Water box ATO reservoir into frag tank

[alexnyc22]

Good morning everyone,

I recently purchased a waterbox 290.6 and have been brainstorming on ways to get better at this hobby. An idea that I had was to repurpose the ATO reservoir that comes with the waterbox and using it as a frag tank that is plumbed directly to the sump.

Has anyone done this or can anyone guide me on the best way of doing this?

 

[twentyleagues]

For the size seems like a expensive idea. You can absolutely do it but it would be much cheaper to get a 10 or 15 gal tank/ tote and do the same thing.

 

[alexnyc22]

For the size seems like an expensive idea. You can absolutely do it but it would be much cheaper to get a 10 or 15 gal tank/ tote and do the same thing.

Which part seems expensive? It comes with a 13 gallon reservoir that is meant to go next to the sump. I’m just wanting to make that a frag tank that’s plumbed directly into the system.

 

[twentyleagues]

Which part seems expensive? It comes with a 13 gallon reservoir that is meant to go next to the sump. I’m just wanting to make that a frag tank that’s plumbed directly into the system.

Typically those ato storage tanks are very expensive compared to a tank or tote of the same size, why possibly ruin it for future use/resale. That being said you'll need to drill a return hole in it lift it up a little over the sump and hook up a return pipe back to the sump. Feed it with a separate pump or make a manifold off your tank return plumbing. Unless you want to drill both the ato and sump but I'd do it the other way.

 

[alexnyc22]

Typically those ato storage tanks are very expensive compared to a tank or tote of the same size, why possibly ruin it for future use/resale. That being said you'll need to drill a return hole in it lift it up a little over the sump and hook up a return pipe back to the sump. Feed it with a separate pump or make a manifold off your tank return plumbing. Unless you want to drill both the ato and sump but I'd do it the other way.

I think drilling would be the best option with a manifold. The new tank has a manifold that I could feed the tank with and drilling it would let it overflow naturally into the sump.

 

[Aquavaj]

I usually look over all my frags on the rack in the DT everytime I walk by the tank. Would be a huge inconvenience having to open the stand, bend down to check on them for me. Just something to think about.

 

[MoshJosh]

Could just use a water bridge and a return pump. . . no drilling required!

That said I would probably keep it as an ATO reservoir and make a separate frag tank.

 

[alexnyc22]

Could just use a water bridge and a return pump. . . no drilling required!

That said I would probably keep it as an ATO reservoir and make a separate frag tank.

What’s a water bridge?

I have a 55 gallon ATO reservoir already so I want to use this as a grow out tank/ hospital tank of sorts.

 

[MoshJosh]

What’s a water bridge?

I have a 55 gallon ATO reservoir already so I want to use this as a grow out tank/ hospital tank of sorts.

It’s a tube (or other water tight structure) that connects two containers and maintains an equal water levels in each container via siphon. Same principle is used for hang on overflows. In fact you can use the U tube from a HOB overflow as a bridge. When water is pumped from one container to the other, the water level rises in that container and is forced back into the original container.

 

[alexnyc22]

It’s a tube (or other water tight structure) that connects two containers and maintains an equal water levels in each container via siphon. Same principle is used for hang on overflows. In fact you can use the U tube from a HOB overflow as a bridge. When water is pumped from one container to the other, the water level rises in that container and is forced back into the original container.

Can you show me an example? I’m curious to see how that works in cases of power outages.