ATO/heater recommendations for nano tanks

[YHSublime]

Looking for any ATO recommendations for a tight space. Also, heaters!

 

 

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[khh27]

IM hydrofill and smart/micro ato both very good slim options. Cobalt neo-therm is the slimmest I can think off.

 

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[YHSublime]

IM hydrofill and smart/micro ato both very good slim options. Cobalt neo-therm is the slimmest I can think off.

 

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Any hands on experience with either of them? I've only ever used Avasts ATO.

 

 

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[Ben A]

Tunze Osmolator Nano 3152 

Cobalt neo-therm

Edited August 16, 2017 by Ben A

[Ben A]

I had the Hydrofill when it first came out, it was terribly unreliable. The sensor was terrible and the pump was overpriced. Maybe its changed but Tunze Osmolator/Osmolator Nano has a long track record and the nano was great when I had a nano. 

[khh27]

Neo-therm and smart ato yes. Hydrofill no. I would have suggested Tunze ato but didn't know how tight you were referring to Tunze if you had the room. Smart ato second.

 

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[YHSublime]

Tunze Osmolator Nano 3152 

Cobalt neo-therm

I had the Hydrofill when it first came out, it was terribly unreliable. The sensor was terrible and the pump was overpriced. Maybe its changed but Tunze Osmolator/Osmolator Nano has a long track record and the nano was great when I had a nano. 

 

Cool, I'll take a look at the Tunze. It's not of great importance, as I'm normally just doing manual top offs, but I'm getting ready to add corals, and I don't want to let it slide for so long that I forget about it. If it weren't for the giant float valves on Avast, I'd just go that way again. It's hard to get a good picture on what's what bc I think a lot of people don't set them up right. The neo therm looks perfect, a bit pricey, but I remember Cobalt water heater's being cream de la cream. 

 

Neo-therm and smart ato yes. Hydrofill no. I would have suggested Tunze ato but didn't know how tight you were referring to Tunze if you had the room. Smart ato second.

 

Cool, I'll check it out, thanks!

[molcott]

I have the tunze nano ato and the float valve is kinda big so you may wanna go with the smart ato but the cobalt neo therm heater is nice and slim

[YHSublime]

I have the tunze nano ato and the float valve is kinda big so you may wanna go with the smart ato but the cobalt neo therm heater is nice and slim

 

How big is the float valve? I have a 4"x2" space

[molcott]

it will fit in that no problem

[VTBig053]

I also use the smart ato micro and a neotherm in my fluval evo 13.5. The ATO has been great so far. I did have a neo therm crap out on me but cobalt replaced foc and even sent it overnight, so I am still using the replacement without issue.

[Nart]

I personally don't recommend the Tunze Nano Osmolator. That ATO failed on me big time. the float switch was on the off position and it was pumping water into my tank every 5-10 seconds. I tried cleaning and messing with the float switch. Couldn't fix it. Luckily I was home otherwise it would've dumped my 5 gallon bucket into my 25 gallon tank.

 

I switched to the Smart MicroATO and have had no issues with it. Comes with a failsafe where it shut itself off if the top off is too long.

 

Cobalt Neo-therm all the way.

[Ben A]

The tunze nano also has an automatic cut off

[YHSublime]

I personally don't recommend the Tunze Nano Osmolator. That ATO failed on me big time. the float switch was on the off position and it was pumping water into my tank every 5-10 seconds. I tried cleaning and messing with the float switch. Couldn't fix it. Luckily I was home otherwise it would've dumped my 5 gallon bucket into my 25 gallon tank.

 

I switched to the Smart MicroATO and have had no issues with it. Comes with a failsafe where it shut itself off if the top off is too long.

 

Cobalt Neo-therm all the way.

The tunze nano also has an automatic cut off

 

Strange, what I've read about the tunze nano is that the auto shut off is more of a PIA than the problem Nart had. Something like if the pump runs for more than 3 minutes, it shuts off and you have to manually restart it (like unplug and plug back in)

[Nart]

The automatic shut-off on the Tunze wouldn't have mattered in my situation.

I was watching the Tunze Nano ATO pump in short bursts of 3 seconds of water and then stop for about 10 seconds and pump in another 3 seconds. I was watching it for a good while and tried to plug/re-plug, cleaned off float switch. Nothing worked. It didn't matter if the float switch was above or under water. It brimmed my tank to the top. So finally I just called Amazon because it was just a few days past their 30 day return policy. The unit failed on me in 32 days!! Luckily I was home! and luckily Amazon let me return it.

Edited August 17, 2017 by Nart

[YHSublime]

The automatic shut-off on the Tunze wouldn't have mattered in my situation.

I was watching the Tunze Nano ATO pump in short bursts of 3 seconds of water and then stop for about 10 seconds and pump in another 3 seconds. I was watching it for a good while and tried to plug/re-plug, cleaned off float switch. Nothing worked. It didn't matter if the float switch was above or under water. It brimmed my tank to the top. So finally I just called Amazon because it was just a few days past their 30 day return policy. The unit failed on me in 32 days!! Luckily I was home! and luckily Amazon let me return it.

 

What was the location on the float valve? Glad you got your money back, Amazon is a gem. 

[Nart]

I have one of those AIO tanks. The Innovative Marine 25 Lagoon to be precise.

Both the ATO's (Tunze and Smart Micro) float valve/sensors sits in the same place. In my AIO sump, near the last chamber. Where my water remains constant.

[Der ABT]

Why dont you just put a peristaltic on a timer and just check salinity every so often? You should be able to get you evap in a few days

[YHSublime]

Why dont you just put a peristaltic on a timer and just check salinity every so often? You should be able to get you evap in a few days

 

Brilliant. 

[Nart]

Why dont you just put a peristaltic on a timer and just check salinity every so often? You should be able to get you evap in a few days

Peristaltic what what? What is that? lol

 

 

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[YHSublime]

Peristaltic what what? What is that? lol

 

This wiki can explain it better than I can, but it's pretty much what we use in this hobby for dosing, see this pump for example. At $70 I could have this top off the tank once I figure out what my evap rate is. Something as small as a 13 gallon makes that easier to use this on than lets say, a 50 gallon, even. 

[Nart]

Appreciate the explanation! I'll have to look into one of these

 

 

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[badger0403]

I've used the tunze osmolator nano and the smart ato micro, and the micro is the winner for me hands down. My osmolator stuck closed while I was on vaca once and my return was sucking air by the time I got home. I actually got email alerts from my apex about the temp dropping because the heater was in the same compartment as the ato.

 

I've only had the smart ato micro for a couple months but the size is awesome, pump is silent, and I have had 0 issues with reliability.

 

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[rockstarta78]

Neo-therm and smart ato yes. Hydrofill no. I would have suggested Tunze ato but didn't know how tight you were referring to Tunze if you had the room. Smart ato second.

 

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I have the micro smart ato. I've been using it for almost 2 years. I am trying to rate it 5 out of 5, what's your take on ATO?