JBJ ATO - Anyone have it?

I use the Tunze Osmolator and would recommend that over JBJ.

For one, it uses a laser instead of a float for its primary sensor. it's not fail proof, but it's a lot closer to it than a float sensor.

it is pricey though.

 

I know more guys that have had floods with osmolators failing than ones with normal float switches.

IME, float switches require less maintenance than the spendy optical switches that osmolators use. Now if you have your float switch int he fuge and can have a snail or algae snag on switch, you could have an issue, until the secondary float switch shuts off the flow. FWIW, the osmoslator has a regular float switch as the secondary switch, so it's not like you get 2 optical switches with the tunze unit. With the osmolator, you are paying a premium for the name. it is good stuff, but I don't think the price is justified because it is still not 100% fool proof. If it were, I could justify the 200 dollar price tag.

If you absolutely "gotta have" an optical switch, you can get one from autotopoff.com for less money than the osmolators.

 

I don't know very many folks that have had floods to be fair, but everyone I do know was using a float switch...

Were any of the ones you know of using Tunze?

Float switches gunk up. They need to be removed (some times taken apart) to be cleaned. They also wear out eventually. I have a floater on my TO reservoir and it's already had to be replaced.

Optic switches do not gunk up. But they do get coralline on them if you don't wipe them periodically with a towel or something. They also have 0 moving parts so they don't wear out either.

I'd rather wipe it every few weeks (10 seconds maybe) over regularly cleaning a floater (10 minutes maybe)...


I agree you pay more for the name... sort of... but look at the reviews... JBJ's fail. It happens regularly enough it's pretty easy to find some folks flaming them. You don't see that with Tunze... so maybe it's "just" a name... maybe it's not. To me, it was worth it.

 

I didn't catch that the first time I read it... how do you figure that? I find that statement to be exactly backwards

Optic switch - wipe it every few weeks. We're talking about wiping a spot the size of a nickel every few weeks.

Floaters... jeeze, these need regular cleaning. The slightest bit of algae can interfere with its movement. A simple wipe won't cut it. Disassemble or soak.



Also, floaters can fail in the on position. I really don't see how any one can flood with a tunze... the laser fails in the off position. Even if it was completely covered in algae, the laser would register that as "full". You run a risk of losing water, not adding too much... what am I missing Horkn?

 

I do have an Apex controller...I am asking someone at Neptune to see what they suggest for ATO.

I can see there are many different views on ATO and what is ideal/best.

I will hold off and keep reading this thread until I make a final decision.

 

search 3reef too... a while back we had an excellent debate on the topic... there's a really good thread out there somewhere on ATO's...

 

I also use the tunze osmolator and love it. As long as you have it set up properly there will be no flooding. Also, having your RO/DI set up to automatically fill your reservoir that any ATO pump is connected to is asking for problems. I use a 5 gallon bucket that way I can limit the amount of water that may enter the tank if there is a failure of something starts a siphon. With 5 gallons added to my tank my sump does not overflow.

While not having the pump in the RO/DI reservoir may eliminate the purpose of having an ATO to some, but i would rather fill a bucket up in 30 seconds once every few days than deal with lots of water entering my tank and overflowing it.

 

Your point on limiting the size of the reservoir to an amount the system can handle without flooding is golden advise. SG swing is one thing (and doesn't swing as much as you might think), a flood sucks.

My reservoir has its own redundant ATO type device to keep the RO/DI from filling it beyond a specified amount (4 gallons in my case for same reason metal stated). That device is hooked to an analog timer. It only gets to run for 1/2 hour a day... Which means I do not get a steady supply of fresh water to the reservoir. IMO, this mitigates metal's concern to the point of it being non-issue for me. If any point of this fails, the reservoir goes dry. All my solenoids for this fail in the off position.

My tunze seems to know when it's dry and won't engage the pump...

 

Mine works fine. Just make sure that the float switches don't get any build up that prevents them from triggering. That applies to any ATO you may buy. If the float switches get stuck, then you will suffer burnout on your return pump.

 

I wouldn't recommend or buy a JBJ, but I would recommend the reef fanatic, Autotopoff.com one, or the aquahub one. Everything that tunze makes is on the high priced side.