How automated is your system?

snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
How hands off is your system?

I remember the days of manually dripping limewater, manually cleaning skimmer cups, doin water changes with buckets. Hauling freshwater for top off and manually topping off the tank twice or more a week.
With all of the automation that is going on in this hobby, what have you purchased, why, and how has it benefitted the system? Is being hands off in a sense a detriment,... Keeping you from doing regular maintenance and staying ever vigilant?

I have a top off system and a way that I don't have to haul water for a water change. I just ordered a kalk stirrer for auto dosing of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and strontium. My lights are on an apex Jr. Controller and it monitors the temp to control the heater and cuts my lights off automatically if it goes above a certain temperature. I like my automated processed. My favorite is the ATO.

How automated is your system? Benefit or detriment?
 
pegasus

pegasus

Well-Known Member
I have an ATO float attached to my RO/DI system in the refugium. I also have timers on my lights, and a delay timer on my skimmer. Do those count?

I have a system to change water without carrying it, also. I have a siphon hose with a U attached to the tank. The U is at the correct depth to remove the exact amount of water in my mixing vat. I start a siphon and it drains to that point, at which time it stops. I have another hose with a U attached to the tank that carries the new saltwater to the tank. I attach this hose to the pump in the vat (mixing pump) and flip a switch. The water gets pumped until the vat in nearly empty, and water starts draining into the refugium. I flip the switch off, turn the power strip with the return pumps back on, and check the water level in the fuge. I may have to dip a cup or two from the vat to level it out, but it's usually pretty close. That's about as automated as my system gets... unless I can count the thermostatically controlled heaters, too.

I don't relish the thought of carrying 30 gallons of saltwater (each way) to do a water change, so what little I have automated (or semi-automated) is a benefit to me.
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
I have an ATO system, my LEDs have a timer program and my return pump has a 10 minute delay timer for feeding but I can't use it because I also have to shut down my skimmer or it goes nuts. That's it. The rest is all hands on. Keeps me busy and involved with my tank.
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
My only automation is timers on lights. Looking at doing an ATO in the near future. I'd like to set up a place in my basement to have premixed saltwater that I can pump upstairs directly into the sump for water changes.
 
pegasus

pegasus

Well-Known Member
silverado61 said:
I have an ATO system, my LEDs have a timer program and my return pump has a 10 minute delay timer for feeding but I can't use it because I also have to shut down my skimmer or it goes nuts. That's it. The rest is all hands on. Keeps me busy and involved with my tank.
Click to expand...
That's exactly why I have a delay timer on my skimmer. If the power goes out, or I shut down the main pumps, there's a 5 minute delay before the skimmer pump turns on after power is restored. The delay allows the water level in the sump to go back to it's normal level. I was tired of it blowing the lid off every time the lights went out, so I invested in a delay timer. Haven't had a single overflow since.

PS: I guess that's another automated feature to add to my feeble list! LOL!!!
 
pegasus

pegasus

Well-Known Member
lmforbis said:
My only automation is timers on lights. Looking at doing an ATO in the near future. I'd like to set up a place in my basement to have premixed saltwater that I can pump upstairs directly into the sump for water changes.
Click to expand...
It sure makes life a lot easier. No strained back, and no sloshed water all over the place. Now if I can only come up with a system that mixes a fresh batch of saltwater, drains the tank, refills the tank, and does it all automatically, I'll be set. I need to be able to build this system for less than $100. I don't see it happening...
 
Bryce E

Bryce E

Active Member
No automation.. however once I have the time and the money I intend on making my system as fully automated as possible. Not necessarily out of laziness but I'd like to see what can be achieved in this area... and with the way computer tech has gone I'd imagine that what can be automated is only as limited as ones pocket book...lol Back when it was my dream to make a living in the hobby.. about 10 years ago there wasn't really any automation to speak of on the market beyond the timers that could shut off and turn on your lights. Now you can control almost everything from your phone and get alerts while you're on vacation...lol. But I always wanted to create a system that was truly automated. To the point that it measured salt and mixed new saltwater, performed water changes. Something that checked all water parameters and made adjustments according to the findings... It would really create more long term success to have something checking out your system every hour with exact measurements and making good decisions for the inhabitants based upon those readings. Cool thread, wish I had something to contribute other than saying how cool it is and that someday I'll actually participate. Soon threads like this will be much different.. you will be asked you to upload your tanks system data instead of telling each other what's going on..lol
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Bryce,

I really like my Apex. A lot of the features you described are part of the Apex programming. I just have the Jr., but the full version is pretty nifty if you have all of the probes. In fact, you can post your data from the reeflink to a forum. The only thing I don't like is that it has to have a wire connection to a router or modem for system/software updates.

I wish there were an automatic water change system - but even if there were, proper water changes by cleaning out built up detritus would still be necessary. Sometimes maintenance is just part of the hobby. If it were any more automated, you would be paying someone else to do it.

What other modes of automation are there?

Anyone else like to share?
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
Currently I have a gravity fed ATO and that's it.

I don't even have any lights! Waiting for the replacement from the manufacturer, any day now...
Then have my power heads and heaters. That's it.

Of course I'm plotting a major upgrade with all equipment and everything. Right now I just have fish and inverts, nothing else. I plan to ready the tank for corals and start that this year.
 
pegasus

pegasus

Well-Known Member
pegasus said:
I have an ATO float attached to my RO/DI system in the refugium. I also have timers on my lights, and a delay timer on my skimmer. Do those count?

I have a system to change water without carrying it, also. I have a siphon hose with a U attached to the tank. The U is at the correct depth to remove the exact amount of water in my mixing vat. I start a siphon and it drains to that point, at which time it stops. I have another hose with a U attached to the tank that carries the new saltwater to the tank. I attach this hose to the pump in the vat (mixing pump) and flip a switch. The water gets pumped until the vat in nearly empty, and water starts draining into the refugium. I flip the switch off, turn the power strip with the return pumps back on, and check the water level in the fuge. I may have to dip a cup or two from the vat to level it out, but it's usually pretty close. That's about as automated as my system gets... unless I can count the thermostatically controlled heaters, too.

I don't relish the thought of carrying 30 gallons of saltwater (each way) to do a water change, so what little I have automated (or semi-automated) is a benefit to me.
Click to expand...
I forgot to mention that my water changes are performed from my basement. I don't have to see the tank(s) to know how much water gets drained or when I've pumped enough back into them. Once water starts flowing back into the fuge, I know I'm very close. Once I turn the return pumps back on, I may have to add a few cups to the fuge to get the proper water level. I mix, drain, and fill from an area of less than 4 feet. It's a simple, easy process.

I also forgot to mention that I have wavemaker controllers on my powerheads. I guess those are automated, too... lol!
 
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