Review: Hydor Smart Level ATO

[MarineDepot]

Shopping for an inexpensive and easy to use auto top-off system?

Joe says the Hydor Smart Level ATO is worthy of your consideration thanks to a practical design, great safety features and affordable price tag.

See photos and learn more in Joe's review:

Hydor Smart Level Control ATO System: Simple, Inexpensive and Effective

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[YodaHart]

I've been using this for 6 months with a Tom's Aqualifter pump and I love it! So much better than the float switch I used in the past.

 

[MarineDepot]

I've been using this for 6 months with a Tom's Aqualifter pump and I love it! So much better than the float switch I used in the past.

Thank you for the wonderful testimonial and for visiting our little neck of the woods here on R2R. :bigsmile:

 

[NanaReefer]

Next on my list to get for my new build

 

[MarineDepot]

Next on my list to get for my new build

Sweet! If you need any help getting things up and running (when the time comes), we'd be happy to lend a hand. Thanks for reading!

 

[Shanephillips27]

I've been using this for 6 months with a Tom's Aqualifter pump and I love it! So much better than the float switch I used in the past.

Hello was just wondering how you are getting this to work with the toms aqua lifter i got one a couple days ago and for some reason when it kicks onto fill it wont get to the maximum line cause ts so slow filling. And one time it didnt fill in the ten min time period even to the bottom sensor ? Could u please help thanks so much

 

[atlorange]

I have used one for over a year with no issues at all. You do need to file the polarized plug side down. It's low voltage, so no worries. The only thing to be warry of is if you do put it in a polarized socket, i.e. your wall socket, you must put the filed side in the wide side of the socket. As for me, I am not using mine except with Hydor. Works great, like I said for over a year.

 

[atlorange]

Hello was just wondering how you are getting this to work with the toms aqua lifter i got one a couple days ago and for some reason when it kicks onto fill it wont get to the maximum line cause ts so slow filling. And one time it didnt fill in the ten min time period even to the bottom sensor ? Could u please help thanks so much

How far is the pump from where you are filling? Mine is about 3.5 feet below where it is pushing it and I don't have any problems. You might have a bad pump. I would test the performance without the ato to see if it will push the water to your tank/sump from where you have placed the pump.

 

[Shanephillips27]

How far is the pump from where you are filling? Mine is about 3.5 feet below where it is pushing it and I don't have any problems. You might have a bad pump. I would test the performance without the ato to see if it will push the water to your tank/sump from where you have placed the pump.

Its about 3 or so feet away from where it needs to go its so weird cause my fish guy sold me on it he uses the same set up and said he has no problems with it. But i feel like its coming out super slow the first time it did it the alarm went off after ten mins of filling cause it didnt fill in time and then the 2 time it only went to the minimum mark but would not go to the max level so weird i dont know what to do lol

 

[tigerdragon]

I am using a brs 50ml Peristalic pump on mine works great.

 

[Shanephillips27]

How far is the pump from where you are filling? Mine is about 3.5 feet below where it is pushing it and I don't have any problems. You might have a bad pump. I would test the performance without the ato to see if it will push the water to your tank/sump from where you have placed the pump.

Whats also weird is i was reading a review on amazon and a guy said that it doesent have to be fast it can trickle in he said who cares if it takes 30 mins to fill it up how is this possible when the unit will shut the pump off after ten mins?

 

[tigerdragon]

If it doesnt see a change in level in 10 mins it will shutoff the pump mine also will run longer than 10 mins

 

[Shanephillips27]

If it doesnt see a change in level in 10 mins it will shutoff the pump mine also will run longer than 10 mins

Im so confused lol is it normal to run longer than ten mins or is it defective? Please explain i cant figure this thing out

 

[tigerdragon]

Its not defective if you run a pump that fills too fast it can overfill quickly its a matter of balancing the flow.

 

[Shanephillips27]

Its not defective if you run a pump that fills too fast it can overfill quickly its a matter of balancing the flow.

Yes i understand that part im using an aqua lifter cause it was recomended what im asking is. Is it normal for the hydor to allow the pump to run longer than ten mins like u said in the last post yours runs longer than ten mins? Because from what i was told after ten mins of pumping and then its done thats it so if its running longer than ten mins is that a defect ?

 

[Shanephillips27]

Yes i understand that part im using an aqua lifter cause it was recomended what im asking is. Is it normal for the hydor to allow the pump to run longer than ten mins like u said in the last post yours runs longer than ten mins? Because from what i was told after ten mins of pumping and then its done thats it so if its running longer than ten mins is that a defect ?

So thats what im confused about lol?

 

[YodaHart]

It may have changed with newer models but mine shuts off if it runs more than 10 minutes. That normally doesn't happen for me unless my container is empty. Make sure you have good flow coming out of the pump when it is on. If not then it could be an issue with the pump. The newer hydor models have a polarized plug so you don't have to trim the aqualifter plug.

If it takes longer than 10 min to fill I would look into a stronger hydor pump to drop into the ato container

 

[Shanephillips27]

It may have changed with newer models but mine shuts off if it runs more than 10 minutes. That normally doesn't happen for me unless my container is empty. Make sure you have good flow coming out of the pump when it is on. If not then it could be an issue with the pump. The newer hydor models have a polarized plug so you don't have to trim the aqualifter plug.

If it takes longer than 10 min to fill I would look into a stronger hydor pump to drop into the ato container

Yea it takes about 20 mins or so just to get to the min mark and the pump never shut off at ten mins which is what i thought it should do?

 

[iTzJu]

I am using this ATO on my frag tank system along with an AquaLifter. BEST ATO for the money.

 

[luke33]

I've bee using his guy for a year now and plan on using this for my new setup as well. Super easy to set up