Todd's DIY ATO...new pics and post #16!

Discussion in 'I made this!' started by Todd_Sails, Apr 21, 2012.

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  1. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Well,

    It's been nice not to have to manually add 2-3 gallons of RO/DI daily to my system!

    I think things will stay even more stable now. The last few days of SG check, steady
    @1.026- which is ideal for my DT.
     
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  3. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Still working awesomely.

    My SG stays rock steady at 1.026, with no manual water additions.

    The float is so bouyant, it would take something physically holding it to keep it open when it's underwater, I just keep the area clear on things that could do that.
     
  4. skurious

    skurious Sailfin Tang

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    I do something very similar. I have a 10 gallon rubbermaid in the room next door that is on a shelf placed higher than the sump with a line running out of the bottom of it to a eshopps float valve in my sump. Its been set up for maybe 4 months or so and haven't had any issues whatsoever.

    Aquarium Maintenance & Plumbing: Eshopps Auto Top Off Float Valve

    Not to steal from your thread but i dont see many people going this route.
     
  5. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Oh, you're not stealing from my thread- hijacking is the term, and you're not.

    Your method people like better b/c you only have the volume of your container, whereas mine is hooked to the RO/DI!
    I've got it valved down alot, so that at full go it's a drip/trickle.
    Still working great- and NO more carryiing pitchers of RO/DI.!
     
  6. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    I realize this thread is a little old, but, an Eshopps valve? $30+ ?

    I found the one I used, mounts on a 3/8 hole in my plastic container that I'm going to make to feed the one moujnted in my sump.

    This IS a new valve btw, like I said, I found the one I"m already using.

    Kerick Valve MA252 PVC Mini Float Valve Tank Mount Adjustable Arm 1 5 GPM At | eBay
    It's at the bottom of the page- free shipping $9.99!

    There are over 2000 hits for a float valve on Ebay- including the Eshopps valve!
    There are cheapies, exspensive ones, etc.

    This one does not require any mods, the 1/4 tubing fits right on it.
    Comes with the washers, etc. Doesn't leak.
    MIne are mounted above the water line anyways, but I did test it for leaks anyways.

    I'm gong to mount a clear plastic 7.5G container above my sump on the wall, so that I can add my dosing manually to that, and let that trickle down as an ATO to my sump.

    I'll put a vavle on the feed do the dosing chamber, so it won't have more than 5 g at a time in it.
    Therefore, if my sumps float were to stick (next to, if not impossible with the design of this vavle), then my ~ 140g total system won't get more than 5g at a time too much.

    Thus- NO way I can 'kill' my livestock by a sudden, severe drop in SG.
    **And it never came close to happening thus far.

    I like this system b/c it relies on no selenoids, no 'stick- prone' valves, no electricity, NO PUMPS
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2013
  7. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    New addition to my DIY ATO

    OK! My pumpless, electric powerless DIY ATO has never caused a flood,

    and it has never dropped my SG by sticking, etc.

    But I wanted even more insurance of that, and now I have a container to dose some Ca, MG, etc. into for my ATO water.

    Pic 1 shows the new shelf I built near my DIY sump for the new ATO feed resevoir.- Gravity works!

    Pic 2 shows my container- on the shelf

    Pic 3 shows the HD ( Heavy Duty- not Home D.)ball valve I used to stop flow to the whole system.- This way, if 2 heavy duty float valves stick, I"ll only add a max of 4ish gallons to the DT- NOT causing a catastophic drop in SG.
    NOtr easiy seen there is also a line I T'd off the main line to fill my WC container when I need my RO/DI water for the WC's.-No bucket carrying!

    The 4th pic shows a side view, and the plastic hose in the top you see, now has a plastic tubing that goes to my floor drain, so that if that hell freezes over and my HD float valve sticks- it won't overflow, it will drain out to the drain in the basement floor.

    Pic 5 show a new overflow drain I also installed near the top of my sump- larger ID, so that if hell freezes over again, and for some astronomical, diabolical reason the sump is about to over flow, it will drain to my floor drain in my basement floor. (this has never overflowed either)

    Hooked it all up, first leak test found a very slow leak where it goes from my resovoir- to the sumps ATO float valve- no problem, epoxied that - and it's all good! Works awesome.

    So people- now my DIY ATO is no longer hooked straight to my RO/DI!
    The resevoir is, that I plan to fill, dose some, and shut the valve for a few days and let it get used up, etc.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Mar 26, 2013
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  9. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Another pic of the area in my basement. Shows my DIY sump also- it's in a
    50g container

    * The pictures is not level, the shelf I built for the resevoir is!
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    OK, I guess nobody is really all that impressed.

    The new addition to my ATO system gave me a way to gradually dose some elements instead of dumping them in once a day, and to limit the amount of RO/DI water added at one time max if there was ever a failure of my powerless, pumpless system.

    I was kinds of proud of myself for making these changes for added security and leveling out swings in params as in before and after manual dosing.
     
  11. lanceh1

    lanceh1 Plankton

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    Just got my tank all set up. But I also plan a gravity fed ato. I also like the idea of limiting the a amount of water that can enter system if things go wrong. Good Job Todd!
     
  12. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

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    Well Thanks!

    I like the gravity fed- either manually filling the container- like some do,
    Or valve your RO/DI straight to your chamber, and filling it every few days and dosing the water if needed.- like mine is.
    Again, no electricity, no pumps, nadda

    And Welcome to 3Reef!

    Do show up some pics, build thread, etc.