Best ATO ideas for Picos

Beano1169 · #1 08-05-2012, 08:45 PM

Hey all I have been doing some research and noticing that my pico evaps hard so I am curious on which builds of ATO for picos are the best and I am kinda looking to do it on the cheap. please let me know some ideas so I can start attempting some proto types

Thanks

Nano · #2 08-05-2012, 08:48 PM

I've seen a lot of nanos/picos on nanoreef with rabbit water bottle atos. Not sure how they work though.

Beano1169 · #3 08-05-2012, 09:41 PM

I have seen those types, as well as some battery operated atos with floats and stuff

Kronk · #4 08-06-2012, 05:52 AM

Float switch and an aqua-lifter is the easiest way to go. Just be sure to make a guard around the float switch. I have a float switch in my sump connected to a powerhead in a 5g bucket, but for a pico go with the lifter.

mike31154 · #5 08-06-2012, 02:34 PM

If you can rig some sort of container above the display you can do a gravity feed through a mechanical float switch with some tubing & a few fittings. That way there's no electricity involved & one less failure scenario. The trick will be finding a small enough mechanical float switch that it won't be too intrusive in such a small display.

However you end up doing it be advised that there's not much room for error with a pico, so test it well before taking off on a holiday. Even then, have someone look in on the tank every day. Limit the size of your top up container so that the results of a failure aren't too disastrous.

I use a pressurized glass wine carboy for ATO on my 77 gal. Post #24 in the following thread shows the set up.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...&highlight=ATO