Favorite ATO for big tank: Tunze V3 vs ATK vs ReefATO

[H2OPlayar]

Hey Bar,

My float sensor on my Tunze 3155 (What a model name! Fancy branding is not the German way clearly). I really likes the robustness of the Tunze system, but there have been some advances. Neptune, Red Sea and Tunze all make a newer version.

Anyone have any reason to get one over the other? I am already in the Neptune ecosystem, but the Red Sea has some neat features like a built in thermometer and the Tunze is likely rock solid again with an advertised quieter motor.

 

[Alexander1312]

The engineers are in control of the products at Tunze, not the marketing folks. Some pros and cons to this approach.

I run the RedSea ATO at the IM 150 for over a year and it works well. Temp is not needed but otherwise very interesting data on evaporation etc.

However, I returned this ATO when running it also in the nano tank - with a proper sump - as the pump continued to stop working for no clear reasons other than potential air bubbles. And their outstanding customer service could not help (irony), and I have used the 3155 instead.

I do not know if I would buy any of the Neptune stuff anymore but I am camp Hydros so clearly biased.

 

[Patio]

Tunze 3155 (What a model name! Fancy branding is not the German way clearly)

Reef Beef did a funny bit about this on Sunday

I have never had a bad ATO or ATO go bad (knock on wood) or a big tank so I am not much of a reviewer. I have the newer Tunze ato and it is fine. Quiet. I like the use of RODI tubing. The wires are nice and pliable. I wonder if I should be cleaning the sensor every once in a while? There is a detachable covering over the sensor so cleaning it with a finger nail in 2 seconds is not possible. I do worry a little about brittle stars living behind the detachable covering and what issues that may cause.

I replace ATO's after a few/several years. Prior to Tunze, I used micro atos off the shelf at Aquatic Central.

 

[Alexander1312]

Reef Beef did a funny bit about this on Sunday

I have never had a bad ATO or ATO go bad (knock on wood) or a big tank so I am not much of a reviewer. I have the newer Tunze ato and it is fine. Quiet. I like the use of RODI tubing. The wires are nice and pliable. I wonder if I should be cleaning the sensor every once in a while? There is a detachable covering over the sensor so cleaning it with a finger nail in 2 seconds is not possible. I do worry a little about brittle stars living behind the detachable covering and what issues that may cause.

I replace ATO's after a few/several years. Prior to Tunze, I used micro atos off the shelf at Aquatic Central.

Good point on noise. The red sea is a bit louder. Tunze is more quiet.

 

[Srt4eric]

My neptune atk is loud and garbage...

 

[wazzupmac]

Redsea ATO is awesome!

 

[H2OPlayar]

My neptune atk is loud and garbage...

I wish it weren't, but I've heard this a bit. Tunze v3 is where I'm leaning.

Redsea ATO is awesome!

I really like the dosing pump too, which is why I wanted to hear experience

 

[Galoot]

I currently have the Neptune ATK. It’s not loud, but was quite finicky with getting clogged and not filling when the level was below the sensor. I drilled it out some, that alleviated the clogging problem. The sensors need a quick wipe every once in a while to function

Prior to that I had a tunze ato on my old tank. Never had an issue for the 10 years I had it. Just replaced the pump once. It never over or under filled. The only annoying thing was the loud buzzer when the float valve activated. Not sure if that is a feature in the new version.

 

[Devon]

I buying for a future build and I’m going with the Tunze V3. I currently am running a Neptune FMM with two of the newer magnetic optical sensors.

 

[H2OPlayar]

My LFS here sold me on the Red Sea, with telling me how many pumps of the V3 they sell from them burning out. They were Red sea hands down. I like the solid state sensor tech, and will let you know how it goes for setup.

 

[Arvin R]

My LFS here sold me on the Red Sea, with telling me how many pumps of the V3 they sell from them burning out. They were Red sea hands down. I like the solid state sensor tech, and will let you know how it goes for setup.

I went with the red sea and have been very happy with it aside from the temp sensor. I mainly ignore it as it reads a deg or 2 off from my inkbird which I have compared with my thermopen and pretty much reads the same. If you're lazy like me and put off refilling your ATO it gives you a warning when the res is low and another warning when it's completely out (unit knows by the pump running for a certain amount of time and no change in water level sensed. If this happens and the pump times out from running too long while refilling, you have to go into the app and hit resume and it will run to refill again. If you let your water level get too low, it can take multi interventions of pressing "resume" until the system can go back into nominal auto mode.

 

[H2OPlayar]

After setting up the Red Sea ato, I am very happy with it and will likely go that direction again if I need any more new ato's. The solid state sensor is very clever and I appreciate the well thought out mounting methods they give you.

That being said, it is nice to have a large number of interchangeable parts like I do with the V2 Tunze.

 

[MarcosD]

I’m having this debate myself currently. Debating between the following: Red Sea ATO, Innovative Marine HydroFill, Tunze. Don’t know the difference between the Tunze 3 and Tunze 3155, which one of those are the better ones? From what I’ve seen, people either love or hate the Red Sea ATO. Haven’t seen too many people with IM’s HydroFill.

 

[L/B Block]

I do have the Red Sea ato and like it. Funny enough the first sensor probe out of the box was defective in that the top sensor was faulty. That the other safety measure had kicked into gear (time max) actually gave me more confidence with their 3 levels of safety.

I also like the temp sensor as well. I have had two failures with the probe but Red Sea has sent me two ones promptly.
I also like that I can see it online and it senses when the pump starts running dry and will stop operations until you resume.


I had tried tunze in the past. Couldn’t deal with the beeping and didn’t help if I was gone for awhile.

 

[dangalang]

Anyone ever use an ATO that operates via pressure sensors instead of optical sensors, like the Avast ATO?

 

[L/B Block]

Anyone ever use an ATO that operates via pressure sensors instead of optical sensors, like the Avast ATO?

I have not used their ATO but I use their pressure sensor for my protein skimmer.

I occasionally test it by throwing the lid in the sump. So far it works pretty well.

 

[derek_SR]

It wasn’t an option but the Hydros ATO is very good if you’re on hydros. I’ve been using the same pump and sensor for 3 years (since I started my first tank) and haven’t really ever done any cleaning or maintenance and have had no issues.

 

[Arvin R]

I’m having this debate myself currently. Debating between the following: Red Sea ATO, Innovative Marine HydroFill, Tunze. Don’t know the difference between the Tunze 3 and Tunze 3155, which one of those are the better ones? From what I’ve seen, people either love or hate the Red Sea ATO. Haven’t seen too many people with IM’s HydroFill.

I've used the hydrofill. Errors out a lot!

 

[Arvin R]

Anyone ever use an ATO that operates via pressure sensors instead of optical sensors, like the Avast ATO?

Avast ATO works great and is very consistent in operation.

 

[Alexander1312]

It wasn’t an option but the Hydros ATO is very good if you’re on hydros. I’ve been using the same pump and sensor for 3 years (since I started my first tank) and haven’t really ever done any cleaning or maintenance and have had no issues.

This is great to know. I might use this as a backup to my Red Sea ATO when going on vacation in early June.

The 20 gallon freshwater container I normally use will not last the full 17 days I am gone. I am planning to connect another temporary container to my standard container with the Hydros ATO which will refill my regular container if it is empty. I assume the sensor will allow this type of programming.

Anyway, this solves a big problem, thank you.

P.S.: I assume this is the one you mean?

Coralvue HYDROS Triple Water Level Sensor ATO Kit | Premium Aquatics

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