topoff DIY kits

[Bill S]

I have a similar one in my top off water tank. It's from coralife? I just don't really trust them. I turn off my RO unless the volume is low. I use a Tunze controller to go from my top off container to the sump. Just feel safer that way.

[kkutac001]

Cliff (brewercm), since you were running RO water directly into your tank with no buffer added to the water, how often and how much buffer did you need to add to your tank every week? Or was it bi-weekly? Did you have any trouble, in other words, maintaining your alkalinity? Just curious... ..Karl

[brewercm]

I don't do chemicals (ie. buffer, calcium etc.), just water changes. I do have a refillable DI unit attached in the garage between the outlet to the RO unit and before the sump. PH, alkalinity etc. have always been fine.

[Bill S]

I've seen discussions before about buffers & RO. RO/DI water is replacing evaporated - distilled - water. Why would one have to buffer it? Yes, it has a low(er) pH, but the evaporated water has the same 7.0 pH.

[caferacermike]

I agree with Bill. Only water evaporates. Unless you go years between water changes or have a peculiar system. I've never added anything to my RO/DI water I add to my tank. About 10g a week poured straight from the jug into the sump. Alk, 9-10 constant. PH 8.1 in the morning, 8.3 in the evenings for 2 years. I drip Kalk when I remember, about 2 teaspoons a month total. I do admit that I add B Ionic to watch my SPS grow so that might be helping.

[matt]

I would not trust any single float switch that I've seen to control an auto top-off, although there are some excellent float switches around these days that I haven't seen. You can use a pair of float switches, one out of the water, so that you have a "fail-safe" when, err, I mean if, the primary float switch sticks. The ones from the guy in Houston look like they're good.

I have an auto top off kit that uses three stainless steel conductors to sense conductivity that I would guess is very reliable. You have to drill three small holes in your sump to install it. The conductivity sensors trigger a solenoid, which turns your R.O. filter on and off. I never ended up using it because I bought the dosing pump for KW, so I'd be happy to sell it for $25.

[stoneroller]

Thanks for all the input.

I've been using airline tubing to siphon from a pitcher of RO. Mike, your method sounds a lot easier, just dump it in! I can appreciate that cause I get tired of setting up a siphon every day for topoff. That's why I'd like a auto topoff of some kind.

I don't have convenient access to the RO output line without punching holes in sheetrock, running line, etc. I guess it's possible but isn't the downside that if you have a stuck solenoid (and no backup plan) then the RO is just going to keep filling your sump ==> wet floor.

[caferacermike]

And I've read about that thousands of times. Not only that but I fear leaving mine hooked up as I've heard of the fittings failing to many times. Then you'll hear about one guy and his system has been running for 4 years flawlessly.

[brewercm]

That's actually how mine worked out good. I punched a hole in the back of my kitchen cabinets which led straight out to the garage and all I had to do was run the water line about eight feet.
Like I said, I just don't trust the electronic topoff units for some reason, maybe just bad experience with one gave me a bad taste in my mouth for them.