Auto Top off Container???

Snelly40 · 04-17-2007, 11:01 AM

hey guys, well i installed my auto top off last night, wow these are really needed on a bigger tank huh!!!!

anyway, all i need is to slide in a container and pour in some RO water, my question is regaurding safety. I know you guys have mentioned certain containers to stay away from. Is rubbermade ok, or is there something in specific i should look for or stay away from???

i was thinking any of these...
18 Gallon Tote Blue Streak

14 Gallon Roughneck Tote

these kind of things ok?

Snelly40 · 04-17-2007, 11:31 AM

not sure if i have space for those however, what if i used a trash bin, new of course, so i can utilize the height of the stand?

Frankie · 04-17-2007, 02:12 PM

I think any inert plastic container is ok for fresh water top off. Rubbermaid is fine.

Snelly40 · 04-17-2007, 02:29 PM

ok, just making sure, i know there can be things to look for when storing salt water or mixing salt water, so i just wanted to make sure nothing would harm my toip off water.
thanks

Woodstock · 04-17-2007, 02:58 PM

Food grade plastic is always best. You may get po4 leaching from the smaller trash cans. Keep an eye on any new algae issues....

Snelly40 · 04-17-2007, 04:20 PM

is there food grade plastic that is big enough for auto top off, i'd love if it could hold a couple of gallons at least. i have an area in the stand that is about 15x10 and as high as the stand, tanks

what about something like a cooler, or large tupperware?

Woodstock · 04-17-2007, 04:32 PM

I've used all sorts of plastic containers for ATO with no issues. But I've not used ro/di water; I've mixed kalk water in them. The calcium in the kalk will bind with po4 and settle out of precipitation. Thus, I have never had any algae issues. Pure ro/Di water can absorb nasties pretty quickly. Just like soaking new carbon in ro/di; the ro/di will remove a lot of the po4 from it....

Snelly40 · 04-17-2007, 04:57 PM

iif i mix in my calcium and alk in the conatiner, is that better, less chance of any absorbtion?

Phyxius · 04-17-2007, 07:59 PM

I used 5 gallon buckets for my Tunze ATO systems with no problems. I then made a side cabinet to house a bunch of equipment and needed a custom size like you mentioned. I had this made to fit in the spot I needed and it holds 11 gals of RO/DI water and is 8 1/2" x 17" x 18"H. Made with acrylic so no worries about anything leaching into the tank. Granted it costs more but will last awhile
Look for anything food grade and you should be fine and something durable. Nothing worse than a container of RO/DI water splitting/cracking and dumping all out. I know some things made by sterilte are really brittle and crack prone.

Frankie · 04-17-2007, 09:55 PM

Nice box Mike!

Phyxius · 04-17-2007, 10:06 PM

FFrankie,
Thanks. I sent the measurements and idea of what I needed off to a guy in Ohio that someone suggested and was a little aprehensive when he told me the cost (really cheap) but gave the go ahead. I was more than impressed when I got it a few weeks later and the hinged lid was a plus plus the holes for ATO lines I mentioned to him. It was made to fit in my cabinet here:

Snelly40,
Sorry to side track your post some.......

Woodstock · 04-18-2007, 09:09 AM

Nice Mike!!

boozeman · 04-18-2007, 10:03 AM

that sure is sweet

Snelly40 · 04-24-2007, 08:28 AM

WOW!, thats nice...
no u didnt sidetrack at all, right in line with what i need.
for the mean time i am using a water jug from my lfs that holds 5 gallons, i used to use it to trasnport RO/DI from the LFS, so i just cut part of the top off it so i could add the pump .

could i ask how much that box cost you? and where u got it?

BigAl07 · 04-24-2007, 08:35 AM

I'm with Snelly on this one! If you don't want to post out in the "open" maybe you could PM us that guys information! Would be a GREAT resource to have for future projects.

Allen

04-17-2007, 11:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,446 View Gallery Karma Komment	Auto Top off Container??? hey guys, well i installed my auto top off last night, wow these are really needed on a bigger tank huh!!!! anyway, all i need is to slide in a container and pour in some RO water, my question is regaurding safety. I know you guys have mentioned certain containers to stay away from. Is rubbermade ok, or is there something in specific i should look for or stay away from??? i was thinking any of these... 18 Gallon Tote Blue Streak 14 Gallon Roughneck Tote these kind of things ok? __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

04-17-2007, 11:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,446 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? not sure if i have space for those however, what if i used a trash bin, new of course, so i can utilize the height of the stand? __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

04-17-2007, 02:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 7,119 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? I think any inert plastic container is ok for fresh water top off. Rubbermaid is fine. __________________ Bruce: Today's meeting is Step 5: Bring a fish friend. Everyone brought a fish friend? DIY=DO IT YOURSELF! If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

04-17-2007, 02:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,446 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? ok, just making sure, i know there can be things to look for when storing salt water or mixing salt water, so i just wanted to make sure nothing would harm my toip off water. thanks __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

04-17-2007, 02:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,857 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? Food grade plastic is always best. You may get po4 leaching from the smaller trash cans. Keep an eye on any new algae issues.... __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

04-17-2007, 04:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,446 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? is there food grade plastic that is big enough for auto top off, i'd love if it could hold a couple of gallons at least. i have an area in the stand that is about 15x10 and as high as the stand, tanks what about something like a cooler, or large tupperware? __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

04-17-2007, 04:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,857 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? I've used all sorts of plastic containers for ATO with no issues. But I've not used ro/di water; I've mixed kalk water in them. The calcium in the kalk will bind with po4 and settle out of precipitation. Thus, I have never had any algae issues. Pure ro/Di water can absorb nasties pretty quickly. Just like soaking new carbon in ro/di; the ro/di will remove a lot of the po4 from it.... __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

04-17-2007, 04:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,446 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? iif i mix in my calcium and alk in the conatiner, is that better, less chance of any absorbtion? __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

04-17-2007, 07:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
Phyxius Fire Coral Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Durham NC Posts: 64 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? I used 5 gallon buckets for my Tunze ATO systems with no problems. I then made a side cabinet to house a bunch of equipment and needed a custom size like you mentioned. I had this made to fit in the spot I needed and it holds 11 gals of RO/DI water and is 8 1/2" x 17" x 18"H. Made with acrylic so no worries about anything leaching into the tank. Granted it costs more but will last awhile Look for anything food grade and you should be fine and something durable. Nothing worse than a container of RO/DI water splitting/cracking and dumping all out. I know some things made by sterilte are really brittle and crack prone. __________________ ----------------------------------------------------- 90G Reef, 29g Reef/Frag tank, 24g AP, 12g JBJ. 210G just bought/starting Mike

04-17-2007, 09:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 7,119 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? Nice box Mike! __________________ Bruce: Today's meeting is Step 5: Bring a fish friend. Everyone brought a fish friend? DIY=DO IT YOURSELF! If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

04-17-2007, 10:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
Phyxius Fire Coral Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Durham NC Posts: 64 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? FFrankie, Thanks. I sent the measurements and idea of what I needed off to a guy in Ohio that someone suggested and was a little aprehensive when he told me the cost (really cheap) but gave the go ahead. I was more than impressed when I got it a few weeks later and the hinged lid was a plus plus the holes for ATO lines I mentioned to him. It was made to fit in my cabinet here: Snelly40, Sorry to side track your post some....... __________________ ----------------------------------------------------- 90G Reef, 29g Reef/Frag tank, 24g AP, 12g JBJ. 210G just bought/starting Mike

04-18-2007, 09:09 AM	#12 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,857 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? Nice Mike!! __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

04-18-2007, 10:03 AM	#13 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? that sure is sweet __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

04-24-2007, 08:28 AM	#14 (permalink)
Snelly40 Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 2,446 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Auto Top off Container??? WOW!, thats nice... no u didnt sidetrack at all, right in line with what i need. for the mean time i am using a water jug from my lfs that holds 5 gallons, i used to use it to trasnport RO/DI from the LFS, so i just cut part of the top off it so i could add the pump . could i ask how much that box cost you? and where u got it? __________________ Snelly's 90gal Reef-O-Rama *Member-"Crabs Are Evil" Society* In Hoc Signo Vinces

04-24-2007, 08:35 AM	#15 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 10,619 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Auto Top off Container??? I'm with Snelly on this one! If you don't want to post out in the "open" maybe you could PM us that guys information! Would be a GREAT resource to have for future projects. Allen __________________ Allen Allen's testimonial . . ."Let Me help you help YOURSELF" (Click Here) with a SW set up there is one basic fundamental rule that we ALL should follow *When in doubt... wait it out. This means take it slow and let the tank "develop" and don't rush it. Time is your friend Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef Reef Balls & Cakes Debt Free & Change your Family Tree!!

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