SimACo controller supports ATO and AWC fuctions for freshwater and saltwater aquariums. List of equipment needed for ATO and AWC fuctions:
ATO:
- One float switch for aquarium high water level detection;
- One float switch (optional) which detects low water level in the reservoir with fresh water. Switch is needed if you want to prevent the pump from running dry.
- Fill pump which fills the aquarium.
AWC:
- One float switch for aquarium high water level detection (the same switch is used for ATO function);
- One float switch (optional) for aquarium low water level detection;
- One float switch (optional) which detects low water level in the reservoir with fresh water. Switch is needed if you want to prevent the pump from running dry. The same switch is used for ATO function;
- One float switch (optional) for wastewater reservoir high water level detection. Switch is needed to prevent wastewater reservoir overfill;
- One float switch (optional) which detects low water level in the container with salt water. Switch is needed if you want to prevent the pump from running dry;
- Draining pump which drains the water from the aquarium;
- Fill pump which fills the aquarium. For this purpose ATO reservoir pump can be used to fill aquarium with fresh water or AWC reservoir pump to fill aquarium with salt water.
120-230V AC pumps must be used; all float switches are mechanical switches (not optical). Picture below shows where all main ATO and AWC components must be mounted:
ATO/AWC functions have Manual and Auto modes. Manual modes allows to execute ATO/AWC operations at any time.
If ATO operation is set to Auto mode then controller fills the aquarium with fresh water every day at a a hour set by user.
If AWC is set to Auto mode then controller changes the water in the aquarium with fresh water/ salt water at a day and a hour set by user. User must set an interval in days when AWC function will be activated. Interval can be set from 1 day to 30 days.
ATO function working principle:
- user sets time (in Auto mode) when aquarium must be filled and max. fill duration;
- ATO reservoir fill pump starts to run at a specified time; pump will run until aquarium high level sensor is triggered or max. fill time counter expires or ATO reservoir water level sensor will be triggered. Here “max. fill time” setting is a protection in a case if aquarium high level sensor sensor is malfunctioning. ATO reservoir sensor will be triggered if water level becomes too low.
- if max. fill time counter has expired or ATO reservoir sensor was triggered then separate alarms for those both conditions will be activated.
AWC function working principle:
- user sets time (in Auto mode) and interval when aquarium water must be changed; user sets max. draining and fill durations; user selects which pump to use to fill aquarium: ATO reservoir pump (for freshwater aquariums) or AWC reservoir pump (for saltwater aquariums); user selects how draining pump will be stopped: when aquarium low level sensor will be triggered or draining duration counter will expire;
- Wastewater reservoir draining pump starts to run at a specified time; pump will run until aquarium low level sensor is triggered or max. draining time counter expires or wastewater reservoir water level sensor is triggered. Here “max. draining time” setting is a protection in a case if aquarium low level sensor sensor is malfunctioning. Wastewater reservoir sensor will be triggered if water level becomes too high;
- if max. draining time counter has expired or Wastewater reservoir sensor was triggered then separate alarms for those both conditions will be activated. Draining time alarm will not be activated if user has selected to stop draining pump using aquarium low level sensor;
- next fill pump will start. ATO/AWC reservoir pump will be activated according to user settings. Pump will run until aquarium high level sensor is triggered or max. fill time counter expires or ATO/AWC (by user selection) reservoir water level sensors will be triggered. Here “max. fill time” setting is a protection in a case if aquarium high level sensor sensor is malfunctioning. ATO/AWC reservoir sensors will be triggered if water level becomes too low.
- if max. fill time counter has expired or ATO/AWC reservoir sensor was triggered then separate alarms for those three conditions will be activated.
Controller can be set to disconnect automatically aquarium equipment connected to five 120-230V channels while AWC operations are active. This allows to disable equipment which can not work at low water level.
ATO function is fully integrated in to the main board; for AWC function there is an additional board. AWC board has three inputs for: Wastewater reservoir sensor, AWC reservoir sensor and aquarium low level sensor. Aquarium low level sensor is used for AWC operation: using this sensor controller knows when to stop draining pump. User can use AWC operation and without additional AWC board. But in this case user sets draining pump run time. When time ends, draining stops. In this case user must set draining pump exact run time in order to change required amount of water.