Terrified of ATO failure

[SaltyMango]

Adding a vote for the Tunze nano. Yes it's over 100 bucks. But it doesn't have an annoying sensor.

Here's the thing: You're adding an ATO to take away the brain real estate of having to top off the water every day. Does that add to your maintenance and create another fail point? Sure - but ATOs are luckily very mechanically simple or use fairly few components, and they're a bit noisy. So when they're not working, you can tell, and you can usually fix it easily, or know what's specifically wrong. You'll notice your water line hasn't gone down, or you haven't heard it in a while, or your salinity is off. IMHO the pros vastly outweigh the cons. In a 40g I'd be more worried about my salinity fluctuating with evaporation.

Furthermore, when your ato is malfunctioning, it's not a tankwide disaster, say like a calc reactor or overdosing 2 part. you will have either a dip or a spike in salinity depending on what the issue is. But as long as you take your time when installing and read the directions/warnings, you should have no trouble.
Obviously if you dont notice it not working for a week, that is a larger issue, but I would say it goes off enough throughout the day that you would notice if it wasn't working that long.

Just follow the directions, perform periodic maintenance on it, and check on it once in a while and you will be set.

So what the difference between this one and the 3155?

 

[neonreef3d]

Unsure on which to get since I don't have a ton of cash but I'm also scared of it just failing as well. I don't want my floors filled with saltwater. I'm getting nervous since I'm leaving for a trip to North Carolina soon.

I use a manual float valve, gravity fed, no pumps to fail, and no floods can happen, never failed me, ever.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

So what the difference between this one and the 3155?

Half the price, has 1 sensor instead of 2, and the maximum run times are shorter.

 

[Sean Clark]

I use a manual float valve, gravity fed, no pumps to fail, and no floods can happen, never failed me, ever.

No floods can happen?

 

[SaltyMango]

Half the price, has 1 sensor instead of 2, and the maximum run times are shorter.

Does it still have the same failsafes as the 3155 ?

 

[trevorhiller]

If you can install it in your tank--would need a hole drilled and a bucket above your tank (can be anywhere, as long as it's higher you can run RO tubing.

You could buy the valve, a glass drill bit, RO tubing and a container w/bulkheads all for probably $40.

Otherwise osmolator is the gold standard. I have one in my closet that I used on my old tank, but now I have a float valve in my sump and use the gravity method.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Does it still have the same failsafes as the 3155 ?

Both have a maximum runtime failsafe.

The 3155 has both an optical sensor and a float switch that both have to call for water.

3155 is a little more reliable but also a lot more expensive. For a smaller tank, a single float switch with a maximum run time is likely all you need.

IMO if you need the extra reliability of the 3155, you might as well just get an aquarium controller like an apex and use that for ATO.

 

[Mike konesky]

Get the full sized Tunze and sleep easy knowing it won't fail. Currently running 4 of them and never had an issue besides burning up pumps from running em dry. Oldest is 3 years old and I've never cleaned it. I'm very budget minded when purchasing gear, but I'll never go cheap on an ato or bulkheads.

 

[undermind]

IMO if you need the extra reliability of the 3155, you might as well just get an aquarium controller like an apex and use that for ATO.

Not sure I get this...

An Apex is not an ATO. Sure, Neptune sells an ATO as a separate device. For about the same cost as a 3155. And its just more money on top of the controller. And its not highly regarded like the 3155.

And if you need the extra reliability of a 3155, wouldn't the thing to do just be to get a 3155?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Does it still have the same failsafes as the 3155 ?

Look them up... You'll get more info that way

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

@Sean Clark , I really wasn't trying to be funny. It always amazes me when people won't take the time to investigate things they have questions about. It's fine to get suggestions here about equipment, coral, fish, etc, but I'm constantly doing web searches on things I read here... Why ask someone to type up what I can easily find myself?

 

[Sean Clark]

@Sean Clark , I really wasn't trying to be funny. It always amazes me when people won't take the time to investigate things they have questions about. It's fine to get suggestions here about equipment, coral, fish, etc, but I'm constantly doing web searches on things I read here... Why ask someone to type up what I can easily find myself?

I knew you weren't trying to be funny.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Not sure I get this...

An Apex is not an ATO. Sure, Neptune sells an ATO as a separate device. For about the same cost as a 3155. And its just more money on top of the controller. And its not highly regarded like the 3155.

And if you need the extra reliability of a 3155, wouldn't the thing to do just be to get a 3155?

You can make a better version of the tunze ATO with an apex plus 2 float switches ($50) and a DIY breakout box ($10).

The reason I make this suggestion is if you are going to spend the $220 on a full tunze and some power strips and timers ($100) and an inkbird ($60) you are getting really close to the cost of an aquarium controller that can perform the same functions better, but also give you additional benefits like remote monitoring, notifications, relational automation, etc. The controller pill is harder to swallow when it's $500 for a controller or $0 for none. When the math is $500 for a controller or $380 for a slice of automation, it's pretty obvious the extra $120 is well worth it (cheaper controllers like the hydros can actually save you money in this example).

 

[Cell]

It's a leap in not only cost, but complexity going from a plug and play ATO to an Apex controlled DIY ATO. For some, this stuff is easy peezy. For others, not so much.

 

[Tamberav]

Does it still have the same failsafes as the 3155 ?

Go with the 3155. Mine has been in use for 7 years. It is fantastic.

The nano has 1 sensor so it's not all the same failsafes, no. The nano is for tanks up to 55g.

 

[Tamberav]

I use apex and the 3155. Not all eggs in one basket.. ykno?

I used to use the breakout box and 2 float switches for ATO. I can't remember if you can program max run time in the apex? If you can, then you can make it pretty good... it not, then it is not quite the same as Tunze.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I use apex and the 3155. Not all eggs in one basket.. ykno?

I used to use the breakout box and 2 float switches for ATO. I can't remember if you can program max run time in the apex? If you can, then you can make it pretty good... it not, then it is not quite the same as Tunze.

You can

When ON > 005:00 Then OFF

Limits runtime to 5 minutes

If Error ATOname Then ON

In your email alerts you when this happens.

 

[Tamberav]

You can

When ON > 005:00 Then OFF

Limits runtime to 5 minutes

If Error ATOname Then ON

In your email alerts you when this happens.

good deal!! I would definitely suggest doing that.

I won't give up my Tunze tho. I have apex and I know it isn't made from the best components so no way I am putting everything on it.

We always want redundancy for our redundancy but plug everything into 1 brain... wellll.... at least you will know it isn't working if you try to open the app and connect.... and hopefully have someone that can go over and move plugs over to a power strip.

I guess that is why hydros has multiple brains.

I am ready for a new Apex system... 2016 was a long time ago. Lets go!

 

[jmatt]

I'm in the market myself and was looking at the Neptune ATK (which is a stupid name since it's known everywhere else as ATO) since I foresee being an Apex user at some point.

It can be used standalone and has multiple safety checks: A primary optical sensor, a backup optical sensor, a float valve and the system is designed to "learn" your typical water requirements and shut off if the process goes more than double your usual top off.

Anyone have experience with this unit? Happy with it?

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I'm in the market myself and was looking at the Neptune ATK (which is a stupid name since it's known everywhere else as ATO) since I foresee being an Apex user at some point.

It can be used standalone and has multiple safety checks: A primary optical sensor, a backup optical sensor, a float valve and the system is designed to "learn" your typical water requirements and shut off if the process goes more than double your usual top off.

Anyone have experience with this unit? Happy with it?

Works good as long as you keep the optical sensors clean or have a low sump level float or VO to notify you if your ATO hasn't ran for a while. I run a modified version of this and they occasionally will read as under water because some salt creep or algae got stuck on the sensor. Happens maybe twice a year if I don't clean them during maintenance (quick wipe once a month or so with a paper towel or toothbrush eliminates this problem for me).

The tunze has the same problem, but you only know about it when you see your return sending microbubbles all over your display. The apex can catch that issue before you damage your return pump with proper code.