Auto Top Off....

[RayAllen]

Guys since i've been out for a while has there been any new ATO units out there that have been improved on?

I have had 3 units from Autotopoff.com over the years which have been good but do have the occasional stuck on issue which fills your sump with several gallons of fresh water. Never fun to deal with. Im not a fan of the JBJs but have used one of those before as well. I have never used aqua lifter so I do not have any opinion on them.

I see that tunze put out a unit but at around $200 that is insane IMO.

Which do you guys think is the most reliable way to go and reasonable on price?

Ray

[reefreak]

i just have a 5 gallon jug full of rodi and just pour it in lol

[Scutterborn]

I picked up a used tunze osmolator for half that, bro. It's hands down the best I've heard... Hey now!! I can hear all y'all groaning about that last comment! Yes the price is steep but it only uses a float as a backup. Has an IR eye as the main sensor. No moving parts... I like that.


- Ben -

[Big_Pun]

I have one that is run through my reefkeeper. I've had the tunze, and jbj both where great.

[ErikH]

I use an aqualifter on a controller. Do you have a controller?

[RayAllen]

No I do not have a controller.. I will look into some and see what I want to do.

[Gseclipse02]

dont wont waste the money on the tunze one ... IMO

[klwheat]

I have one JBJ with aqualifter pump...works well, but the small tubing for the aqualifter has to be cleaned/flushed every couple of weeks since I'm dosing kalkwasser with it in my ATO. The other tank has one by coralvue (http://www.aquacave.com/CoralVue-12V-Electronic-Top-off-Float-Switch-P969C874.aspx). This one includes a pump (too big for a small mouthed jug though...fits into a 5gallon plastic jug well) and is inexpensive. Never had any issues and it works.

[blupez]

if you want to do a DIY, you could put two float switches in series with one at a slightly higher level. When water drops below the lower one the pump comes on then off once it forces that switch up and open. The second one acts as a backup. If the first switch gets stuck closed then once the water rises to the second switch the pump will turn off.

[rrasco]

I've only been running my autotopoff.com switches for a few weeks, but I have two of them and they have worked flawlessly since. They do require occasional maintenance to make sure there is no build up. I am using the dual switches for redundancy. Where my RODI is connected to a constant water source I also have a float valve positioned just above the switches as a final fail-safe. If the switches in my sump fail (both of them) the ATO container is only 5 gallons, thus it won't crash the tank.

[rabadanmarco]

I love my JBJ. i had to add a ball flow control because once it hits your desired level it actual takes about 3 seconds to turn off and that's 3 seconds too long. so i added the ball flow control to add water slowly. My sump isnt to big so adding 3 seconds of water creates bad level fluctuations for my skimmer.

[Mr Cob]

Tunze all the way. I have used so many different Auto Top-offs over the years and none compare to Tunze. Search the net for used ones and get it for half off...way worth the time, money and effort to pick one up.

I love the "eye" and the alarms, shut off when the water level gets too high has saved me a couple of times... even though I never keep RO/DI water container more than what the sump can handle anyways...in the event that the pump does not turn off and empties the container.