help making ato

[arnaldolex]

I need alittle advice I wanna Make my own ato system its not hard I saw a video on you tube all you need is a extension cord black tap plexi glass to hold a float valve a power head and some where to hold water and a return hose so I got everything and the guy said he gets the float valve from eBay it is white with two electrical cords coming out of it I checked on eBay but don't know the name can't find it he said it cost like 6$ but works great its round and white where can I get one like this from

 

[reefs4life]

I've been using these for a while now with great results. Not white though lol

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-ZPC5-Ho...ltDomain_0&hash=item3a73c25f0b#ht_2573wt_1269

 

[wonderballz]

Just make sure to check the float switch. I bought 3 from ebay, and only one of them worked. I unfortunately didn't check right away and couldn't get replacements since I waited too long. Of course, the only one that worked was one that I gave to a fellow reefer who needed it...

 

[skene]

Couldn't you just use this?

 

[Buck0land]

You can get this sensor for half the cost on amazon. I have three on my system. Two in the sump and one in my water tank.

Link

Couldn't you just use this?

 

[ReefnQueens]

I have an electronic float valve if you want one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Liquid-Wate...903?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0ab440e7

 

[Aquadicted]

I find it's best to just hook up your rodi straight into your sump for continual top off

 

[strgazr27]

I find it's best to just hook up your rodi straight into your sump for continual top off

Are you using a float setup or auto shut off? I would be worried if either failed of flooding the sump and possibly more. Any pictures of your setup?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[fishman1069]

I find it's best to just hook up your rodi straight into your sump for continual top off

Thats not the best idea. If your not home and your float valve fails, you're gonna have big problems. Its always better to use an ato with a fail safe switch that will disable the pump if the water level gets too high in your sump

 

[ReefnQueens]

I just had that problem with my new tank where the skimmer pump hit the valve and kept feeding water and eventually overflowed to the inlaws downstairs but it was a stupid mistake on my half ...... If you have an apex with a breakout box you can setup a electronic shutoff solenoid valve with another float valve that sensors if water is too high and shuts off everything ..... Also with apex you can setup wet sensors

 

[arnaldolex]

Thanks a lot everyone I.appreciate the feed back I havent set anything up yet just saw a video on YouTube so figured I would get a 20-30 gallon rubbrmaid bin and put water in it have it next to my sump then get a electrical cord cut one side of the two wire tap one of the lines on each side of the wire from the valve then set up.valve in sump plug a pump.to.end of electrical.wire with a hose and wala how do I out. A back up valve into.a set up like that

 

[fishman1069]

You get an opposite switch and wire it in. The float switch you need to start the ato will be "always closed". The back up switch will be "always open". It will kill the circut if it closes in the event the water gets to high.

 

[arnaldolex]

I dont understand how would I wire it if the cord has 2 wires put it on the wire on the opposite cord and place it about a inch higher than the other one

 

[ecvernon]

I find it's best to just hook up your rodi straight into your sump for continual top off

Absolutely the wrong way to go about this. Float switches DO fail! If yours fail you are risking a flood and a drop in salinity.

 

[arnaldolex]

On the second one the giver one I would reverse the valve right

 

[B.BASH]

Check out autotopoff.com you definately need a separate container with an an amount of water that won't overflow your tank in the event of switch failure

 

[arnaldolex]

thanks

 

[Beckbrass]

Be careful with cutting an extension cord and splicing in a pump this can quickly = fire with salt Water around. I use the avast marine pressure switch it works great and don't need to worry about a float getting stuck as it works on air pressure and best of all don't need to worry about burning the place down.