Red Sea Reefer Max s 500 ATO problem

[Marty Fleskes]

I bought a this aquarium used back in December. It has the standard gravity fed ATO reservoir and float in the return pump area. I noticed issues with it not continually filling as water evaporates. I worked on the float and ended up replacing it with a new one (I bought from Red Sea so it is the correct one for the aquarium). The new one is doing the same thing. It worked fine at first. It has started to not "drip" into the chamber when the level drops. I've checked the rubber tube to make sure it is not clogged. I have adjusted the drip rate to the max it will do (any more and it starts to leak). The reservoir is filled to capacity so there is plenty of water and plenty of pressure there for gravity to work. Has anyone else has this problem? If so were you able to correct it, and how? Is it better to just add a better ATO system with a separate reservoir? I do have an ATO pump/system (pump and electronic eye) from a prior aquarium I can start using with it but need to get a separate tank/reservoir for it. That would provide me with a bigger amount of water (the reservoir with the tank doesn't last long when it does work). I'd have to put the new reservoir in the left side underneath where the plugs are. That's not ideal but there is room. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Uncle99]

It’s an important function, the mechanical types can be problematic, easily plugged or salt creep issues, and if it fails, we’ll that’s a big problem.

I always use an optical eye as primary and float as backup, or even better, now some have 2 optical eyes and a timer as backup.

Worth the $120 buckets fir consistently and your floor.

It would like you say, need another container in the 10% of total DT volume, would last say a week.

 

[blaxsun]

The float is more than likely clogged.

 

[Marty Fleskes]

Thanks for the info. It is 135g total volume so if I can get a 20g hooked up that would give me a lot to work with. I need to check for the dimensions on that left side of the cabinet. I believe I can get that to fit. Besides being much safer I would be filling it much less often than the reservoir built into the tank. I are not gone all that much so I can check it most times but even being gone for a long weekend with the current setup is dicey.

It’s an important function, the mechanical types can be problematic, easily plugged or salt creep issues, and if it fails, we’ll that’s a big problem.

I always use an optical eye as primary and float as backup, or even better, now some have 2 optical eyes and a timer as backup.

Worth the $120 buckets fir consistently and your floor.

It would like you say, need another container in the 10% of total DT volume, would last say a week

 

[Marty Fleskes]

The float is more than likely clogged.

I feel stupid that I didn't check that. I checked the tube from the reservoir to the float but never even thought to check the float. I'm sure you are right on the money with that.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Just get a Tunzee. You wont regret it. I have a 10 gallon ATO container next to my tank...fill it ever 6-7 days. Pump lasted 5 years, just had to replace...was clogged with German Shepherd hair lol....The rest is all original.

 

[blaxsun]

I feel stupid that I didn't check that. I checked the tube from the reservoir to the float but never even thought to check the float. I'm sure you are right on the money with that.

There's a tiny pinhole that lets water through where calcium can easily buildup. The other spot to check is on the Red Sea reservoir itself (I had the black spigot clog once on my gravity fed setup).

 

[Simon_M]

The Tunze does have additional safeguards but the built in R/S ATO has a limited volume to discharge into the sump hence it can’t be a problem.

I use a 25 litre container to fill a bucket when mixing water. I add this water to my sump and later remove the same volume.

Two containers is enough for a 10% water change. Adding 49 litres (two containers) would cause a problem in my sump - but I don’t try this.

For ATO I use the same size container (I just gave three that I use for ATO and for water changes).

What this also means is if there was a problem with the Tunze, emptying all the water at one time would only be the equivalent of the first part of a water change. So the safeguards are redundant on the Tunze.

With any Sump, if you can add the complete reservoir and stop the return pump, you can verify that this won’t ever cause an issue.

The Tunze is good for many reasons but the safeguard isn’t needed providing the reservoir and sump are appropriately sized.