Help Automating ATO System. Integrating EchoTech VERSA to ATO controller of Kamoer ATO

[Yab00ku]

(Posted this in the wrong Forum earlier but here it is again. Help is greatly appreciated)

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Hello Fellow Reef Enthusiasts,

I'm embarking on a project to refine the auto top off (ATO) system for my Red Sea tank. While the tank comes equipped with its own gravity-fed ATO reservoir, I've found myself with a Kamoer ATO One 2 SE kit, thanks to a purchase made before I knew about the Red Sea tank's built-in feature.

The Kamoer's original pump doesn't meet the distance challenge I'm up against: pumping RODI water from a container located approximately 15 to 20 meters away. This is where the EchoTech VERSA PERISTALTIC PUMP comes in. Known for its power and reliability, I believe the Versa pump might be the solution.

Here's my plan: I want to connect the Versa pump to the Kamoer ATO system, allowing the Versa to be activated by the Kamoer ATO controller each time the water level in the reservoir dips.

For clarity, I've attached photos of the Versa pump's power supply and the Kamoer ATO controller. My initial thought is to modify the power connections to bridge these systems. But before I delve in, I'm reaching out for any wisdom or tips.

Seeking Guidance on Tools and Components: To be completely transparent, I'm venturing into unfamiliar territory here. My experience with electrical components and related tools is minimal. So, I'd appreciate advice on:

1. Essential tools I should have on hand for this project.
2. Specific electrical components or connectors I might need.
3. Safety precautions to be aware of when working on this integration.
4. Any tutorials or references that might be helpful for a newbie like me.

Has anyone undertaken a similar project or have any advice on ensuring a smooth integration? Your expertise and insights would be greatly appreciated!

 

[apb03]

Genius idea, I wish I had thought of that. I was using a Hydrofil with a Versa to a similar effect. I just moved off this configuration today though due to the Hydrofil failing (constantly clicking on and off randomly). I had other annoyances too. The Versa was running at 50ml/min which made it a bit on the noisy side. Sure I could have slowed it down, but then my ATO would run constantly, so it's a double-edged sword.

Also, when you run the Versa intermittently like this, it messes up the Bluetooth mesh network and causes a nightmare in Mobius, so you have to isolate it to its own "tank' in the app otherwise you get constant connectivity issues for the other devices.

I went to what I should have done in the beginning, the Tunze Osmolator with the upgraded Turbelle High Jet pump. It has the head pressure to feed my tank from my basement up to the main floor.

I think your plan will work, but consider my experiences before you go for it. You will probably be better off with the Osmolator.

 

[apb03]

I should answer your question, sorry about that.

You will need some wire cutters, some shrink tubing, and a soldering iron. You will have to cut the DC barrel off of your power cord that comes with the versa and cut the power output on that ATO device and then connect the Versa barrel to the ATO. Red is positive Black is negative, it should be the same on both.

As long as both AC adaptors deliver the same voltage you should be good to go.

I would not recommend it though for the reasons I posted above. Good idea nonetheless!

 

[Yab00ku]

I should answer your question, sorry about that.

You will need some wire cutters, some shrink tubing, and a soldering iron. You will have to cut the DC barrel off of your power cord that comes with the versa and cut the power output on that ATO device and then connect the Versa barrel to the ATO. Red is positive Black is negative, it should be the same on both.

As long as both AC adaptors deliver the same voltage you should be good to go.

I would not recommend it though for the reasons I posted above. Good idea nonetheless!

Firstly, a big thank you for sharing your experiences with the Hydrofil ATO and Versa combination. Your insights about the Bluetooth mesh network in Mobius and the noise factors have given me a lot to consider.

Looking at the power specifications of both devices:

• The Versa pump has a Universal Input Range of 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz with a peak inrush current of 1.3A.
• The Kamoer ATO's power adapter outputs DC12v 1A.

Although the voltages match, the Versa's current might be an issue for the ATO's adapter. I'm thinking of adjusting the Versa's flow rate to possibly manage this concern.

I really appreciate you pointing out the tools I'd need. I wasn't sure what would be required, and your guidance cleared up a lot for me. The information about wire cutters, shrink tubing, soldering iron, and wire color-coding was especially helpful.

I'm also planning to run 1/4 inch tube lines through what I believe are concrete walls. This will involve two lines for auto water changes and one for the ATO reservoir top-off from the living room to my water containers outside. If you have any advice on how to handle these tubes or general tips for plumbing through such walls, I'd be grateful.

Thanks again for all the helpful information. I value your feedback and am looking forward to any additional advice you can offer.

Best regards,

 

[apb03]

You're welcome, good luck with the setup! No advice to share regarding the plumbing, I think you have a good plan by running 3 lines, two for AWC and a third for the ATO setup. You may consider running a 4th if you decide to run a Kalkwasser setup. This way you can easily administer alk/calc through either a kalk reservoir or using a kalk stirrer sitting in your sump fed by a Versa. Also, you may want to run a 5th or 6th line for 2-part down the road.

Always good to plan ahead. With this kind of setup, you're definitely shooting for the best.

Edit: If the current is a concern and there's a chance you'll run this thing full throttle, I suppose you can just use the Versa power supply instead. Since you have a spare AC adaptor now that you are cutting it off, I don't see why you can't use the Versa adaptor for the ATO and splice in that one as well.

 

[Yab00ku]

You're welcome, good luck with the setup! No advice to share regarding the plumbing, I think you have a good plan by running 3 lines, two for AWC and a third for the ATO setup. You may consider running a 4th if you decide to run a Kalkwasser setup. This way you can easily administer alk/calc through either a kalk reservoir or using a kalk stirrer sitting in your sump fed by a Versa. Also, you may want to run a 5th or 6th line for 2-part down the road.

Always good to plan ahead. With this kind of setup, you're definitely shooting for the best.

Edit: If the current is a concern and there's a chance you'll run this thing full throttle, I suppose you can just use the Versa power supply instead. Since you have a spare AC adaptor now that you are cutting it off, I don't see why you can't use the Versa adaptor for the ATO and splice in that one as well.

Hey man,

Unfortunately, the setup with the Versa and Kamoer ATO didn't work out as planned. I believe the issue stemmed from the Kamoer's built-in water sensor, which activates an alarm from the ATO controller and halts the pump when the ATO reservoir runs dry. Once the sensor detects water again, it should deactivate the alarm and restart the pump. But when I tried replacing the Kamoer's pump with the Versa, the alarm just wouldn't stop ringing. It seems the two products aren't compatible after all.

You mentioned you had experience with the Innovative Marine Hydrofil ATO, right? I'm curious – if I set it up on an outlet timer to fill the ATO reservoir just once daily for about 5-10 minutes, do you think I'd be able to bypass the issues you encountered? Also, I'd be really grateful if you could share some details or perhaps some photos of how you set yours up. Any insights would be super helpful!

Thanks again for all your guidance.

 

[apb03]

Sorry it didn't work out for you. The hydrofil is a pretty basic device, when it sees the water level is low, it powers on an AC plug dongle attached to it. What you do is plug in your versa to that plug and run it in continuous mode so when it's powered on, it will pull water from your reservoir. Once you have it set up once, you won' thave to touch it again unless you want to change the speed. I did 50ml/min. Any faster than that, and it became a nuisance in the house.

The only problem I had really was Mobius connectivity due to the Versa being off most of the time, but it's not a huge deal, just put it in it's own tank so that it won't try to communicate with other Ecotech devices (if you have any).
So if you are ok with the noise of the Versa running at higher speeds it should work reasonably well for the most part. That said, the only real reason to use this setup is because you need to move water a long distance. I was able to move to the tunze thanks to the Turnbelle jet pump add-on. It is plenty powerful enough to do the job and frees up my Versa for tasks it's more suited for.

 

[Yab00ku]

Sorry it didn't work out for you. The hydrofil is a pretty basic device, when it sees the water level is low, it powers on an AC plug dongle attached to it. What you do is plug in your versa to that plug and run it in continuous mode so when it's powered on, it will pull water from your reservoir. Once you have it set up once, you won' thave to touch it again unless you want to change the speed. I did 50ml/min. Any faster than that, and it became a nuisance in the house.

The only problem I had really was Mobius connectivity due to the Versa being off most of the time, but it's not a huge deal, just put it in it's own tank so that it won't try to communicate with other Ecotech devices (if you have any).
So if you are ok with the noise of the Versa running at higher speeds it should work reasonably well for the most part. That said, the only real reason to use this setup is because you need to move water a long distance. I was able to move to the tunze thanks to the Turnbelle jet pump add-on. It is plenty powerful enough to do the job and frees up my Versa for tasks it's more suited for.

Can I use 1/4 inch tubing for the Turnbelle jet pump? I plan to have it move water from between 15 to 20 meters away from the tank and I am worried that it wouldn't perform well for such a large distance

 

[apb03]

Can I use 1/4 inch tubing for the Turnbelle jet pump? I plan to have it move water from between 15 to 20 meters away from the tank and I am worried that it wouldn't perform well for such a large distance

Yep it takes 1/4 out of the box. That little pump is pretty amazing. For reference, I am feeding RO water with mine with 3M of height and 8M in total length and I have no issues at all.

What head height are you looking at? Does that 15-20M distance have any change in elevation?

Another benefit to this setup (Tunze) is the quiet operation. Since the pump is all the way in the other room. You will have to extend the cable, so make sure to pick up a spool of 2-conductor DC cable. 18 or 20awg should be fine.