So, I have three tanks that I need to put ATO on and the cost to do it was starting to get prohibitive. At first I was just going to use float switches through the GHL controller that I will be using on this new build, but by the time I added up all the floats I am going to need for various things, and all the boards it was getting costly.
Next I looked at off the shelf standalone units, but once again, cost was getting up there. Finally I looked at Autotopoff.com and by the time I bought 3 separate setups (2 QT's and the sump for the display) it was not going to be cheap.
So, I started looking around for relays to build my own and came across this neat little relay board on amazon.
4 individual SPDT relays all individually controlled for under $10.
So that got me thinking. I could use a 12V power supply to power the board and the three different pumps that I will need, buy some float switches and float valves and build my own ATO for much less than I could buy everything for even from autotopoff.com
Here is the link to the board that I purchased off of amazon. I also ended up buying these float switches. If I were to do it again, I would get different float switches, but more on that later.
This is the power supply that I purchased which will power the whole thing. One plug makes it easy to put this on the GHL controller to add some extra redundancy and program it to shut it off during water changes, maintenance etc.
I purchased float valves from Premium Aquatics and ordered 12V pumps and brackets from autotopoff.com Once again, if I were to do the project over, I would probably have sourced these elsewhere, but they worked for this project.
Step by step details to come.
Next I looked at off the shelf standalone units, but once again, cost was getting up there. Finally I looked at Autotopoff.com and by the time I bought 3 separate setups (2 QT's and the sump for the display) it was not going to be cheap.
So, I started looking around for relays to build my own and came across this neat little relay board on amazon.
4 individual SPDT relays all individually controlled for under $10.
So that got me thinking. I could use a 12V power supply to power the board and the three different pumps that I will need, buy some float switches and float valves and build my own ATO for much less than I could buy everything for even from autotopoff.com
Here is the link to the board that I purchased off of amazon. I also ended up buying these float switches. If I were to do it again, I would get different float switches, but more on that later.
This is the power supply that I purchased which will power the whole thing. One plug makes it easy to put this on the GHL controller to add some extra redundancy and program it to shut it off during water changes, maintenance etc.
I purchased float valves from Premium Aquatics and ordered 12V pumps and brackets from autotopoff.com Once again, if I were to do the project over, I would probably have sourced these elsewhere, but they worked for this project.
Step by step details to come.