Automatic Top Off ATS. What's best? Need Help

Oh it does have a optical sensor, OK, cool. Tunze also has a float as a back up (high-high?). I think you told me that before now that I read it again but I must have forgot :-[

Let me just say, I am not knocking the spectrapure system - it's a fine system from what I understand - I just wouldn't call it superior (or inferior since it doesn't rely on floats).

I don't see how that pump is another level of safety. If a tunze fails, it fails off. I can not find anything on the interwebs saying a tunze has ever failed in on position... but i suppose anything is possible (for both products).

Setting increments in a pump ain't got nothing to do with overflowing the system. It can still do it given time. If you really are concerned about that issue, the simplest backup is to have an ATO reservoir with less water than your system can handle (i.e. don't keep your system filled to the brim!). Since you got your RODI filtration directly hooked to your reservoir (or so it sounds) you do not have that simple backup...

The idea you can use the pump mounted above, I guess, is useful. My pump does stay submerged. I don't see how that's any more useful than having to put the pump in the reservoir though... it's not like you don't have a reservoir to put it in - being an ATO system and all that. I haven't tested 35 feet, but I wouldn't think the tunze pump couldn't handle that. I know it can handle 17 feet without issue - a 17 foot that's routed so it goes up and down and up again.

You pointed out the spectra can be mounted remotely and suck water up... seems to me, that's the ONLY way you can possibly set that thing up - it's not really an "option"... It has to suck water up out of the reservoir before sending it on its way... on its way being either up, over, or down from there... Basically the same as my auto doser unit that uses peristaltic pumps. Anyway, I don't see that pump as being even slightly redudant or backup - but I am not saying it isn't any good - just different.

Not understanding your 45psi point...

My tunze hasn't failed. I got it in spring of 2009 if I remember right. I clean the laser sensor annually, FYI.

Not sure if spectra has it, but the tunze also has a sensor to say if the water level is too high and sets off an audible alarm if it is... So, essentially, every time you put your hand in the water it goes off, lol, (it's adjustable)

 

I second that.....I love mine and its pump fits so nice down the neck of a 5gal water jug you get from your LFS

 

I have a 240 gallon tank and use a JBJ ATO with a Tom Aquatics Aqua Lifter—Dosing Pump to supply the RODI. I have a 5 gallon jug under the tank next to my sump/fuge and airline tubing suppling the water into the fuge.