Auto Top Off Tips (2 Viewers)

[H2OHOH]

I have been pretty good at weekly water changes, generally 10-15%. Not the worst thing I do.

However, I have an extra Dos and was thinking of doing auto water changes. I was wondering for those tha have done this, any tips or tricks

What % do you change out a week or a month?

How much brewed salt water do you have on hand. I like to try and have 3-4 weeks of things do I’m not creating weekly todos.

Better to have brewed water closer to tank or does it mater?

I’ve heard people seem to like ATO…please share ant do and don’t s

 

[spsick]

I do 15% weekly on my DoS AWC. I like to have 2 weeks worth of water so I have time to forget still refill it in time.

Only trick is to not use the “wizard” setup because then it runs one of the pumps backwards for some reason, making it way more complicated to regularly calibrate the pumps.

I love it and it’s been very reliable for years with no issues.

 

[MistakesWereMade]

I am guessing my system volume at around 250 gallons. 200 gallon tank, 40 gallon refugium, 44 gallon sump.

I have a 55 gallon RO tank for ATO. At roughly 1% daily evaporation rate it will last about 3 weeks. Could leave a few manual valves on to have constant supply if needed but for safety sake I shut them.

For AWC, I use a 75 gallon tank for fresh saltwater. I do all my mixing in a 30 gallon brute. When it gets to the right salinity I use a transfer pump to the 75. For roughly the last 3 years I have been doing 3 gallons a day. Was originally shooting for 15% but I never changed it when I added the refugium tank. Again this gives me about 3 weeks with an additional week being mixed in the brute but I would need to transfer it.

The DOS has a maximum limit / speed. I have no idea if the new quiet DOS is much better but the old ones are louder the faster you go. Since it has a maximum speed it will break it up into intervals. But all you need to do is set the start/end time and volume. If you want the AWC to be over a 24 hour period I think you can do that. I do mine over 5 hours beginning at midnight. It does an interval every 10 minutes. So it runs the pump for about 3-4 minutes then is off until the next interval. I could do it faster but then the pump runs faster (also louder).

I do any dosing after AWC is complete. ATO also remains ON the entire time. Had some initial concerns but it wasn't an issue.

 

[asifiqbal2]

@MistakesWereMade i have a similar setup to you, tank and refugium are similar except 75 gallon tank for sump. I have experimented with and without refugium and religiously testing water parameters.
In my opinion with the refugium with proper lighting and traces, every two weeks water change works best for me. Basing it on observation on SPS frags puddling and growth.

 

[asifiqbal2]

Also following the thread to learn from you all that are doing auto water changes. I have not done that yet as I am still learning the system behavior against husbandry