Avast ATO

Michael Gray · May 14, 2019

Those of you that have experience with the ato I was told the pressure switch ato is ******. Question is. Which pump should I get for a waterbox 130.

I also am ordering the apexEL for this build if that matters on decision.

FishLipz · May 14, 2019

I have the pressure switch setup with a basic Tom's Aqua-lifter pump. Both the pump and switch have been flawless for at least 3 years, maybe more because I can't remember exactly when I bought it.

Michael Gray · May 14, 2019

I'm trying to stay with avast pump and switch I just don't know enough about both type pump's first build with ato

Overboard · May 14, 2019

I have their ATO and love it. They have a diaphragm pump that is pretty fast and can pump a long distance. It is loud though, if that is a consideration. They also have a peristaltic pump. Works fine, just slow and is limited on the amount it pumps, so a larger tank with high evaporation might be an issue. The peristaltic is quiet but not silent. I have used both pumps, and both pumps work well, just different. Neither are intended to run all the time. You will find programming on the Neptune forum for setting up your Apex to run the ATO.

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Caravanshaka · May 15, 2019

Having used both pumps, I agree with overboard. The diaphragm is a solid pump, but it’s pretty loud. I had to take it off my display cause it is right outside the master bedroom and the wife was complaining about the noise. The peristaltic is much quieter, but had trouble keeping up with my 190g volume. After the peristaltic tube cracked 1 month in, I ended up getting a cheap DC pump on amazon and it’s been great so far.

Michael Gray · May 15, 2019

Oh so people are running the avast pressure switch with pumps other than avast. Didnt think of that

Overboard · May 15, 2019

Michael Gray said:
Oh so people are running the avast pressure switch with pumps other than avast. Didnt think of that

Yes, the Avast ATO will communicate with you Apex regarding the water level in your sump and then the Apex will switch any pump on or off that is plugged into a power bar outlet. If I can do it, I promise, anyone can!

AVAST Marine · May 16, 2019

Caravanshaka said:
Having used both pumps, I agree with overboard. The diaphragm is a solid pump, but it’s pretty loud. I had to take it off my display cause it is right outside the master bedroom and the wife was complaining about the noise. The peristaltic is much quieter, but had trouble keeping up with my 190g volume. After the peristaltic tube cracked 1 month in, I ended up getting a cheap DC pump on amazon and it’s been great so far.

Hi Caravanshaka, I wish you would have reached out to us about this issue, we would have (and still will) take care of this for you!

AVAST Marine · May 16, 2019

One question we frequently receive concerns which of our two choices of
automatic top-off pumps is best. Of course, the short answer is, "it
depends". We have two styles of pump available, a peristaltic pump and a
diaphragm pump. The peristaltic pump works by means of a motor slowly
turning a rolling mechanism which pushes water through a section of
tubing by pinching the tubing flat with a roller, and pushing that bit
of water along until the next roller in the assembly contacts the tubing
again, etc. The result is a slow but very consistent flow rate. The
diaphragm pump works differently. It is very similar to an air pump,
where a pair of flat rubber disks called diaphragms are actuated one at
a time, pulling water (or air) in on one side, then pushing out the
other side as the diaphragm closes. Similar to how a heart pumps blood.
The main difference between the two for top-off purposes concerns the
ability of the peristaltic pump to prevent backflow when the pump is
powered off. In some cases, a top-off reservoir may be situated so that
it is higher than the sump that it fills. In this case, if a pump like
the diaphragm pump draws water from the reservoir, pushes it through
tubing to the sump, and then turns off, the water will continue to
siphon "downhill", potentially leading to overfilling of the sump. This
is because the diaphragms are partially open when the pump is off.
Conversely, the peristaltic pump's roller mechanism simply stops in
place, and one roller is always in contact with the tubing, pinching it
closed. Therefore, no water can pass while the pump is off. A
peristaltic pump is the best choice when there is potential for unwanted
siphoning.

There are a few other considerations between the pumps. The diaphragm
pump can move water faster than the peristaltic pump, about 20x as fast.
This may be useful in some situations, such as topping off a very large
system that our peristaltic pump, at 7 gallons per day max, cannot keep
up with. The slow drip rate of the peristaltic pump makes it an
excellent choice for feeding fresh water through a kalk stirrer before
it enters the sump. The diaphragm pump can also be used for this, but
you'll need to use an included micro valve to slow down the pump's
output. This may impact the life of the pump a small amount, but it
isn't typically a problem in our experience. The diaphragm pump is also
noisier, but not dramatically so. Since it doesn't need to run very
long, typically only a minute or two, most people don't mind the low
buzz that comes from the pump at run time. The peristaltic pump is
virtually silent, where you need to put your ear to the box in order to
hear it run. Although it usually runs longer due to the low flow rate.
Both pumps only use about 2 watts of power. Each pump is capable of
pushing or pulling water long distances both horizontally and
vertically, but the diaphragm pump can do several times more than the
peristaltic pump. The peristaltic pump can handle at least 20 feet of
vertical head pressure though, which is typically plenty for most
basement/main floor split systems.

Lastly, the cost is a factor to be considered. The peristaltic pump
costs a little more than twice as much as the diaphragm pump. For many
beginners with a top-off reservoir located lower than their sump, the
diaphragm pump is all you would need. Even then, there are ways to
prevent siphoning; see diaphragm pump instruction manual. The
peristaltic pump is still the more reliable pump in terms of flow rate
(again, useful with a kalk stirrer), with a longer lifespan and easily
replaceable parts. Silence is always a premium in the aquarium world,
so if you want a truly quiet system, you'll want the peristaltic pump.

Caravanshaka · May 16, 2019

AVAST Marine said:
Hi Caravanshaka, I wish you would have reached out to us about this issue, we would have (and still will) take care of this for you!

I did, and you guys took great care of me! It was a timing issue as you were out of peristaltic pumps when mine was giving me trouble, so I tried to keep it a bit longer and then a burr on the tube holder caused it to crack. You still didn't have the peristaltics back in stock, so I had to go a different route. I believe mine was doing 12ml per minute and you guys were able to get it to 20ml per minute after servicing it, so that should help with the volume concerns I had.

slojim · Jan 3, 2023

Hi Avast. It's time for me to order more tubing - but it looks like on your website, you no longer list the peristaltic pump - you list the micropump. (parts and tubing are still listed). I'm thinking about trying it out. I'm assuming it's a little faster, and I'd need to ensure no backflow. Anything else I should know?

AVAST Marine · Jan 4, 2023

The peristaltic pump was discontinued do to a parts supply issue, we are working on a new one but no timeline for release. The micro pump is a small dc submersible pump for basic top off duty, it will need a siphon break to prevent backflow/overflow. We do still carry all repair parts for the old peristaltic pumps and will continue to support this product as long as we are able to do so.