What’s your current ATO and what will you buy next? (1 Viewer)

[steveb]

I have 4 Tunze 3155’s. One is I think right at the 10 year mark. No issues with them.

I also have two gravity fed ATO’s. One I have had an issue with it getting crudded up once.

Recently bought a Neptune FMM and am trying that on my display tank to turn a Stenner pump on/off out in the fish room.

 

[Reefahholic]

Yeah, it’s looking like I’m going Tunze or Spectapure.

 

[decimal]

For what it’s worth, I have 3152 and wanted to change it because the float seemed failprone. I do like that it has auto shut off. I have come across more than one horror story that involved a 24/7 on RODI however so I would be weary of that.

 

[steveb]

I do like the run time timeout on the ato pump.

 

[Reefahholic]

I bet GHL could make a good ATO.

 

[decimal]

They do. Solid just like Tunze but using the same float valve design. There has to be a better way than a float that can malfunction from one moment to the next, no matter how diligent you are, from just a small snail. The gravity feed works great, just can’t be lazy like @steveb and never check it, since you will most likely have crud build up on the line.

 

[steveb]

Direct method to RODI meaning??


That's a good question I've been wanting to ask people. Who has their RODI hooked up to a float valve in the sump and leaves the RODI on 24/7.

I used to run my 1/4" tubing to a reservoir and cut the RODI on/off to only fill the reservoir (with float switch) and always keep it off otherwise. I wanna say some or most have a built-in auto shut off, but I just can't remember and haven't had time to look it up lately. I run a BRS unit because it works, the filters are always available, and I can count on Ryan for good customer service.

I feed my mixing brute reservoir the same way with a float switch. I do sometimes forget I turned it on, but never have a flood. I will usually turn it off as soon as the brute is full. It makes me wonder if they are safe to leave on 24/7? Do they have an auto shut-off that senses the back pressure of the float switch and how does that work if they do?

I had forgotten this...

I had RO (no DI back then other than KatiAni DI filter -- KatiAniDIFAQs) hooked directly to a tank back in the 90's via a float valve. It worked but would get crudded up occasionally just like the frag system I mentioned earlier. But do keep in mind RO doesn't work well in short bursts (i.e. topping off a tank). It does better on long run times.

The way I have things plumbed today in the fish room - I have a 60G reservoir up near the ceiling (refilled weekly) that feeds two smaller reservoirs each with a float valve (Tunze ATO' run out of these) and one frag system via float valve. I use 1/2" line for the majority of the run and then drop to 1/4" right before emergency shutoff valve and float valve. I also have a 70G reservoir that feeds the display tank.

Both of the larger main "storage" reservoirs have float valves as well. I just turn on my ro/di and let it run overnight. The pump shuts off when there is back pressure in the line but water pressure will keep pressing against that float valve.

I guess I am less risk averse as I get older - I wouldn't want to leave the ro/di unit water source turned on

a) don't want it short cycling on/off to keep those storage reservoirs topped off
b) I don't want a flood should a float valve fail to seal.

 

[steveb]

They do. Solid just like Tunze but using the same float valve design.

I was thinking there was. I bet they license from Tunze and just supply the manufacturer with their own name plate for the front. Would surprise me at all if they all come from the same manufacturing line.

 

[TooMuchDog]

I just got the tunze 3155 about a month ago so don't have a huge history of dealing with it. So far I like it though. I'm not sure why everyone has the concerns with the float switch but that may just be for the 3152. The float is just an emergency shutoff and the main on/off is a visual sensor. So there's 3 tests for it: visual sensor is first line, then float sensor will turn it off and set off an alarm, or a 5 minute timer will turn it off and set off an alarm

 

[Reefahholic]

People that don’t do maintenance worry.

 

[decimal]

GHL not quite the same as Tunze. they use a float valve but it can be programmed to do a lot of different things not just ATO. I'm sure apex has the same. also, no cage on the GHL as far as I know.

The 3152 has no visual sensor (at least mine doesnt)

@TooMuchDog, the float valve design is a standard and they function flawlessly when periodically cleaned and maintained. All of the maintenance in the world won’t help you when a small snail crawls into the the float cage and causes it to get stuck. That’s a wake up in the morning or come home from work disaster waiting to happen. Google around and see what has happened to others. Proceed with caution lol.

I would need to add an overflow/shut off sensor for peace of mind.

 

[TooMuchDog]

GHL not quite the same as Tunze. they use a float valve but it can be programmed to do a lot of different things not just ATO. I'm sure apex has the same. also, no cage on the GHL as far as I know.

The 3152 has no visual sensor (at least mine doesnt)

@TooMuchDog, the float valve design is a standard and they function flawlessly when periodically cleaned and maintained. All of the maintenance in the world won’t help you when a small snail crawls into the the float cage and causes it to get stuck. That’s a wake up in the morning or come home from work disaster waiting to happen. Google around and see what has happened to others. Proceed with caution lol.

I would need to add an overflow/shut off sensor for peace of mind.

Ok good to know. Definitely glad I went with the 3155 then. Three different failures required for a large flood gives me a bit of peace of mind.

I hear about snails causing problems. Should I have snails in my sump?

 

[Tstew32]

People that don’t do maintenance worry.

Or want to reduce the amount of maintenance on hand [emoji2373]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[slojim]

I got an avast last christmas - its worked well. I use their peristaltic pump

 

[rrr757]

I have had an aqua hub deluxe kit forever with a Tom’s aqua lifter pump never an issue.

 

[RobertP]

Been running Tunze Osmolator for several years now with no issues.

 

[Reefahholic]

Been running Tunze Osmolator for several years now with no issues.

I’m think I’m going with Tunze.
1. Price
2. Rating
3. People I know run it w/o issues.
4. Customer Service is good.
5. Tunze usually has decent warranty.
6. They’ve been around forever.

 

[slojim]

my tank is in a room with a wood floor, and I occasionally leave for a week or more. Here's a few things I did, that you might consider:
I use a peristaltic pump, not so much for it's ability to pump far, but because it pumps slowly - at 7GPD, it will take a while before there is a problem
My ATO reservoir is smaller than my available space in my sump - I could have a problem if it all pumped over AND there was a power outage, but in general, it can't overfill. Since I use a lid and don't have powerful lighting, I only evaporate about 5gallons per week from my 110, so a 3 gallon reservoir is not a problem.
When I travel, I set up a larger container, like a tub, and just use push on connectors to extend the tubing from the normal container
I have a float as a back up shut off, but since a peristaltic pump is positive displacement, that means I run a recirc line back to the ATO container with a vent to the DT. IF the float switch closes, the water just goes back to the ATO reservoir.
My peristaltic pump is mounted over the ATO reservoir, so if the tubing popped off or developed a leak, it would leak back into the ATO reservoir
My ATO reservoir (I think its a square bird seed bucket) is in a small plywood "tub" I built quickly out of scrap so that it will fit hidden in my available space which is not under my tank, but provides some protection if the ATO reservoir leaks or drips.

I think I must have thought about my ATO more than my return pump!

 

[RR-MAN]

My current ATO is a gravity fed $5 float switch which came with my Red Sea tank/sump.

I still have my Neptune ATK and just sold my tunze.


If I had to choose:

1-gravity fed float switch (never fails)
2-tunze osmolator

 

[i_am_poor]

My current ATO is a gravity fed $5 float switch which came with my Red Sea tank/sump.

I still have my Neptune ATK and just sold my tunze.


If I had to choose:

1-gravity fed float switch (never fails)
2-tunze osmolator

I also removed my tunze osmo and kept the Red Sea gravity fed system. Simple, safe, less wires, no alerts to deal with.