ATO for my ATO

[Hard2bej]

Hey all, I need some help on designing an automatic ATO refilling reservoir. I’ve just kept filling a 5 gal bucket or 10-20 gal aquariums when going on vacation, I’d like to automate it so I don’t have to worry about it anymore. I don’t know if I should T into my current fill tube going into my 32 gal Brute storage that always has 32 gal in it or do I gravity feed somehow out of the 32 gal brute with a solenoid and level controller in the Reservoir? I guess it’s basically the same thing except gravity wise would fill it faster. Do they make a 1/4” water tight bulkhead I could drill into the side of my brute storage? I’d like to flush or dump the first little bitwhen the RO turns on so I don’t burn up DI resin. I’ve always manually opened the flush valve when I’ve used my RO water in the storage tank. Any ideas? Tips or tricks?
I’ve attached a sketch of my current setup so it makes sense.

Thanks in advance!

 

[braaap]

A controller and some solenoids and floats. Auto shutoff and solenoid in place of the flush valve. Pretty easy to automate that.

Set the system to start making water when the brute hits the bottom gallon or two. Have the flush valve open for the first 10 minutes. Then close and make water.

 

[Hard2bej]

So your saying put the little Tunze ATO pump in the brute along with the floats to turn the RODI on and off and not even do a separate ATO reservoir?

 

[unchainedcoot]

Hey all, I need some help on designing an automatic ATO refilling reservoir. I’ve just kept filling a 5 gal bucket or 10-20 gal aquariums when going on vacation, I’d like to automate it so I don’t have to worry about it anymore. I don’t know if I should T into my current fill tube going into my 32 gal Brute storage that always has 32 gal in it or do I gravity feed somehow out of the 32 gal brute with a solenoid and level controller in the Reservoir? I guess it’s basically the same thing except gravity wise would fill it faster. Do they make a 1/4” water tight bulkhead I could drill into the side of my brute storage? I’d like to flush or dump the first little bitwhen the RO turns on so I don’t burn up DI resin. I’ve always manually opened the flush valve when I’ve used my RO water in the storage tank. Any ideas? Tips or tricks?
I’ve attached a sketch of my current setup so it makes sense.

Thanks in advance!

So your saying put the little Tunze ATO pump in the brute along with the floats to turn the RODI on and off and not even do a separate ATO reservoir?

I’m using a hydros controller with a float in the reservoir along with my top off pump. I have the auto flush kit installed on my RO/DI unit that feeds to a selenoid. Float in the reservoir goes “dry” after a handful of top offs, solenoid that is driven by the controller opens until the float is “wet” and then closes solenoid

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

I’m using a hydros controller with a float in the reservoir along with my top off pump. I have the auto flush kit installed on my RO/DI unit that feeds to a selenoid. Float in the reservoir goes “dry” after a handful of top offs, solenoid that is driven by the controller opens until the float is “wet” and then closes solenoid

I'm doing the same thing with my Hydros but I am using Water Level Sensors and 2 solenoids. 1 solenoid is used to flush the system for 40 seconds, then the second solenoid opens to fill the tank. I have a high level sensor (tank full) and a low level sensor ( 3 gallons left in a 30 gallon Brute can). I also have a Jebao PP-4 powerhead in the can to circulate water and that is triggered after 2 hours of the fill solenoid being on.
So when the Hydros sees that the low level sensor is dry, it will start the cycle. when the full sensor is wet it will stop the cycle and wont restart until the low level is dry again. the pump will turn on for 30 min every 4 hours until the low level is dry. I have it this way so the RODI isn't being used for 30min- 1 hour more frequently, with this configuration the RODI can run for a few hours every 6-7 days and saves the DI resin.

sounds very complex, but the Hydros makes it super easy and I never have to worry about my ATO ever going dry. I have a similar set up for my mixing vat, but definitely not as many triggers for it since I only need to mix 60 gallons of saltwater and the auto water changes will use that up every 60 days.

 

[unchainedcoot]

I'm doing the same thing with my Hydros but I am using Water Level Sensors and 2 solenoids. 1 solenoid is used to flush the system for 40 seconds, then the second solenoid opens to fill the tank. I have a high level sensor (tank full) and a low level sensor ( 3 gallons left in a 30 gallon Brute can). I also have a Jebao PP-4 powerhead in the can to circulate water and that is triggered after 2 hours of the fill solenoid being on.
So when the Hydros sees that the low level sensor is dry, it will start the cycle. when the full sensor is wet it will stop the cycle and wont restart until the low level is dry again. the pump will turn on for 30 min every 4 hours until the low level is dry. I have it this way so the RODI isn't being used for 30min- 1 hour more frequently, with this configuration the RODI can run for a few hours every 6-7 days and saves the DI resin.

sounds very complex, but the Hydros makes it super easy and I never have to worry about my ATO ever going dry. I have a similar set up for my mixing vat, but definitely not as many triggers for it since I only need to mix 60 gallons of saltwater and the auto water changes will use that up every 60 days.

Yea that’s a better setup than what I’m doing. Are you just using delay and run times to do this? I guess my real question is how are you getting the low level sensor to run both solenoids? There might be different drop downs for the level sensor that are not available for the float?

When my auto flush kit begins to break this will be the route I go down.

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

Yea that’s a better setup than what I’m doing. Are you just using delay and run times to do this? I guess my real question is how are you getting the low level sensor to run both solenoids? There might be different drop downs for the level sensor that are not available for the float?

When my auto flush kit begins to break this will be the route I go down.

Yes, so when the low level goes dry it opens the flush solenoid, and after a run time of 40 seconds it closes and the fill solenoid is on a 45 second delay and opens after the time has run out. Once the full sensor is wet again it shuts off the cycle.
The powerhead is on a 2 hour time delay once the low level sensor is dry, when that time delay expires, it goes back to the normal operation of running for 30 mins every 4 hours.

I have never used a float solenoid because I have a fear of the float getting some build up on it and not working the way it should and the Hydros thinking it is just always closed. Maintenance is easier on optical sensors too, i just wipe them down once a month to prevent build up on them and keep them working.

I have only owned Hydros and love it, i don't think i would ever go to something else. I helped my brother in law set up his Apex and it was so confusing and difficult to code things and the need to purchase different "drivers" and "modules" to run things was costly. after everything was said and done, he had so much more money wrapped up in his automation than mine, even the initial cost of what we thought we needed to do what he wanted was high. I have several units in my collective on my home tank in New Mexico and I have a different collective on another tank in my temporary home in Mississippi, but being able to see whats going on with either tank is flat out amazing! All my son has to do is just feed the fish every morning and change filter socks every 2 days.

I swear i will find a way for the controller to send him a reminder text to change socks so i don't have to! haha

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I top off my ATO container with this Kit.
https://www.marineandreef.com/SpectraPure_Dual_Float_1_4_Solenoid_Valve_p/rsp27508.htm

When the bottom float is tripped the solenoid opens and the RO system runs until the top float is tripped. I also added an extra manual float valve above the top float where the water enters so that the manual float will turn off the RO in the event the valve sticks. I have been using this kit for over 3 years without any problems.