Top Off Container

[maginter 2]

Hi All -

I wanted to see what people were doing for an ATO container.  I would like an acrylic one, but not for the asking prices for $140 to $180.  I would like something in a 10 gallon that would fit a 10" x 16" footprint and is about 16" high.  So what is everyone using?

TIA,

Mark

[Jaco 54]

I use my blue Lowe's 5 Gallon bucket.

BRS occasionally has Trigger ATO containers on sale.

[Gonzo620 178]

I use a 55 gal drum.  You could just use a 10 gallon tank. $10 at a dollar per gal sale. Paint the outside black. Make a lid out acrylic. Probably cost another $10 at lowes. 

[splix 60]

25g blue poly bin from walmart. 

[Luke33 261]

I have used brutes, glass tanks and acrylic ato reservoirs.  Just get whatever fits your size and price as anything reef safe will work.  All I can say is the bigger the better. 

[Reefer82 198]

I used a modded Salinity bucket.   Drilled 2 holes in the lid and put rubber grommets in to feed the tubing and wires from my Tunze 3155 through and with the ratcheting lid it's sealed, less worry of kids ever putting something in and it stays clean.  They hold close to 7 gallons.  I think I have about $2 in that thing.

I have one under my 100g and my 20g frag tank.  Frag tank top off only needs filled like once every 2 weeks.  Big tank about a week.  

The only negative about a huge ato is if something malfunctions you can end up with a bit of a flood or worse hyposalinity if it's really big.  I always check the back up float on mine when I fill the ato container.  It should never overflow with exception if I just fill it and I were to lose power immediately I'd end up with about a gallon on the floor.