SMART ATO MICRO PROBLEM

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

Hello all, I'm having issues with my SMART ato micro. Not so smart. The other day, it filled up my nuvo 10 all the way to the rim, and my salinity dropped to 1.021 from 1.026, luckily I was home, checked my water, and did a water change right away. The sensor seems to work fine, it pumps water until it reaches the level, however all of a sudden, the water level decreases in my return chamber and then the smart ato micro fills it up again, and the same thing over and over.. it basically pumps water like 5-7 times in a matter of 1 minute.. its not even normal.. im thinking that its a bad idea to have the ato sensor in my return chamber since water is always changing...



Anyways, I'm really at a loss for words.. if anyone has any insight, please chime in. I'm using a sicce 0.5 pump in my nuvo 10 rear chamber.. should I maybe move the sensor to the middle chamber instead?



Instagram: CinnamonTorch_Crunch

 

[NanoCrazed]

I actually mount my sensor in the in flow chamber of the pump as that's closest to the tanks level. The return area is risky because depending on how clog your filter media is, the level can change and confuse the sensor (sensor doing its job but your water level isn't where you want it to be)

I have the same issue using the Hydrofill in my larger setup. I can't mount this in the tank becaus the sensors are too big so mounted it inside the return and occasionally with have near overflowing water...

 

[tgionet]

Sounds to me like you’re back siphoning into your ato container

 

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

Sounds to me like you’re back siphoning into your ato container

Back siphoning is when your water level in the rear chamber reaches your water tubing, then when the pump activates and turns off, a siphon is created and water from rear chamber goes back into ato container.. this is VERY far off from what im experiencing. my tubing is well above the water line and never touches the water.. im going through a problem which is weird... my sensor is in the correct spot, however when activated, the water will rise to the level of the sensor, but then the water level quickly drops!! and then Ofcourse the pump turns on again, fills up until the sensor, and drops again and so on... thats why I dont want my sensor to be in the return chamber because water level is always changing there..

 

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

I actually mount my sensor in the in flow chamber of the pump as that's closest to the tanks level. The return area is risky because depending on how clog your filter media is, the level can change and confuse the sensor (sensor doing its job but your water level isn't where you want it to be)

I have the same issue using the Hydrofill in my larger setup. I can't mount this in the tank becaus the sensors are too big so mounted it inside the return and occasionally with have near overflowing water...

This makes a lot of sense... however when you say u mount the sensor to the "flow chamber" which chamber of the rear compartment are you referring to? I have my media chamber (#1) I have my middle camber which has my protein skimmer and my ai prime mount (#2) and I have my return chamber which has my sicce 0.5 pump (#3)

 

[tgionet]

Back siphoning is when your water level in the rear chamber reaches your water tubing, then when the pump activates and turns off, a siphon is created and water from rear chamber goes back into ato container.. this is VERY far off from what im experiencing. my tubing is well above the water line and never touches the water.. im going through a problem which is weird... my sensor is in the correct spot, however when activated, the water will rise to the level of the sensor, but then the water level quickly drops!! and then Ofcourse the pump turns on again, fills up until the sensor, and drops again and so on... thats why I dont want my sensor to be in the return chamber because water level is always changing there..

Weird, I’m looking at a nuvo 10 right now and as long as the water level in the return section is below the baffle that shouldn’t be happening. Maybe it’s leaking under the silicone?

 

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

Weird, I’m looking at a nuvo 10 right now and as long as the water level in the return section is below the baffle that shouldn’t be happening. Maybe it’s leaking under the silicone?

water level below the baffle in the return section?? why would anyone do that? my water level in the return chamber is way higher than the baffle. No leaks here friend

 

[tgionet]

Ahh, drop the water level in the return section below the top of the baffle that separates the middle section from the return. That should solve your problem

 

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

Hmm... i’ll try it out! Why would it be any different though? Like why am I supposed to have the water level low in the return chamber?

 

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

hmm

 

[tgionet]

Hmm... i’ll try it out! Why would it be any different though? Like why am I supposed to have the water level low in the return chamber?

It isolates it from the water level in the rest of the tank. It doesn’t need to be a significant difference, my drop is maybe 5mm from my skimmer section to my return section

 

[GrouperStupor]

You're definitely not only one having issues with these. I had an issue if the water gets above the sensor without it running the pump (like in a power outage or water change the sump level rises), it may over-fill. Said another way...if the water is above the sensor and it doesn't know why, it may over-fill . Different than what you described, but still a programming issue.

I gave up on mine in a sump and put it on a system no sump. For some extra peace of mind, I use an outlet with my home automation to keep it turned off a while after a water change or power outage.

 

[GrouperStupor]

I forgot to mention...it worked ok in my sump chamber with the skimmer, but I still didn't trust it and moved it. Just use my existing home automation controller to ATO on that tank.

 

[NanoCrazed]

This makes a lot of sense... however when you say u mount the sensor to the "flow chamber" which chamber of the rear compartment are you referring to? I have my media chamber (#1) I have my middle camber which has my protein skimmer and my ai prime mount (#2) and I have my return chamber which has my sicce 0.5 pump (#3)

dang autocorrect... meant to say the inflow... So where the DT water flows into your sump area as the water level there is usually the same height as your DT, minimizing overfilling from your ATO...and gives you the most stable salinity since to are literally only adding enough water to bring you DT level to where it started...

 

[CinnamonTorch_Crunch]

It isolates it from the water level in the rest of the tank. It doesn’t need to be a significant difference, my drop is maybe 5mm from my skimmer section to my return section

I still don’t understand why that would make a difference.. big deal, it isolates.. so what? Like what’s the reasoning to have low water level in the return chamber?

 

[DHill6]

My Smart ATO is in the return section, water is lower than the baffle section before it. I turn it off when I turn the return pump off, using my phone app for Apex. I've never had a problem and it's been in service for years. Always right on target.

 

[DHill6]

Never overflowed the sump due to power outages. Once I had to turn it off then on to reset it after a power outage, it was beeping.

 

[PopaSmurph]

I still don’t understand why that would make a difference.. big deal, it isolates.. so what? Like what’s the reasoning to have low water level in the return chamber?

Can you post a front sump pic please?

 

[kashman100]

What are you using in the media baskets? I would pull everything out of media baskets and make sure the water level is below the return baffle and see if the water stays at the same level.