ATO Reservoir

[Leadfootedracer]

What is everyone using as a reservoir for their ATO?

In the coming months, I will be upgrading my setup with a reef keeper, some cooling fans for both the cabinet and the tank, removing the lids, and adding an ATO.

Currently I average about 3 gallons of top off a week. This is with mixed use of the lids. Some days, the tank gets excessively hot and I open the lids, and some days it doesn't and they stay closed. I assume being topless all the time will yield a much higher volume of weekly top off water.

The reservoir must fit next to my sump under my cabinet. Apartment living (with a wife and 2 kids) doesn't allow me to have fish stuff scattered all over the place.

Something in the 12x12x18 range would be ideal. I currently keep a full 5g bucket stashed behind a chair for my top offs, so something bigger than 5 gallons is necessary. I will continue to keep the bucket stashed, but it would be for topping off the top off reservoir.

Also, is there a need to have anything in the reservoir aside from the pump, like an air stone or powerhead?




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[s_kelley]

50 gallon foods safe drum

 

[Leadfootedracer]

50 gallon foods safe drum

Man i wish I had room for that, or a way to disguise it from the wife. Haha


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[s_kelley]

Ya lucked out w my basement fish room, no need to disguise it

 

[Rone]

What are some cheaper smaller ones. I only need something in the 5 gallon range.

 

[Jim Tansey]

What is everyone using as a reservoir for their ATO?

In the coming months, I will be upgrading my setup with a reef keeper, some cooling fans for both the cabinet and the tank, removing the lids, and adding an ATO.

Currently I average about 3 gallons of top off a week. This is with mixed use of the lids. Some days, the tank gets excessively hot and I open the lids, and some days it doesn't and they stay closed. I assume being topless all the time will yield a much higher volume of weekly top off water.

The reservoir must fit next to my sump under my cabinet. Apartment living (with a wife and 2 kids) doesn't allow me to have fish stuff scattered all over the place.

Something in the 12x12x18 range would be ideal. I currently keep a full 5g bucket stashed behind a chair for my top offs, so something bigger than 5 gallons is necessary. I will continue to keep the bucket stashed, but it would be for topping off the top off reservoir.

Also, is there a need to have anything in the reservoir aside from the pump, like an air stone or powerhead?




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Sounds like your describing a 10 gal tank.

Jim

 

[s_kelley]

A glass tank w a lid works, sturdy and easy to desquise

 

[Dekon]

What are some cheaper smaller ones. I only need something in the 5 gallon range.

5 gallon Home Depot bucket.

 

[STiTCH87]

Cheapest 5g-10g range is an AGA aquarium tank from Petco during the $1 per gallon sale.
No need for a powerhead or air stone. It's just zero TDS water, so need movement needed as there's nothing to settle, plus the equipment would run dry.
I have seen tanks with large reservoirs (in the 20g range) implement a heater laying flat at the bottom, and the ATO pump on plastic egg crate higher than the heater that way during ATO usage it's topping off with water of the same temp, but that wouldn't apply to most people here.

I have a 5g EcoPico glass aquarium cube tank beside my sump. Both fit perfectly to the exact width dimensions of the inside of my stand. No head loss, and I don't hear it go off.
I pair it with a Smart ATO and I have a 5g bucket on wheels I fill with fresh RO water that has a pump & hose in it I use to pump the fresh RO water into the reservoir. I never lift buckets of water ever.
Even my water change bucket with waste water I pump empty into a drain. Saves my back.

A basic 5-10g AGA tank from Petco's dollar per gallon sales are an ever better and cheaper option though but I had the tank anyways and it already had a glass lid so evaporation in there is minimal but not fully sealed like a bucket so no algae growth inside. I still wipe it with a towel each time it is empty.

 

[dannyp02908]

Man i wish I had room for that, or a way to disguise it from the wife. Haha


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A way to disguise it. Lol. I got you. I had a 34 gallon brute, tucked in an empty corner. Small pump and 1/4 inch tubing plumbed to the tank. Covered it with a nice cloth and put a lamp on it. You can omit the lamp for a nice plant as well. Worked well.

 

[Leadfootedracer]

A way to disguise it. Lol. I got you. I had a 34 gallon brute, tucked in an empty corner. Small pump and 1/4 inch tubing plumbed to the tank. Covered it with a nice cloth and put a lamp on it. You can omit the lamp for a nice plant as well. Worked well.

I have thought about this. I will run it by her, since she may actually buy into it. Haha


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[PSU4ME]

I got mine from advanced acrylic. Not cheap but it looks good next to a stand.

 

[Owen386]

Just buy a 5 gallon plastic jug with a lid and place inside decorative basket/laundry etc...

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[Leadfootedracer]

Just buy a 5 gallon plastic jug with a lid and place inside decorative basket/laundry etc...

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5 gallons isn't enough. I keep a 5'er on deck to top off myself. Not worth spending all that coin for ATO when I've got to fill the reservoir all the damn time too. LoL.

I'm hoping to get up over 10 gallons, but without getting out of the stand it looks like it won't happen.


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[Leadfootedracer]

I'm starting to get a little concerned about this. I'm months away from a ReefKeeper and ATO, but im noticing a lot of people are using 5 gal containers for this.

How often should I be going thru 5 gallons? With leaving the lids OPEN, not even off, I go thru 5 gal in about 5 days.


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