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Smart ATO

rockstarta78

By rockstarta78,
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rockstarta78 Starfish

rockstarta78

So I am thinking about getting an ATO. Since I don't have a sump, space is an issue. I am thinking about the smart ATO. Does anyone have any experience with the smart ATO? Are they good? Do they cause any issues down the road? I like the fact it doesn't have any moving parts and won't get stuck. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

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khh27 Master Reefer

khh27

I have the auto aqua smart ato and don't have any issues at all I've had for 1yr. Bought used and still works fine

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

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WilRams Master Reefer

WilRams

I have had one in use for a little over a year. Like anything else some people don't like them some do. I like mine it works just fine. I like that its small, no moving parts and 2 wires. Things are already a mess of wires so anywhere I can save on the clutter is a plus for me. My only complaint is that anytime the alarm goes off (reservoir empty, not aligned properly) you have to unplug it and plug it back in to reset it. Not as big of a deal since its on an apex but still annoying.

 

I also have a Tunze which you can't go wrong with.

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PupChow Master Reefer

PupChow

I was debating between the avast, tunze, tunze nano, and the smart ato.  I also have limited space due to my tank's small footprint so I ended up going for the smart ato, even though it has less track records compared to the others.  Before purchase, my main concern was that there is no fail-safe like the tunze.

 

After using the smart ato for about half a year, it's a solid piece of equipment and it does have a build-in fail-safe. During refilling, if the water does not reach the proper height within a certain amount of time, the ato will shut off until manual reset, this prevents overflowing.  It has given me no trouble up to this point and I really like tiny size.

 

One potential issue is the chords length, especially since you will be running this in your tank which may be on a stand.  The chords were quite short, you may end up having to get your ATO water container up on a stand as well, just something to consider.

 

I did a more detailed video review here, hth: https://youtu.be/uWitwaxH7sk

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rockstarta78 Starfish

rockstarta78

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Thank you @PupChow and @WilRams. It looks nice. I also like the snack footprint. That was the other reason I was thinking about this.

 

Nice video @PupChow. Thanks for the review. How long is the chord? My reservoir will be under the stand. The stand is 28" tall.

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newbie2014 Tang

newbie2014

So I am thinking about getting an ATO. Since I don't have a sump, space is an issue. I am thinking about the smart ATO. Does anyone have any experience with the smart ATO? Are they good? Do they cause any issues down the road? I like the fact it doesn't have any moving parts and won't get stuck. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for starting this thread. I've been thinking about this unit as well, due to the size and simplicity.

And if you do mind I have some questions to ask also.

 

If I put it on a rimmed display tank, how far the water has to fall below the rim before it triggers a refill? And what is the maximum height (head loss) for the return pump to work?

 

Thanks

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rockstarta78 Starfish

rockstarta78

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Thank you for starting this thread. I've been thinking about this unit as well, due to the size and simplicity.

And if you do mind I have some questions to ask also.

 

If I put it on a rimmed display tank, how far the water has to fall below the rim before it triggers a refill? And what is the maximum height (head loss) for the return pump to work?

 

Thanks

Good question. I didn't even think about the pump head pressure.
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newbie2014 Tang

newbie2014

Good question. I didn't even think about the pump head pressure.

 

Yeah, the top rim of my display tank is about 4.5-5.0 ft off the ground so I have to make sure.

 

According the Caralvue website, the Smart ATO pump has a head (loss) of 6.5ft. It also looks like they are phasing out this unit. They do have a Micro Smart ATO, which uses the same pump as the bigger Smart ATO.  

 

My main concern is how low water level gets (below the top rim) before the pump kicks in. I want the water level to be just below the rim.  

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PupChow Master Reefer

PupChow

So the way it works is that the water level sits in the middle of the electronic eye, when the water gets lower than that the pump kicks in.  You will need about an inch of clearance between the top rim and the water to fit half the height of the Smart ATO unit.  Does that make sense?

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newbie2014 Tang

newbie2014

So the way it works is that the water level sits in the middle of the electronic eye, when the water gets lower than that the pump kicks in.  You will need about an inch of clearance between the top rim and the water to fit half the height of the Smart ATO unit.  Does that make sense?

 

That's exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you for the explaination.

 

So, the water level will be roughly an inch below the rim. I think I may have to look into the new Micro Smart ATO. Since its sensor housing is smaller (than the regular Smart ATO), the sensor will be closer to the top rim, resulting in higher water level.  

 

Thanks again, PupChow.

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