What to add next?
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=71003
Printed Date: June 27 2026 at 8:39pm
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Topic: What to add next?
Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Subject: What to add next?
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:04am
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My 90 gallon mixed reef display with 40 gallon sump has been up and running for a bit over a year now. It seems to be a fairly healthy system with fairly stable parameters. I'm trying to decide which would be more beneficial, an auto topoff, or a controller interface for my custom LED setup to ramp up/down my lighting instead of "light shocking" my fish and corals with instant on/off lighting. Currently I add about 1/2 to 1 full gallon of top off water twice a day. I know the real answer is an aquarium controller, but the money isn't there. Thoughts? |
Replies:
Posted By: Jeremyw
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:06am
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Personally I would do the Auto Top off first. But You can do that pretty cheap..... what is your budget like?
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Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:11am
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$100, but I'm extremely risk averse. If I went the ATO rout I would be looking at a "smart" solution that does not involve float switches. Something like the Hydor Smart Level. I know...that probably makes people think I'm wasting money, but that's the way it has to be. My lighting setup is from stevesleds.com. They sell an arduino based controller that is really slick. |
Posted By: Ann_A
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:12am
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I would also do the auto top off. That will help stabilize the tank more throughout the day and will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run. ------------- http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=53856&title=annes-65g-rsm-reef" rel="nofollow - RSM 250 Reef |
Posted By: Jeremyw
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:15am
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Hmm. Ya I still would do auto top off like Ann said, it will help with stabilizing the tank .
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Posted By: jdinchak
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:19am
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I got the Puratek ATO at Macna last year. I loved it cause it uses sensors instead of floats. Any issues I have had with it have been my own (if my return gets out of whack and my levels get high it will start filling, I could fix that with another sensor or float but I am lazy, I will work on that at some point). http://puratek.com/products/auto-level-controller/overview" rel="nofollow - http://puratek.com/products/auto-level-controller/overview The Smartlevel is nice too but you will need to get a pump for it. http://www.hydor.com/eng/prodotti-tecnici/controllers/smart-level.php" rel="nofollow - http://www.hydor.com/eng/prodotti-tecnici/controllers/smart-level.php . As much as I fought an ATO I do love having balanced salinity and no worries on burning out my pump. ------------- 180G Mixed Reef Tank 170G Dart Frog Tank |
Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:22am
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Great. Thanks all! |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 1:09pm
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Definitely an ATO. I use the Tunze which has a sensor and uses a float valve for emergency shut off. -------------  |
Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 1:17pm
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Yeah, the tunze would be my first pick if money were no issue. I can get the Smart Level for $80. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 3:21pm
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+1 for the Auto top-off. I use a no fail, no risk, non-electric, non-mechanical glug jug for my ~200 gal system. Regarding the lighting, if the tank is anywhere near a window the animals can handle the rapid increase of lighting. Of course if the lights are on more than one power supply, multiple timers that turn on at staggered times can alleviate the concern. Aloha  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 3:34pm
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Mark, Thanks. The tank is in the basement away from any windows. The lights are on a single power cord. As for the glug jug...I'm just to risk averse. I'm sure I'd find a way to screw that up.  |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:16pm
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If there is hardly any sunlight, then I agree. It wouldn't hurt to have a separate timer run a blue LED light strip or a blue twist PC from 1/2 hour before until 1/2 hour after the main lights. Aloha ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: bstuver
Date Posted: April 23 2014 at 10:49pm
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Definitely ATO they are wonderful ------------- Jackie Stuver "wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart |
Posted By: kellerexpress
Date Posted: April 24 2014 at 12:30am
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Ato ------------- IM 30L Kessil A160we x2 |
Posted By: 1stupidpunk
Date Posted: April 24 2014 at 6:25am
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Im not familiar with your LEDs but i put one of these on my cheap beamswork led for my dwarf tank and it works pretty well for the price of $25
http://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Single-Timer-Aquarium/dp/B00FDV1AFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398342543&sr=8-1&keywords=ramp+timer+for+aquarium" rel="nofollow - http://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Single-Timer-Aquarium/dp/B00FDV1AFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398342543&sr=8-1&keywords=ramp+timer+for+aquarium
Not the most technically advanced peice of equipment but it is a simple way to get the ramp affect of dawn/dusk.
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Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Date Posted: May 07 2014 at 10:21am
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So I got thinking more into this and because of my setup I'm thinking of doing an extremely cheap single float ATO. I have a 90 gallon display and a Sump made out of a standard 55 gallon tank that runs at only 10" deep(leaving another 12" to the top). I would do a 5 gallon ATO reservoir. That way, even if the float valve did get stuck open I calculate it would only drop my salinity from 1.026sg to 1.025. Would that level of a drop be detrimental to my SPS corals? Or anything else for that matter? If the valve did get stuck open I would also burn out the ATO pump but I'm looking at a cheap aqualifter there anyway so no real damage to the wallet there either. Thoughts? Thanks in advance! |