Do non-mechanical/electronic ATOs actually work?

[chaostactics]

Getting ready to start a micro tank (0.5 total gallonage.)

Im looking into a mechanical ATO like the following. Question is, are they more functional than gimmicky I don't often trust Amazon reviews.

People have already mentioned ionic diffusion isn't an issue.

I'm highly doubtful a mechanical/electronic ATO will fit and If it would hose routing would be huge vs tank size, pump output out size of a small doser would be too fast to fill and frankly I don't feel like spending $100-200 on an ATO.

 

[P-Dub]

Simple physics. Same concept as an office water cooler. Should work, but... it is an Amazon product after all.

 

[Spieg]

Should work, but I'd be worried about any waves in the tank causing it to release water when not really needed.

 

[chaostactics]

Should work, but I'd be worried about any waves in the tank causing it to release water when not really needed.

Being a 0.5 gal total volume, display being about half that volume there's definitely not going to be any standing waves in the tank. Just a very very tiny return pump.

But good point and thanks for the word of caution.

 

[fish farmer]

I made an office cooler type ATO which ran great for FW topoff.

It was made out of a Little Giant Poultry Waterer. It was a 5 gallon container with graduations and a lid which sealed well. I took off the bottom red waterer part and just used the reservoir part. I put a PVC ball valve in the bottom (used for filling and moving the unit), sealed well with epoxy and had a piece of tubing cut to the level of the sump. I positioned it over the sump. I don't ever remembering it failing.

 

[elysics]

I have a similar one on my pico. It works, but it's annoying. Waterlevel fluctuates more than I'd like and a liter bottle only lasts 3 or 4 days, at which point I am asking myself whether it really saves me that much effort.

There are proper nano ATOs, I've got an optical one from Aqualight on my main tank, much more carefree and less ugly

You could also diy it with a spare cheap dosing pump and a sensor

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I have a similar one on my pico. It works, but it's annoying. Waterlevel fluctuates more than I'd like and a liter bottle only lasts 3 or 4 days, at which point I am asking myself whether it really saves me that much effort.

There are proper nano ATOs, I've got an optical one from Aqualight on my main tank, much more carefree and less ugly

they are ugly. But super reliable. The aqua light is the same as a reefbreeders prism ato. That’s too much evaporation before it refills. In a 8”x8”x8” I have water 7” deep and one inch of evap drops my level to 6”. Those are big salinity swings in a tank that size. The gravity feeds can be set up to allow less than 1/4” evaporation in that same small tank.
Ugly? Absolutely. But they keep my little tank extremely stable.

 

[elysics]

they are ugly. But super reliable. The aqua light is the same as a reefbreeders prism ato. That’s too much evaporation before it refills. In a 8”x8”x8” I have water 7” deep and one inch of evap drops my level to 6”. Those are big salinity swings in a tank that size. The gravity feeds can be set up to allow less than 1/4” evaporation in that same small tank.
Ugly? Absolutely. But they keep my little tank extremely stable.

Nah not that one, they have another nano ATOs, called easy refill or something.

3-5mm swing I think, less than the gravity one on my pico

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Nah not that one, they have another nano ATOs, called easy refill or something.

3-5mm swing I think, less than the gravity one on my pico

You aren’t in the US are you? I cannot find the product you speak of.

 

[elysics]

Going in a completely different direction, why not go for a closed lid and have no evaporation, no need for an ato at all, especially on a tank that small

 

[elysics]

You aren’t in the US are you? I cannot find the product you speak of.

Right. It's this one:

As far as I know, it's just an oem product with a sticker on it though, I'm sure you'll find the exact same one on AliExpress if you search long enough. Works with any 12v pump if the one included has too much throughput for you

 

[chaostactics]

Right. It's this one:

As far as I know, it's just an oem product with a sticker on it though, I'm sure you'll find the exact same one on AliExpress if you search long enough. Works with any 12v pump if the one included has too much throughput for you

Still way too big

 

[chaostactics]

Going in a completely different direction, why not go for a closed lid and have no evaporation, no need for an ato at all, especially on a tank that small

It's going to have a lid but not sealed and probably need some evap for cooling

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

It's going to have a lid but not sealed and probably need some evap for cooling

I keep my AC in the house at 74. My pico use both heater and fan for evaporate cooling every day. The room it is in is terribly hot once the sun is up.

 

[elysics]

Still way too big

Then you'll have to diy, because the bottle one isn't any smaller.

 

[chaostactics]

Then you'll have to diy, because the bottle one isn't any smaller.

One of the ones from XP aqua or similar is smaller than the one you linked. Which is what is on the Fluval V build.


The bottle one would probably be over all larger but not in the way it matters to me

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

One of the ones from XP aqua or similar is smaller than the one you linked. Which is what is on the Fluval V build.


The bottle one would probably be over all larger but not in the way it matters to me

I use the bottle because of stability and this fact:

Your tank cannot over fill when you use it. Physics demand it’s adherence to physical laws.

but it’s huge and I use a 750 ml bottle.