Gravity Fed ATO Fail Safe Options

[dangles]

Jake seemed to be a pretty big proponent of gravity-fed ATO systems. I've had a Neptune ATK on my 50 gallon for about a year. Lately it has started acting goofy, not working when it's supposed to, without any explanation. I'm about to shut this tank down and start up a 160 gallon system in a couple of weeks and was considering going gravity for it instead of using the ATK (I'm frankly sick of dealing with it). I'll have a 120 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump, and my RODI system and mixing station on the same level out in the garage a couple of rooms away (see my tank thread for the specifics). I can easily run RODI tubing from the fresh water tank to the sump.

So what are the options for fail-safes with a gravity ATO?

Obviously a horizontal float switch in the sump is the most basic and obvious. And of course maintenance of said switch. I'm thinking of also including a Flow-Lok just outside the sump so if the sump ever overflows, it will shut off the ATO line (it would be plumbed to the 60 gallon RODI tank out in the garage that I fill only as-needed). I could also plumb the RODI line into the RODI tank at a higher level that wouldn't empty the WHOLE thing in the event it gets stuck in the open position.

Are solenoid's worth considering? I'd REALLY like the option to shut if off remotely, or program my Apex to shut it off if the sump level exceeds a certain depth or if other conditions are met (I have a Neptune LLS I'll be putting in the sump). Neptune's own solenoid is OOS at BRS, and doesn't have good reviews to begin with so if I can avoid it, great!

Any other options?


*edit*

Followup question... If I maintain/replace the float valve at appropriate intervals, am I overthinking this?

 

[MoshJosh]

Using a solenoid seems like the best options. . . and the only one I can think of that is not super elaborate. . .

That said I have no idea how to install or program a solenoid. . .

I have and still use gravity ATOs. . . but no safety mech, just a small reservoir. . .

 

[MoshJosh]

Probably not reef safe. . . but if you could somehow splice RODI tubing into garden house fittings. . .



Just throw a spigot on the side of your RODI container. . .

only sort of kidding. Again I don't think the metals would be reef safe. . .

 

[dangles]

Probably not reef safe. . . but if you could somehow splice RODI tubing into garden house fittings. . .



Just throw a spigot on the side of your RODI container. . .

only sort of kidding. Again I don't think the metals would be reef safe. . .

It wouldn't have to be. It's on the fresh water side

 

[Jason Scalise]

Jake seemed to be a pretty big proponent of gravity-fed ATO systems. I've had a Neptune ATK on my 50 gallon for about a year. Lately it has started acting goofy, not working when it's supposed to, without any explanation. I'm about to shut this tank down and start up a 160 gallon system in a couple of weeks and was considering going gravity for it instead of using the ATK (I'm frankly sick of dealing with it). I'll have a 120 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump, and my RODI system and mixing station on the same level out in the garage a couple of rooms away (see my tank thread for the specifics). I can easily run RODI tubing from the fresh water tank to the sump.

So what are the options for fail-safes with a gravity ATO?

Obviously a horizontal float switch in the sump is the most basic and obvious. And of course maintenance of said switch. I'm thinking of also including a Flow-Lok just outside the sump so if the sump ever overflows, it will shut off the ATO line (it would be plumbed to the 60 gallon RODI tank out in the garage that I fill only as-needed). I could also plumb the RODI line into the RODI tank at a higher level that wouldn't empty the WHOLE thing in the event it gets stuck in the open position.

Are solenoid's worth considering? I'd REALLY like the option to shut if off remotely, or program my Apex to shut it off if the sump level exceeds a certain depth or if other conditions are met (I have a Neptune LLS I'll be putting in the sump). Neptune's own solenoid is OOS at BRS, and doesn't have good reviews to begin with so if I can avoid it, great!

Any other options?


*edit*

Followup question... If I maintain/replace the float valve at appropriate intervals, am I overthinking this?

Perhaps take a look at my build thread here. I installed a mechanical float for my ATO in the back chamber of my AIO IM Nuvo 20g. Gravity fed ATO with multiple failsafes and redundancies. Also integrated with Apex.
Not sure what your exact needs are but If nothing else, perhaps this may give you some ideas?

 

[Gill the 3rd]

I also gravity feed my sump with a 77 gallon barrel of rodi and float valve in the sump after my tunze ato failed after 5 years of use. I have an optical sensor at the top of the sump with a solenoid in the line to shut if the float valve fails and rodi starts to fill my sump. I use the flood guardian. Its cheap insurance and easy to install.

I set the optical sensor just above the water level that my sump gets to when my return pump is off.

RO/DI Flood Guardian - RODI Auto Shut Off Solinoid (AKA The Marriage Saver) - XP Aqua

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

 

[Pntbll687]

Jake seemed to be a pretty big proponent of gravity-fed ATO systems. I've had a Neptune ATK on my 50 gallon for about a year. Lately it has started acting goofy, not working when it's supposed to, without any explanation. I'm about to shut this tank down and start up a 160 gallon system in a couple of weeks and was considering going gravity for it instead of using the ATK (I'm frankly sick of dealing with it). I'll have a 120 gallon tank with a 40 gallon sump, and my RODI system and mixing station on the same level out in the garage a couple of rooms away (see my tank thread for the specifics). I can easily run RODI tubing from the fresh water tank to the sump.

So what are the options for fail-safes with a gravity ATO?

Obviously a horizontal float switch in the sump is the most basic and obvious. And of course maintenance of said switch. I'm thinking of also including a Flow-Lok just outside the sump so if the sump ever overflows, it will shut off the ATO line (it would be plumbed to the 60 gallon RODI tank out in the garage that I fill only as-needed). I could also plumb the RODI line into the RODI tank at a higher level that wouldn't empty the WHOLE thing in the event it gets stuck in the open position.

Are solenoid's worth considering? I'd REALLY like the option to shut if off remotely, or program my Apex to shut it off if the sump level exceeds a certain depth or if other conditions are met (I have a Neptune LLS I'll be putting in the sump). Neptune's own solenoid is OOS at BRS, and doesn't have good reviews to begin with so if I can avoid it, great!

Any other options?


*edit*

Followup question... If I maintain/replace the float valve at appropriate intervals, am I overthinking this?

Gravity fed ato, and a solenoid should be enough.

I HIGHLY recommend the solenoid. Not to stop flooding, but if you ever want to clean the sump, you can stop the ato from dumping water in.

You may want to look for another solenoid and run it off an outlet on the eb832, only because the neptune one is "normally closed" which means you would need it to open or "on" all the time. You can get a "normally open" solenoid on amazon.

 

[Jason Scalise]

Gravity fed ato, and a solenoid should be enough.

I HIGHLY recommend the solenoid. Not to stop flooding, but if you ever want to clean the sump, you can stop the ato from dumping water in.

You may want to look for another solenoid and run it off an outlet on the eb832, only because the neptune one is "normally closed" which means you would need it to open or "on" all the time. You can get a "normally open" solenoid on amazon.

another option instead of the solenoid is a motorized ball valve.
here are two examples:

ball valve from eletric solenoid valves .com

ball valve from amazon

Like Pntbll687 mentioned, you will want the solenoid to be open 99.9% of the time and as such, dont want it to require it to be 'energized' all that time to stay open. That leads to warm or hot solenoids, possibility of failures (which would fail to a closed position which is not the end of the world....but you would not be getting any ATO water to your tank during that time and you would need to notice that was the case).


On the other hand, the motorized ball valve moves on demand to either open or closed and only draws energy when in motion. otherwise it sits dormant.
I wired this to my FMM module on my Apex using the bare wire LINK cable from Neptune.


same concept as a solenoid failsafe...in that any 'unfavorable' conditions that you set in your programming can tell the valve to close. My personal preference is the electric ball valve because of its very low chance of failure or wearing out.

Also, this may be way more DIY than you want to deal with but for what its worth, it was really easy to do.