ATO Malfunctions

[cmoore806]

WHAT IM WORKING WITH
Today is Day 299 with my Fluval 13.5 EVO with a snowflake clown, helfrichi firefish, yellow watchman goby. Parameters in good ranges just checked yesterday (77.6F, 7.8pH,35ppt, 17 nitrate, 0.06 phosphate, 9.4 dKH, 470 Ca, 1560 Mg). parameters were checked Saturday, 10% water change was Friday per usual routine. LPS corals only, will see how everything looks when lights come on at 7am-8am.

PROBLEM
So of course the ATO pumped around 4.5L into the tank before alarming. I quickly checked salinity it was 32ppt (normally is at 35ppt) the aquarium was overfilled, water was touching the mesh lid. Looks like three snails were hanging out at 6am near the ATO sensor's enticing blue light and IM GUESSING the stomatella snail somehow obscured the function of the eye further being that it was in the basement and also dark.

EQUIPMENT
ATO is AutoAqua Smart ATO Micro Automatic Top Off System (SATO-120P) I've had for the life of the tank with no issues

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Thankfully I have a mixing station with a 37.5 gallon mixed and heated saltwater capacity on standby that was ready to go. I immediately performed a 15L water change which is about 28% of the aquariums water volume.

Probably I'll do another WC tonight and again tomorrow depending on when I leave for work.


I guess I just want to put this out there to share my experience and get some feedback. Fortunately I didn't panic, I knew what to do, I have the water ready at all times with a mixing station, I have a quick and accurate testing arrangement. Best of all I have a son who is an early riser and came to get me as soon as the ATO Alarm sounded.

I experienced a lot of different emotions and one of the interesting ones was I was less excited about upgrading to a larger tank in the future if something so little as a snail is going to throw $10k+ corals fish and years of work down the toilet

 

[SPR1968]

I seem to remember I had the original version of that ATO (MATO 200P) in my S650, it was controlled by a float switch but that’s around 5 years ago.

It also failed within a few weeks, and pumped to much water and I just caught it before the divorce papers arrived! Lol

I can recommend the Tunze Osmolator which is the gold standard really, either on the standard settings or turned down in your current system.

 

[ingchr1]

You can add another layer of protection by how much water you keep in your ATO container. This way if the ATO fails on it wont drop salinity as much or flood the tank on to the floor.

On my 15 gallon AIO I use a container that holds 3/4 gallon and on my 40 gallon one that holds 2.5 gallons.

The 15 gallon has an XP Aqua Duetto and the 40 gallon a Tunze Osmolator 3155. I haven't had any issues with either one.