewater as my top off without any risk of too large of a dose or the failure of a float or optical sensor. Covering the stock ATO container might save an ounce or two but since it's still there's probably little to no evaporation.

 

[Mario P.]

That is my issue as my wife and I do travel and can be gone a week or more several times a year.
By the way, do you know whether anyone puts a cover on the Red Sea ATO to slow down any evaporation from that tank?

your evaporation will be mainly from the water in your aquarium. larger surface area, more surface agitation and warmer temps than your ato container.
i have a red sea 350 which is about 90 gallons total volume. i lose about a gallon of water a day.
when i go away for a week or more i use a 20 gallon brute barrel as a temporary ATO reservoir just to be safe.

 

[Westside Guy]

your evaporation will be mainly from the water in your aquarium. larger surface area, more surface agitation and warmer temps than your ato container.
i have a red sea 350 which is about 90 gallons total volume. i lose about a gallon of water a day.
when i go away for a week or more i use a 20 gallon brute barrel as a temporary ATO reservoir just to be safe.

The ATO tank on the Reefer 250 is only 2.8 gallons so I may have my neighbor who also has a saltwater tank come over and add RO water to my tank if I don't switch it to a bigger tank. My biggest concern is over the Christmas holiday season as she travels also.

 

[Tastee]

I run an Apex so use an ATK to keep the RSR ATO full. It runs once a day (I won’t go into why unless someone wants to know) to refill the ATO from my RODI reservoir (which is about 10’ away).

I use the stock ATO instead of just the ATK as a) I like the continuous fill from the gravity fed float valve; and b) I don’t have room in the sump return for the ATK. I clean the ATO valve monthly (or less frequently), have not had any issues in the 17 months I’ve had my RSR 250 so far. I run an optical sensor for low sump level as a backup.

 

[Thom24]

Hi all, a week in with my 350 v3, ATO issues , it’s not filling sump. when I loosen the valve, water constantly drips from it.... Can someone help me with adjusting etc?

 

[Westside Guy]

Hi all, a week in with my 350 v3, ATO issues , it’s not filling sump. when I loosen the valve, water constantly drips from it.... Can someone help me with adjusting etc?

Maybe this thread will help?
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/red-sea-reefer-170-return-chamber-level.403314/

 

[Thom24]

Huge help! Thanks so much! I removed the stop valve, desscovered the tiny washer was sideways therefore it leaked constantly. Left it off completely and all is working properly! Cheers to all who commented!

 

[Twodogsnnc]

What bracket are you using to hold the ato line? Are both sides of your ato sensor magnet in water?

 

[Mario P.]

the tunze ato comes with a small bracket that holds the ato line in place. i have it mounted on the back of my tank going into the overflow.
the sensors in my sump are held with magnets on the exterior of the sump.

 

[Twodogsnnc]

the tunze ato comes with a small bracket that holds the ato line in place. i have it mounted on the back of my tank going into the overflow.
the sensors in my sump are held with magnets on the exterior of the sump.

Thanks. I have a 425xl and very little space around the sump for the magnet to fit. Trying to determine if they can be in the water or not.

 

[Mario P.]

theres not much space in the sump section of the red sea cabinet in my 350. only 1 1/2 inches on the left side

 

[mmw64]

Anyone out there with a reefer have issues with the float valve getting clogged? The tiny opening in mine keeps getting this pinkish build-up on it that prevents it from flowing. It seems like there has to be a better way to run the ATO. I really hate having to worry about it. Thanks in advance.

In my opinion they are junk. Replace it with a Tunze ATO.