What are you guys doing for auto top-offs?

[Scott]

I run the drain from my dehumidifier directly into my sump and they fight it out.


j/k, but don't tell me the thought didn't cross your mind.

I just bought the one from autotopoff.com.

 

[delta]

I run the Tunze osmolator it works great you have 2 diferrent types of sensors and the pump will only pump for a short time before shutting down and needing to be reset. SO basically three point of safe gaurds.

To feed the top off system I have a larger resevoir that I pump(automated) from twice a day. This pumps into my 4 gal top of bucket that the Tunze tops off from. I have it setup this way so if some goes wrong only 4 gallons would be pumped into my system. Not a big deal as my system total volume is around 240g.

 

[Reefried]

I use the Tsunami ATO. I have a 20 gall sump with a twenty extra high that I use for a RODI resv. all in my stand. No alarm but it has worked out very well for me. My tank evaps about 5 galls per/week mid summer and less in the winter, so my resv when full lasts a month. Much better than dumpimg in water every three days!!

 

[abdur99]

do you have to have a sump to have an ATO? or can it pump right into the main tank?

 

[Greg Hiller]

The Tsunami is the one I was also referring to above. You do not need a sump, but you should understand that the Tsunami has a bit of 'hesteresis' built in. Meaning that it will not turn a pump on and off again and again to keep the level perfect. It will pump to a certain level, then allow the water to drop maybe an inch or so below that level before activating the circuit again.

In the FWIW category, you can also purchase (or even modify with a single re-soldering of a contact) a modified Tsunami such that it turns ON when the level is high. I use this with an old smoke alarm that I hotwired to be always in alarm. When the level goes high in my sump (indicating that one of the two recirc pumps has failed), the Tsunami sends power to the outlet, and the smoke alarm start screaming. If I'm not home, the loud noise sets off my tank monitoring system and gives me a call on my phone.

 

[bbjohngm]

I also have the Tunze.... but i have had some issues with it....not huge ones but there are some differences between it and an active float switch...the things is, it's a sensor... so if it gets blocked it thinks it's full...example, i had a small starfish that felt like hanging out on the end of the sensor....so all night and then the next day while i was at work it thought the level was at the right hight... well, when i got home, the return pump area was pretty much empty and I had an Eheim pump running dry!....so remember both options have their pros and cons...you just have to weigh them!

 

[Reefried]

Heres an older pic of my setup. When I was using clear tubing I had a problem with the water in the resv being higher than the water level in the sump, and when the pump kicked off the water would still cyphon(sp) into the sump.Then the sump would be higher than the resv and it would happen in reverse, sending salt water into the resv. So I changed the tubing to pvc, plumbed straight up to two 90's then straight down to the sump, and I drilled two holes right below the 90 as cyphon breaks, now I can fill the resv up all the way giving me about a month of fresh RO

* I cant get the pic to upload sorry

 

[capecodder]

Are you guys trusting those suction cups to hold the sensors???!

 

[chew*]

Are you guys trusting those suction cups to hold the sensors???!

No big mistake! I have the suction cup ziptied to the sensor in case it slides in the rubber and i have the wire attached to the sensor ziptied in such a way that if the suction cup fails it will remain at the same level......