ATO malfunction (1 Viewer)

[Llama]

I could kill my damn ATO switch!!!! Filled it up yesterday, then today I come home to hear the sound of a pump running dry. Yep, my ATO puked 5+ gallons of RO/DI into my system. PISSED doesn't even cover the feeling.

Tank usually runs a SG of 1.026 and is now between 1.021 and 1.022

Should I just let this evap out?

Do I need to take action?

I know fish can handle swings like this as long as the salinity is going down, but what about my coral? Everything in the tank looks fine right now by the way. I'm the only think turning white.

 

[d2mini]

That's not toooo low, pretty much what most LFS run their fish systems at. Could have been worse. I would do a water change and try to get it somewhere in between at least. Inverts are what can really take a hit.

 

[krjackso]

as with everything reef related. Anything you do. Do it SLOWLY. All inhabitants went through a shock already, I wouldn't compound it by bringing it back up really fast. So yea, you should be fine, just raise it slowly.

 

[krjackso]

So to a second point though. What kind of ATO system are you running? Did you just set it up? Has this happened before? etc

 

[soymilk]

What kinda ato system do you have? Always good to put a redundancy switch in too.

I'd try to bring it up to 1.024 (slowly) an then let it evaporate the rest of the way.

 

[Llama]

This is the style of float switch. Not the exact one but the same style. http://www.aquahub.com/store/media/i-floatMedium.jpg

I evap about a gallon a day. Plan as of now is to dial my skimmer back a bit to keep it from overflowing, then to watch the SG over the next 24 hours and adjust if I feel it's going up too quickly. Should make for a good learning experience.

Need to focus on the new ATO switch. I obviously need a more dependable main control switch, and need to set up a secondary kill switch. I know I have seen some decent all in one packages, but I do already have this bastard of a switch here that would work fine as a safety kill switch. Any opinions?

 

[Llama]

oops

 

[krjackso]

http://www.autotopoff.com/

go here. get the double switch, and never look back. cheap and super reliable!

 

[soymilk]

Let me know if you wanna order some switches from autotopoff.com

Imma order some extra switches and mounts for my tank.

 

[R-BallJunkie]

i ran the same double switch from autotopoff.com for 2-3 years, and never really had a hiccup with it. i must admit, one time only, it seemed to want to act up (last 6 months or so). i took it apart, cleaned and inspected it, and couldnt duplicate it again. must say, pretty dern reliable.

 

[krjackso]

yea and talk about customer service. I accidentally dropped the relay in the water and it exploded months after I bought it. Emailed the guy, and he replaced/ fixed it for free. Cant beat that. I was looking for a cheap repair instead of replacement and he did it for free. Almost all of my fellow tank owning friends have one of these now, 4 and counting, no problems.

 

[Llama]

Thanks gents. I'll be ordering this week!!

 

[RockNReef]

I only use these now...all the others I had issues with. Been using these for about 3 years with no problems.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/spectrapure-automatic-level-controller.html

 

[DustinB]

I have one like that, it's the tsunami topoff. I don't like the 3/4-1" variation.

 

[RockNReef]

Reduces salinity fluctuations

 

[DustinB]

I was saying mine allows the water level to drop an inch before it raises the water level back up. I wish it was only 1/4" or less. That would reduce the fluctuations a lot more.

How far does yours drop before it kicks on?

 

[Llama]

The one I had set up when this happened let it drop no more than 1/4" before it turned on. Probably less because I can sit in the livingroom for an hour and here it top-off more than once.

 

[RockNReef]

I was saying mine allows the water level to drop an inch before it raises the water level back up. I wish it was only 1/4" or less. That would reduce the fluctuations a lot more.

How far does yours drop before it kicks on?

About the same as yours. I guess that would be more fluctuation on smaller set-ups. 1/4" is great!

 

[Llama]

I was saying mine allows the water level to drop an inch before it raises the water level back up. I wish it was only 1/4" or less. That would reduce the fluctuations a lot more.

How far does yours drop before it kicks on?

About the same as yours. I guess that would be more fluctuation on smaller set-ups. 1/4" is great!

I know man I was amazed! At least until it threw up in my tank. Now I could crush the little bastard. :twisted:

 

[RockNReef]

I could kill my damn ATO switch!!!! Filled it up yesterday, then today I come home to hear the sound of a pump running dry. Yep, my ATO puked 5+ gallons of RO/DI into my system. PISSED doesn't even cover the feeling.

Tank usually runs a SG of 1.026 and is now between 1.021 and 1.022

Should I just let this evap out?

Do I need to take action?

I know fish can handle swings like this as long as the salinity is going down, but what about my coral? Everything in the tank looks fine right now by the way. I'm the only think turning white.

This why I don't like using this method when dosing kalk!