Do you keep a heater in your ATO resevior?

[MikeNapoli]

Do you? Or do you think it would be a good idea? Bad idea?

My Topoff water is very cold and it only drips. It really doesn't effect the temp of the tank but I was thinking that temp effects Ph as well as other variables in the Saltwater. So i was curious and thought i'd ask.

 

[Baxreefs]

Good question Mike!

I do not heat my ATO. I use a metering pump from a reservoir and top off thru a Klak mixer. Kalk, actually stays in solution well in cold water. For this reason I don't heat my ATO reservoir. Someone may have a more scientific reason as to why this is true, but I am sure it is. Sorry, but my brain is filled with so much Geochemistry and reef chemistry and I barley got thru any chemistry in school, that I am baffled that I know that much!

 

[MikeNapoli]

I didn't think anyone heated it. I'm pretty sure the half a gallon every 6 hours isn't gonna do much to my tank temp.

 

[Brian]

FWIW I heat mine. I don't have it at tank temperature, I keep it @ 75 degrees and have a little pump for circulation.

 

[sinkingbeach]

The reason I don't heat mine is to lower the tanks temp even if it's only a minuscule drop.

 

[reeferwanabe]

I heat mine beach has a good point

 

[mikem]

The reason I don't heat mine is to lower the tanks temp even if it's only a minuscule drop.

Same here. My chiller runs a little less every other day when my top off runs.

 

[Jcurry@wesketch]

I don't heat mine mainly to save money on my electric bill since my reservior is in my unheated basement and easily gets down to 50 degrees in the winter.

 

[reeferwanabe]

just unpluged mine. always nice to save a little electric. thanks for this thread

 

[OctaviousMonk]

no heater in my ATO here. why bother when my ATO is pretty accurate and the tiny bit of water isn't going to affect the system

 

[malulu]

i only heat mine when i need to do big water change.

i have a 55g container for RO/DI water (ATO also from here), and 35g container for new-salt water.

- the night before i do big water change, i add *extra* salt into the 35g
- then next day, i drain out 50g or so from my sump
- then empty out my 35g-salt with "some-15g" fresh RD/DI water (at the same time) in the sump