Can’t seem to get my sump level correct..

[Be102]

That’s why I suggest putting the ATO outlet hose into the return section of your sump and make sure the ATO reservoir water level is never above the ATO outlet hose that feeds said return section. This will alleviate all the issues as it relates to your ATO.

Hi so I sketched a quick diagram. Are you saying I should not let my water level in my ato container go above the tank level? I’m thinking that if I put the sensor in the return and hopefully angle the return hose right so it doesn’t siphon and continue to flow into my sump. Perhaps I’ll cut the tubing to allow less of tubing to go with the water. If that makes any sense lol.

 

[Water Dog]

The water level of your ATO cannot be above the end of the ATO tube that should be feeding water into the return section of the sump.

Here is my ATO reservoir. It is filled to the top.

Here it is relative to my sump.

The white hose is my ATO line feeding into the return section of my sump.

Because the end of the ATO tube feeding the return section of my sump is always above the water level in my ATO reservoir, a siphon can NEVER happen.

That why I’ve said earlier... Make sure the water level in your ATO reservoir is BELOW the outlet of the ATO hose and you will never have a siphon event.

 

[Be102]

The water level of your ATO cannot be above the end of the ATO tube that should be feeding water into the return section of the sump.

Here is my ATO reservoir. It is filled to the top.

Here it is relative to my sump.

The white hose is my ATO line feeding into the return section of my sump.

Becaude the end of the ATO tube feeding the return section of my sump is always above the water level in my ATO reservoir, a siphon can NEVER happen.

That why I’ve said earlier... Make sure the water level in your ATO reservoir is BELOW the outlet of the ATO hose and you will never have a siphon event.

That’s the cause of all my problems then I can see. Is my ato reservoir is equal to the level of my sump. I can try to run the line so it doesn’t siphon. The next I need to worry about is that it will siphon if the hose is facing downward, correct?

 

[don_chuwish]

Let's see if I can make it clear with mine as an example.
ATO reservoir is outside the stand on the left. The ATO inlet hose in the sump is not lower than the reservoir water level and NEVER submerged. There is no chance of siphon or gravity feeding excessively into the sump.

 

[don_chuwish]

LOL parallel posting!

 

[Be102]

Let's see if I can make it clear with mine as an example.
ATO reservoir is outside the stand on the left. The ATO inlet hose in the sump is not lower than the reservoir water level and NEVER submerged. There is no chance of siphon or gravity feeding excessively into the sump.

Would yours siphon though, If you filled your ato up all the way? Seems all my problems are with my ato in the stand with my tank

 

[Water Dog]

Then just short fill your ATO reservoir so that the ATO hose outlet that feeds the return section will always be above the water level in the ATO reservoir.

 

[don_chuwish]

Would yours siphon though, If you filled your ato up all the way? Seems all my problems are with my ato in the stand with my tank

It would gravity feed to the point that the reservoir level was the same as the hose tip and then stop. So I do what Waterdog said - short fill it to a line I have marked on it.

 

[Be102]

Then just short fill your ATO reservoir so that the ATO hose outlet that feeds the return section will always be above the water level in the ATO reservoir.

I will try later on today, thank you!
What’s the best way to install an ato? When I need water or not? Lol should I wait till I want it to top off or just install it and expect it to do its thing

 

[Water Dog]

Install it and let it do its thing. The sensor goes in the return section at your desired water level. Use the black bracket that comes with your 3155 and attach it to the lip of uyour sump over the return section and clip the ATO outlet hose to it making sure that the end of the hose is above the water level in the a ATO reservoir. Let it run independent from any controller progamming, just keep it on and let it do its thing.

When first setting it up, I like to have the sensor 1/4” above my return section water level so I can see it fill and stop as it was designed to do,

 

[Brew12]

If I can chime in, I would make some plumbing changes to help simplify things. The first change I would make is to remove the split between the drain section and your refugium. Feed your refugium from your return pump. Yes, the water will be slightly dirtier coming from your drain than your return but not enough that you would notice it if you have a reasonable amount of flow.
If I am seeing it correctly, you could completely shut off the valve going to the refugium and plumb one of the openings on your return piping into your refugium. Your pump has plenty of capacity to feed the return and the refugium.

As for the siphon, you can likely fix it by adding a T fitting in the tubing between your ATO container and your sump. You could have the input to the T fitting from your ATO container, have the middle fitting go up to your overflow where it goes now (make sure it's above the water line) and add a new tube from the output of the T fitting to your sump. The water will naturally flow from your ATO to the sump and the tubing up to your overflow will act as a siphon break by sucking in air. If your tubing to the sump clogs the ATO will pump the water up through the air break into the overflow so no harm done.

 

[Water Dog]

Redoing the plumbing is something I was thinking about too. I’d go directly from the Lifereef overflow into the sock section of the sump. Then put a small powerhead in the inlet/sock section and use the extra inlet to route tubing to feed the refuhium.

 

[Brew12]

Redoing the plumbing is something I was thinking about too. I’d go directly from the Lifereef overflow into the sock section of the sump. Then put a small powerhead in the inlet/sock section and use the extra inlet to route tubing over the refuhium.

Definitely another option. I would use the return pump only because it is running at under 40% and would be the cheapest and easiest solution imo. Assuming that I am correct in that he already has valved openings for reactors plumbed into his return.

 

[Be102]

Wow these are great ideas! I have plenty of strength I can add to my manifold which I can allow it to run to my refugium. I even have the gate valves and everything set up. That way I can ideally open my manifold outlet next to my gfo/carbon reactor and run tubing right into my fuge. I could even just close that gate and or ball valve that is leading to the fuge all together and just put the tubing from the manifold into the fuge which would save me from really plumbing / measuring and whatnot. I could then increase my flow from the return. I would be able to open my overflow box all the way as well. Only thing I’d need to work on is dialing everything in.

 

[Water Dog]

Remember, if you change your plumbing and go direct from the HOB overflow to the sump, you need to run it all the way open... no valving it back. Those HOB overflows are to run like single drain reef ready Dursos... wide open with no restrictions. Address the noise using the Stockman and airline hose.

 

[Be102]

Any recommendations on what I should use to plumb over to my fuge? Sounds silly but I plumbed this a while ago and don’t remember what’s the ideal way. My gate valves are all female too so I can use pretty much any adapter. I have this and this but think I want something more promising? Any ideas? The gray one you see in the left has a connector to go into the gate valve ( threaded..) just need to figure out what connects into the other side as I think they are cool and lock when disconnected ( I believe?) although it will maybe limit pods? now I am going to run water from my return straight to my fuge.. wonder if I will still get good sponges and pods and whatnot as they now have go through the return pump & manifold.

 

[Brew12]

Any recommendations on what I should use to plumb over to my fuge? Sounds silly but I plumbed this a while ago and don’t remember what’s the ideal way. My gate valves are all female too so I can use pretty much any adapter. I have this and this but think I want something more promising? Any ideas? The gray one you see in the left has a connector to go into the gate valve ( threaded..) just need to figure out what connects into the other side as I think they are cool and lock when disconnected ( I believe?) although it will maybe limit pods? now I am going to run water from my return straight to my fuge.. wonder if I will still get good sponges and pods and whatnot as they now have go through the return pump & manifold.

I don't think you will notice a difference in the sponges and pods.

I wouldn't worry about the plumbing too much. Just find a way to get the water flow you want there.

 

[Be102]

Sounds silly... but is there any drawback from me using my output of my gfo/ carbon reactor to my fuge? Maybe not long term but for the time being? It does however kind of prevent any sort of stuff going in to the fuge which could be kinda pointless. Regardless my fuge just has some live rock in it

 

[Brew12]

Sounds silly... but is there any drawback from me using my output of my gfo/ carbon reactor to my fuge? Maybe not long term but for the time being? It does however kind of prevent any sort of stuff going in to the fuge which could be kinda pointless. Regardless my fuge just has some live rock in it

You could do it short term, but I would minimize the time you do it that way. GFO will strip the PO4 which the fuge needs for food. The fuge can also benefit from the organics being pulled out by the carbon.

 

[Be102]

You could do it short term, but I would minimize the time you do it that way. GFO will strip the PO4 which the fuge needs for food. The fuge can also benefit from the organics being pulled out by the carbon.

That makes a lot of sense. I am actually not running any gfo so no worries about phosphates but I will keep in mind that yes the carbon is removing the organics from the water.
Thanks!