Must-have nano tank gadgets for $300 and under?

[rennjidk]

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[rennjidk]

Honestly, I recently got this guy for my nano freshwater tank, but it would be excellent for nano reef.

AutoAqua AWC lite

I have the fancier version on my big reef system

AutoAqua Smart AWC Duo

Both are under 300 and honestly been one of the best choices I've made for quality of life. My parameters stay very very stable. The lite is slower and I recommend getting an additional check valve for the wast line unless your waste container is above the tank because it *will* continue to siphon. The Duo is a little harder to program, but works like a dream, while the lite is much more limited in intervals you can set. I have both set up for 24 hr water changes. The Lite is also much quieter pump wise, but the Duo isn't very loud in the cabinet. If you have any distance between reservoirs and your tank, go ahead and grab the pump extension cords of coralviews website if you go with the Duo

I bought the lite version and hooked it up 2 days ago, but the water level fills a couple of mm above the top of the blue ato sensor when the ato runs. Has this been normal behavior for you, or does it normally stop at the sensor point on the blue block? I'm starting to worry that the emergency 3x overfill is what's actually shutting off the pump.

 

[Sump Crab]

A reliable ATO like a tunze or a nice DC powerhead that can hook up to a battery back up.

 

[Rubymoon286]

I bought the lite version and hooked it up 2 days ago, but the water level fills a couple of mm above the top of the blue ato sensor when the ato runs. Has this been normal behavior for you, or does it normally stop at the sensor point on the blue block? I'm starting to worry that the emergency 3x overfill is what's actually shutting off the pump.

Mine stops in the middle of the top sensor - The only two times I've had it over fill were when too much light was shining on the sensor from where I'd placed it initially, and when a floating plant had covered the sensor and it couldn't read. Barring something blocking it, I would reach out to autoaqua about it because the sensor might be faulty.

 

[Aquaddictorbj4]

I bought the lite version and hooked it up 2 days ago, but the water level fills a couple of mm above the top of the blue ato sensor when the ato runs. Has this been normal behavior for you, or does it normally stop at the sensor point on the blue block? I'm starting to worry that the emergency 3x overfill is what's actually shutting off the pump.

It seems that you installed the green sensor on top and blue in below.
It should be opposite. For AWC Lite, Green should be in below to active drain pump and blue should be in top as ATO and stop AWC refill pump.

 

[rennjidk]

It seems that you installed the green sensor on top and blue in below.
It should be opposite. For AWC Lite, Green should be in below to active drain pump and blue should be in top as ATO and stop AWC refill pump.

I did not. It might be the angle of the photo, but the top of the green sensor is an inch below the bottom of the blue sensor, which is indeed on top.

 

[Aquaddictorbj4]

Oh! Sorry for my bad eyes
Does the pump stops by its QST system? If not, maybe it need to be placed away from the light or due to algea which might malfunction. I do once overfill due to light affect.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I am thinking about using a Cainster filter for my 15 gallon AIO tank, I think it will work better than the rear chamber filter it has now..
Any thoughts on this or suggestions?

 

[KenRexford]

Second on Hydros Controller. I have a 20-gallon with an X2 starter pack, essentially, and love it. At $199, you get to see temperature from across the world and can control a lot of devices from there as well. Add on the ATO pump and a level sensor, and you have my nano system, which is great from experience.

 

[rennjidk]

Oh! Sorry for my bad eyes
Does the pump stops by its QST system? If not, maybe it need to be placed away from the light or due to algea which might malfunction. I do once overfill due to light affect.

After a few emails with them, they recommend the tubes not be placed in the same chamber as the sensors on small aios. I'm moves them to a different chamber and that seems to fix the sensor issue. Something about splashing making the water level hard to detect.