Need a new ato
- Thread starter hiimsean
- Start date
If cleaning the optical sensor doesn't fix it, it can be replaced. If it's fairly new, you can just order one. If it's older, you can send it back to Tunze and they will replace it, because it needs calibration. I prefer Tunze because of the back up float.
I've read so many things about how frustrating optical sensors can be. I definitely prefer the ones with float switches.
Two things: one, try soaking it in citric acid for a spell - do not use vinegar! Vinegar breaks plastics down over time, where citric acid is a lot easier on them.
Second, I've been quite happy with my MagTool Duetto ATO so far. Sure, it too is an optical sensor, and @shanepike is definitely on to something with the float switches being SOMEWHAT more reliable... but they're also mechanically more complex, and have their own issues with getting stuck as a result of salt-creep in marine systems, depending on how they are designed: personally, I'd only use ones that were designed to be fully submerged during normal operation.
@Hunna was having problems with limpets and/or other small crustaceans covering his sensor and tripping the fill action - any chance yours has something similar going on?
On the MagTool: my only problems with it were the crappy holder for the tubing that doesn't force it into shape and allows the tube to kink... so I designed and printed my own tubing holder.
Also... the pump isn't the strongest in the world, but it doesn't need to be, and it still has plenty of head height for the 52" between the bottom of my ATO reservoir and the top of the tank.
Here is the general design of the tube holder:
And as installed on my tank:
No more kinked tubing!
While I was designing it, I kind of thought it looked like a Xenomorph... so I redesigned it:
But, I haven't printed it out just yet, I need to take a pass at drying all my desiccants and drying my filaments before I try anything with quite that much detail... and I've just had too much going on with Spring here and tons of seeding and yard work to be done.
Second, I've been quite happy with my MagTool Duetto ATO so far. Sure, it too is an optical sensor, and @shanepike is definitely on to something with the float switches being SOMEWHAT more reliable... but they're also mechanically more complex, and have their own issues with getting stuck as a result of salt-creep in marine systems, depending on how they are designed: personally, I'd only use ones that were designed to be fully submerged during normal operation.
@Hunna was having problems with limpets and/or other small crustaceans covering his sensor and tripping the fill action - any chance yours has something similar going on?
On the MagTool: my only problems with it were the crappy holder for the tubing that doesn't force it into shape and allows the tube to kink... so I designed and printed my own tubing holder.
Also... the pump isn't the strongest in the world, but it doesn't need to be, and it still has plenty of head height for the 52" between the bottom of my ATO reservoir and the top of the tank.
Here is the general design of the tube holder:
And as installed on my tank:
No more kinked tubing!
While I was designing it, I kind of thought it looked like a Xenomorph... so I redesigned it:
But, I haven't printed it out just yet, I need to take a pass at drying all my desiccants and drying my filaments before I try anything with quite that much detail... and I've just had too much going on with Spring here and tons of seeding and yard work to be done.
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This is the ATO I use now. No problems with it at all.
