ATO recommendations

aandfsoccr04

aandfsoccr04

Active member
I am about over carrying 5 gallon buckets of RODI water for top off every other day or so. It's time for me to invest in an auto top off. Give me some recommendations please!
 
I set up my system using a food grade acrylic food container using the ATO system sold by AquaHub. http://www.aquahub.com/store/product26.html You have to purchase an extension cord to complete the system as well as a pump, but it comes with everything else. I got my pump from ATO.com and my cord from Lowes. Total cost: $85 and it works perfectly. This is the same system sold through BRS.
 
tunze makes the best but you will pay big money for it.....

I use the JBJ and it works flawless
here is a video (not mine)
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b2X0I-Zd2vo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
JBJ is user friendly. Use the second setup with two switches in the sump. The second switch serves as a backup if the first one fails. I use aquahub system. It was not as user friendly to setup and I connected it to my Apex controller. That was a pain. My friend uses JBJ and he is really happy.
 
I use JBJ as well. I got mine from premium aquatics as I think it was the cheapest there besides BRS which didn't have it in stock at the time. I have one switch in my sump and the other in my reservoir. I also use the maxijet 400 as the pump and it works like a charm :)
 
Tunze Osmolator all the way. I mean, how can you turn down something that's called the "OSMOLATOR" vs something simply called "ato"?? LOL!!!

Seriously, though, it's got the magic eye sensor for water level so it never will get stuck unlike float valves, everything mounts with magnets, it comes with it's own pump and tubes. The quality, the it comes with everythingness, all makes it worth it.
 
I wish an ato could somehow add Kalk.

I have the tunze. It's ok.

Best part is the electric eye and redundant float switch cut off.

The main unit feels a little cheap and DYI'ish.
 
If you have a controller (or not), the setup from autotopoff.com works great. If I did not have a controller, I'd get the Tunze Osmolator. It's more expensive, but as fail safe as an ATO can possibly be IMHO.
 
JBJ Auto Top off is what i have and works great i just made sure my line runs up and is not sitting in the wat in my sump so i dont have a suction of any type.

i use a 5 gallon bucket with a mini jett404 i think and have a sensor in the resivor so pump doesnt run dry and a sensor in my sump

not one issue to this day

knock on wood lol

goodluck
 
jcw said:
I wish an ato could somehow add Kalk.

I have the tunze. It's ok.

Best part is the electric eye and redundant float switch cut off.

The main unit feels a little cheap and DYI'ish.
Click to expand...

They can add kalk. I have the JBJ and fill my 20 gallon reservoir with Kalk every week. Works flawlessly.
 
droth335 said:
They can add kalk. I have the JBJ and fill my 20 gallon reservoir with Kalk every week. Works flawlessly.
Click to expand...

The instruction manual says that putting the pump in kalk will greaterly reduce the service life of the unit.

There is a kalk "reactor" that you could hook up but I've also read that this can leak back into the main tank.

Also, there's the issue about dumping a large amount of kalk all at once into the tank.
 
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