20Gallon Long - ATO reservoir

[RaymondL]

I downsized for space and simplicity - went from sump to a sumpless system with a 20 Gallon long rimmed tank and a HOB - this might be a 'dumb' question, but would I need a larger ATO reservoir because the ATO sensor is now in the tank itself, which has a larger volume/surface area to fill, or would an existing 5 Gallon reservoir still work?

 

[lapin]

You will get less evaporation because you lost surface area by removing the sump.
No need for a biggger ato reservoir.

 

[Reef.]

Should be lass because its less surface area, the sensor being in the display won’t affect the amount of water used, but keep in mind the sensor being in the display may get triggered by snails etc, a good solid ato would be my recommendation.

Easy enough to work out your daily topup amount, to judge the size of reservoir, bigger saves filling it up obviously, either measure how much water is removed from the reservoir or turn the ato off for a day and see how much rodi water it takes to topup the tank.

My guess is a 5g will last around 3 weeks.

 

[RaymondL]

Thanks to both of your responses. I was thinking the opposite in that the surface area is greater in the aquarium rather than the sump so more water is needed to keep the water line.

So my confusion is the sump has a smaller surface area than the display tank, so then why would the sump trigger more refills. Is it because the sump is smaller and evaporation really takes up more volume than in the much larger volume of the aquarium itself?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I was always fine using a 5g bucket for my tank. (20g AIO with no sump)

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Only one of my tanks is sumped, the others all have the sensors in the tanks, its never been an issue for me. My 15 gallon uses a 2.5 gallon reservoir, it usually needs to be filled once a week.

 

[RaymondL]

I was always fine using a 5g bucket for my tank. (20g AIO with no sump)

Thanks Gumbie - any issues with salinity swings? I thought that more water had to be evaporated as a result of the larger volume in the aquarium before he ATO sensor registers and kicks in.

 

[RaymondL]

Only one of my tanks is sumped, the others all have the sensors in the tanks, its never been an issue for me. My 15 gallon uses a 2.5 gallon reservoir, it usually needs to be filled once a week.

Thanks - as in my reply to Gumbie - I was told by a rep at LFS that I might experience salinity swings since the sensor is in the tank itself.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Thanks - as in my reply to Gumbie - I was told by a rep at LFS that I might experience salinity swings since the sensor is in the tank itself.

Thats nonsense

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Thanks Gumbie - any issues with salinity swings? I thought that more water had to be evaporated as a result of the larger volume in the aquarium before he ATO sensor registers and kicks in.

Nope! Tank stayed at a consistent 1.026 for me!