Auto top off system needed!

I also use the Tunze Osmolator and love it. I haven't had any problems. marinedepot.com has them for 189.99. Cheapest I have seen anywhere.

 

this one worked well for me and very cheap to make

Melevsreef.com - Automatic Top Off System

 

wow guys thanks for the replies! I dont have room for a float valve unfortunately but i think its in the air between the modle i saw and the osmolator. Money might win out lol. Thanks for the review Jonjon! I have heard anything bad about the autotopoff.com jobs, I guess alot of people on RC have them too. I'll have to chech the pocket book to see what im gonna do though. THanks again for you guys taking the time! I wish i could fit something larger under my stand or id use a float valve and gravity!!

 

just a warning. If you did not use a DC plug (the "box" style plug) you risk the metal in the float switch fusing together. Sometimes this happens right away and sometimes it is the 5000 time it switches the pump on that it fuses. When it fuses, your return pump stays on.

 

Agree.... that's why I'll add the solenoid.... Need to upgrade my AC jr from 8 switches to 12 and then I'll do it....

M


PS -- My sump is such that even if dumped my whole resevoir in, I wouldn't flood.... but I wouldn't want that salinity impact regardless.

 

Wouldn't your DT overflow? That's what happened to me. All my RO top off water went into my sump's return chamber and into my tank, and my overflow couldn't keep up...

I'm just curious. Maybe there is some way I can help prevent that from happening again!

 

i just use the $15 float valve and a five gallon tank for ato with out a problem for two years now.

 

not sure how your sump is ran from your tank but anything that is put in to your tank or fuge/sump should remain in the fuge/sump untill all the extra water is evaporated (sp)?

 

DT is drilled, so any 'excess' water will collect in the sump.

The capacity of my resevoir is 7 gallons. My sump is divided in 3 section. Fuge/Pump/Skimmer. So when I designed my sump, I made the unused volume in pump and skimmer sections more than 7 gallons. Thus, if the float valve failed, the sump would fill up 7 gallon worst case higher than normal, but it would not flood. The DT water level would be untouched because of the overflow. The salinity would drop roughly 5% = 7/130. Thus, my concern in the failure of the float valve would be the salinity impact, not a flood. I would note the mechanical float valve are inherently more reliable the sensors and pumps and such. Yes, they can fail, but they are much less likely to. I'll add the solenioid to protect against the unlikely event, but even with the solenoid, the gravity feed, float valve and solenoid is still cheaper and less complicated. I like simple....

M

 

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I use the UPLC-II myself and its bulletproof. It uses the same metal peristaltic pump as their popular LiterMeter III and a digital pressure sensor good down to 1/10" accuracy.