Decrotive ATO Reservoir

[BMan]

Or I could use a quarter inch tubing check valve.

 

[Brew12]

If I placed a ATO discharge above normal water level it will never siphon.

If it is above the normal level of the ATO container it won't siphon.

A check valve won't let it function. Are you sure you aren't thinking of a back siphon?

 

[BMan]

My ATO will be discharging into the back of a jbj nano. My tank is above my ATO Reservoir

 

[Brew12]

My ATO will be discharging into the back of a jbj nano. My tank is above my ATO Reservoir

Fantastic, this should work great for you then.

I'll have to keep looking for another option unless I want to discharge my ATO into my DT.

 

[BMan]

If it is above the normal level of the ATO container it won't siphon.

A check valve won't let it function. Are you sure you aren't thinking of a back siphon?

I said discharge not Syphon. The check valve placed in the direction of flow, to the tank not back to the reservoir.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I did what @Ty Hamatake mentioned above......made a cabinet for the reservoir. I also took care of the siphon concern by using the "water cooler" design. By doing this, it puts the siphon height at the level of the five gallon buck, not the top of the water jug.

Here it is, not covered:

So my cover-up cabinet was made by first starting with a piece of 3/4 plywood cut to fit around the base, and then attached four caster wheels.

To this base, I attached three paneled sides, with the panels oh-so-slightly off the floor (so it could freely be rolled around.)

Here it is in place:

The added benefit of this roll around cabinet is that when I'm working on the tank and need a place to hold equipment or place something I'm pulling out of the tank, I simply roll this cabinet right next to me.

I also installed a float switch in the bucket that tells me when I need to put another jug of water there. (little green light)

 

[BMan]

My top off water vessel. I have a cork plug, prefilter and a ridged 3/16 tube on order. I'll drill a hole in the cork and insert the ridget tube through the cork, run a lenght of tube from the ridged tube in the bottle down to the floor and hide the prefilter behind the tank. The line going up to the tank will be out if site.

 

[Engloid]

How about putting it in a closet and tucking the plastic tube between the baseboard and carpet?

 

[BMan]

The floor is vinal. The closet is 20 feet away. This is the method I'm sticking with. Might not be the vase I settle on. I want to use something taller and more cylindrical.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

You could also find someting to put a container INTO.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cra...lU-H57BFDD8JldklOFSoSCfNzcSxc9pggEaXlmXBKJ6tL

This. Had a super ugly 5 gallon bucket. Went to target with the wife to find something to put it into and found a nice basket. It's blue and white chevron and It hides the bucket well and adds some color to next to the brown stand.

 

[BMan]

This. Had a super ugly 5 gallon bucket. Went to target with the wife to find something to put it into and found a nice basket. It's blue and white chevron and It hides the bucket well and adds some color to next to the brown stand.

That's a cool idea.

 

[SteveSTL]

Does anyone make an ATO that doesn't need a reservoir? Float switch in the tank, or magnets, or something that connects to a 12v NC solenoid valve?

Or do snails make beeline for such things and flood houses?

 

[Brew12]

Does anyone make an ATO that doesn't need a reservoir? Float switch in the tank, or magnets, or something that connects to a 12v NC solenoid valve?

Or do snails make beeline for such things and flood houses?

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. The water has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is typically called the reservoir. I have seen at least one system that doesn't use a pump but instead relies on valves opening to do the water add via gravity.

 

[SteveSTL]

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. The water has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is typically called the reservoir. I have seen at least one system that doesn't use a pump but instead relies on valves opening to do the water add via gravity.

I have a line run up from my RO/DI already with a manual valve that I use to top off. I'm wondering if someone makes a sensor that would tell a small solenoid valve that's inline with the RO/DI line to turn on and off.

 

[Brew12]

I have a line run up from my RO/DI already with a manual valve that I use to top off. I'm wondering if someone makes a sensor that would tell a small solenoid valve that's inline with the RO/DI line to turn on and off.

I think I understand what you are looking to do. You could look at using something along these lines.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/ro-water-controller-tunze.html

 

[redfishbluefish]

I have a line run up from my RO/DI already with a manual valve that I use to top off. I'm wondering if someone makes a sensor that would tell a small solenoid valve that's inline with the RO/DI line to turn on and off.

They do make a solenoid activated valve, but you don't want to do an ATO that is directly tied into your RO/DI unit:

This topic was just discussed HERE, and here's a summary of the reasons why you don't want to do it.

1. TDS breakthrough on startup: Every time your RO/DI shuts off, some dissolved solids "break through" the membrane causing high TDS on startup. With the ATO demanding water every 15 - 30 minutes, your RO/DI is starting once again, with that breakthrough TDS taken out by you DI. You will notice that you'll go through DI resin fairly quickly. My RO shoots up to the 50's in TDS on startup. I actually divert the first couple minutes of startup water to waste using a valve.

2. Maybe I'm paranoid, but that solenoid is going to eventually fail, and when it does, that's an unlimited amount of water that will continue to run, until you discover it. Too risky for me.

3. You are short-cycling the RO membrane which will lead to premature failure.

These should run when the RO reservoir is empty and fill it, they are not designed to be used as an ATO topoff mechanism.

 

[BMan]

I finally upgraded to a taller vase and stuck some decorative accent's in for effect.

 

[Engloid]

I top off 6 times a day, and it's tied direct to the RO system. I don't see spikes of tds on startup. I have a total of 9 stages to my RO system, including two RO membranes and three canisters of DI resin. My solenoid valve is a very high quality ASCO Red Had model that's used in industrial applications. It is normally closed, so if it fails, it will be closed. If it leaks, it feeds into my sump. If water gets too high in the sump, it drains into the house sump pump and is pumped outside. If salinity drops too low, my return pump turns off so that it isn't possible to continue to dilute the display water further. I also have alarms sent to my cell phone. I've pretty well covered all the bases. There are a lot more people that do this than you may realize. I have talked to a few guys that travel for work and have their tank 100% automated. I think they don't post about their system being direct to the RO unit, because they don't want to have to address these issues every time. Personally, in several years of doing this, I have had not one single failure that was not my own fault..leaving a valve open, switch on, etc. It can be done safely, but most people don't take the time to do it. For me, it was much easier than it would be to top off manually 6 times a day.

 

[Elder1945]

I finally upgraded to a taller vase and stuck some decorative accent's in for effect.

Looks great!

 

[Brew12]

I top off 6 times a day, and it's tied direct to the RO system. I don't see spikes of tds on startup. I have a total of 9 stages to my RO system, including two RO membranes and three canisters of DI resin. My solenoid valve is a very high quality ASCO Red Had model that's used in industrial applications. It is normally closed, so if it fails, it will be closed. If it leaks, it feeds into my sump. If water gets too high in the sump, it drains into the house sump pump and is pumped outside. If salinity drops too low, my return pump turns off so that it isn't possible to continue to dilute the display water further. I also have alarms sent to my cell phone. I've pretty well covered all the bases. There are a lot more people that do this than you may realize. I have talked to a few guys that travel for work and have their tank 100% automated. I think they don't post about their system being direct to the RO unit, because they don't want to have to address these issues every time. Personally, in several years of doing this, I have had not one single failure that was not my own fault..leaving a valve open, switch on, etc. It can be done safely, but most people don't take the time to do it. For me, it was much easier than it would be to top off manually 6 times a day.

I would have thought it is more common to have the RODI system tied into an intermediate ATO tank. Much less cycling on the RODI system this way and an extra safety buffer. Most systems I have seen actually have 2 storage units between the RODI filters and the DT's. The RODI unit fills a large container. The large container is used to supply the salt water container and the ATO container. The ATO container fills the DT.

I have no doubt that what you are describing will work and you look to have all the proper fail safes in place. Just not sure it has much benefit since most people with large systems also have large RODI and saltwater storage tanks.