ATO ideas? (1 Viewer)

[Stickboy97]

So I finally got my new 150g up and running with my small fish room (will start a build thread in the next few days). I want to hook an ATO up directly to my RODI, like maybe using an electric ball valve or something. So that when the ATO senses the tank needs water, the ATO just opens a valve & my RODI adds water. That way I don't need a reservoir in my small fish room.

Any ideas?

 

[RR-MAN]

Yes can be done very easily - do you have an apex?

All you need is a solenoid valve, 2 optical sensors (high/low water level) and a manual float switch for redundancy.

SV-1 Solenoid Valve

Perfect for controlling your RODI system, top off system, calcium reactor, or other low flow items that use 1/4" tubing. The solenoid valves uses the 24V accessory port found on 1Link modules and the EnergyBar 832. Solenoid Valve (SV-1) This 24VDC powered, normally-closed (NC), solenoid valve...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

OS-1-M Optical Level Sensor V2 With Mount

Optical sensors are the go-to sensor if you want a reliability over a long period of time. The Neptune Optical Sensor plugs directly into the FMM allowing you to monitor the level of your sump, mixing station, or any other reservoir that has up to 1/4" thick walls. Includes Magnetic Mount...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Stickboy97]

I do have an apex, those are pretty good ideas. I already have 2 ATO's (Duetto & a Tunze) was kind of trying to reuse one of those, but these items for the Apex seem pretty cool. Do you need a module to run/monitor those 3 things? FMM or something?

 

[RR-MAN]

Yes you do need an FMM module.

 

[MurseJB]

Yes can be done very easily - do you have an apex?

All you need is a solenoid valve, 2 optical sensors (high/low water level) and a manual float switch for redundancy.

SV-1 Solenoid Valve

Perfect for controlling your RODI system, top off system, calcium reactor, or other low flow items that use 1/4" tubing. The solenoid valves uses the 24V accessory port found on 1Link modules and the EnergyBar 832. Solenoid Valve (SV-1) This 24VDC powered, normally-closed (NC), solenoid valve...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

OS-1-M Optical Level Sensor V2 With Mount

Optical sensors are the go-to sensor if you want a reliability over a long period of time. The Neptune Optical Sensor plugs directly into the FMM allowing you to monitor the level of your sump, mixing station, or any other reservoir that has up to 1/4" thick walls. Includes Magnetic Mount...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

LLS sensor instead of the opticals is another option

 

[RR-MAN]

^^^yup can use LLS as well.

I prefer the optical sensors.

 

[foos]

I have RO plumbed into my ATO tank with one of those solenoids and two optical sensors. I use a tunze for the topoff of the tank. 210 gallon tank, 5 gallon ATO reservoir.

Fallback OFF
If atobot OPEN Then ON
If atotop CLOSED Then OFF

That is the programming on the solenoid. atotop/bot are optical sensors in ato reservoir.

This is the float I added to the top of the ATO reservoir as backup.


I also added one of these right before the solenoid.

Flow-lok Leak Detector for RODI Systems

Leaks can cause tremendous amounts of damage. By having a simple leak detector on your RODI system is a great insurance policy against floods. The Flow-lok Leak Detectors have 1/4" push connect fittings that work with all of the BRS RODI systems. With a highly absorbent replaceable Leak...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

From what you said it sounds like you may be wanting to go direct from rodi to tank, I don't recommend that. RO membrane lets a lot of stuff through at the start so a lot of short cycling like that is likely to burn through resin. Small 5 gallon ATO tank that refills like mine is probably best in the long run.

 

[Stickboy97]

I have RO plumbed into my ATO tank with one of those solenoids and two optical sensors. I use a tunze for the topoff of the tank. 210 gallon tank, 5 gallon ATO reservoir.

Fallback OFF
If atobot OPEN Then ON
If atotop CLOSED Then OFF

That is the programming on the solenoid. atotop/bot are optical sensors in ato reservoir.

This is the float I added to the top of the ATO reservoir as backup.


I also added one of these right before the solenoid.

Flow-lok Leak Detector for RODI Systems

Leaks can cause tremendous amounts of damage. By having a simple leak detector on your RODI system is a great insurance policy against floods. The Flow-lok Leak Detectors have 1/4" push connect fittings that work with all of the BRS RODI systems. With a highly absorbent replaceable Leak...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

From what you said it sounds like you may be wanting to go direct from rodi to tank, I don't recommend that. RO membrane lets a lot of stuff through at the start so a lot of short cycling like that is likely to burn through resin. Small 5 gallon ATO tank that refills like mine is probably best in the long run.

I have an ATO container (2 actually), but I have limited space in my fish room. What is the difference between what first comes out of the ATO when it kicks on into the tank vs into a reservoir that also feeds the tank? Any bad stuff is still going in.

I would keep my RODI on all the time, just the electric valve would open and close as the ATO sensor tells it to.

 

[foos]

RO has tds creep. As it sits minerals work through the membrane so the first little bit of water out of it is high tds. So, if your RO system turns on to make just a cup of water, then turns off for an hour, then on for a cup of water again, you will have a lot of dissolved solids bypassing the RO membrane and getting removed by the DI resin using it up a lot faster than if you make a few gallons at a time.

So, nothing bad should get to the tank doing it that way, but your DI resin usage could skyrocket.

 

[R-BallJunkie]

I'm direct plumbed, RO to sump and my Kalkwasser inlet via solenoid..... I can also divert to my AWC reservoir for filling but have to move the line over manually, tied into a float valve with low level optical sensor.
Not good practice to have anything "infinite" coming or going to the tank but i have some failsafes in place.

2 sump sensors, hi/lo optical.
2 solenoids, on different controllers, one 12V one 24V. Both have to open to function.
3 leak sensors, independent with one that shuts off the water source if a leak is present.
Max runtime set by controller
Min offtime set by controller to prevent wear on RODI unit.


Its doable, not sure if advisable.

 

[Stickboy97]

I'm direct plumbed, RO to sump and my Kalkwasser inlet via solenoid..... I can also divert to my AWC reservoir for filling but have to move the line over manually, tied into a float valve with low level optical sensor.
Not good practice to have anything "infinite" coming or going to the tank but i have some failsafes in place.

2 sump sensors, hi/lo optical.
2 solenoids, on different controllers, one 12V one 24V. Both have to open to function.
3 leak sensors, independent with one that shuts off the water source if a leak is present.
Max runtime set by controller
Min offtime set by controller to prevent wear on RODI unit.


Its doable, not sure if advisable.

Yeah, was planning on some control set through the Apex as well. Direct feed to ATO or to tank, both come with concerns.

I have an Ice cap RODI that only runs with a booster pump at my office. Thought about possibly doing something like that, running through a booster pump to the tank when ATO says the tank is low. Anything electronic can fail & flood the tank, ATO res our my house. LOL

 

[R-BallJunkie]

Yeah, was planning on some control set through the Apex as well. Direct feed to ATO or to tank, both come with concerns.

I have an Ice cap RODI that only runs with a booster pump at my office. Thought about possibly doing something like that, running through a booster pump to the tank when ATO says the tank is low. Anything electronic can fail & flood the tank, ATO res our my house. LOL

also consider a bladder storage tank. This'll keep you from having to fire up the booster/RO unit.