Poor Man's ATO???

Johnd651

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Let me see those poor man's (or woman's) ATOs please. I was going to just use an inverted water bottle with a small piece of tubing and a one way valve. I just wanted it to look prettier then a standard poland spring bottle, with half the glue still on it. :upside-down-face:
 

MoshJosh

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Icecap:

1726501491394.jpeg



Flipper:

1726501517793.jpeg


Random Amazon:

1726501560267.jpeg
 

KrisReef

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IMG_3902.jpeg
IMG_3901.jpeg

Recycled pool chlorine bucket with a 1/4 tubing fitting threaded into a hole I made near the bottom of the bucket that gravity feeds to the plastic float switch I mounted on the wall of the sump.

I replaced the float switch a few times over the last 10+ years and filled the bucket when it gets low.
 
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Johnd651

Johnd651

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IMG_3902.jpeg
IMG_3901.jpeg

Recycled pool chlorine bucket with a 1/4 tubing fitting threaded into a hole I made near the bottom of the bucket that gravity feeds to the plastic float switch I mounted on the wall of the sump.

I replaced the float switch a few times over the last 10+ years and filled the bucket when it gets low.
is the bucket in a room above?
 

VB313

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My frag tank has this 11$ float valve gravity fed from a container sitting behind the display works extremely well. https://a.co/d/de3oAJQ

Just remember to install the ball valve and close it while doing water changes lol
 

MoshJosh

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IMG_3902.jpeg
IMG_3901.jpeg

Recycled pool chlorine bucket with a 1/4 tubing fitting threaded into a hole I made near the bottom of the bucket that gravity feeds to the plastic float switch I mounted on the wall of the sump.

I replaced the float switch a few times over the last 10+ years and filled the bucket when it gets low.
Gravity + float (RODI from a reservoir, not attached to the RODI filter itself) valve might be my favorite method (when I get me coral growing business going that’s what I’ll do haha!!!)

Throw one of these in their to for when you need to turn it off:

 

cooltowncorals

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Depends where your water is coming from. Are you making your own rodi, if so how close to the tank?

The gravity systems work well and almost never “fail” in a super bad way.

I had a Tunze ATO that worked for 10 years without problems.

Also have used gravity feed without issues.
 

JoJosReef

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After using multiple bottle ATOs for my Evo 13.5g and my IM Nuvo 10g, I got one of these:
1726508381452.png

On sale now at CoralVue

I like it because it is simple and just has a pump that gangs on the glass. I got a "nice" cereal container at Target as the ATO container because a dumb container shouldn't cost as much as a tank:
1726508620445.jpeg

The lid makes refilling it slightly less tedious than the bottle, which involves taking it off, unscrewing it, filling into the little bottle opening (unless you've got a funnel, in which case you're too smart for this thread!), turning it back over and letting water spill out, etc.
1726508739784.jpeg


Anyway, I like it.
 

KrisReef

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Gravity + float (RODI from a reservoir, not attached to the RODI filter itself) valve might be my favorite method (when I get me coral growing business going that’s what I’ll do haha!!!)

Throw one of these in their to for when you need to turn it off:

The pipe threaded into the bucket is 1/2 inch, so I just reach in the bucket an put a cap on the intake end. Having a valve would raise the costs significantly, and I am a poor man. :cool:
 
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Johnd651

Johnd651

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After using multiple bottle ATOs for my Evo 13.5g and my IM Nuvo 10g, I got one of these:
1726508381452.png

On sale now at CoralVue

I like it because it is simple and just has a pump that gangs on the glass. I got a "nice" cereal container at Target as the ATO container because a dumb container shouldn't cost as much as a tank:
1726508620445.jpeg

The lid makes refilling it slightly less tedious than the bottle, which involves taking it off, unscrewing it, filling into the little bottle opening (unless you've got a funnel, in which case you're too smart for this thread!), turning it back over and letting water spill out, etc.
1726508739784.jpeg


Anyway, I like it.
Ordered that one.. great find. Thanks!!!
 
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Johnd651

Johnd651

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Now time to find a fancy container... used to be the glass VOSS bottles back in the day. Not sure if anyone still has those under their tank?
 
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