Avast Marine ATO vs Tunze Osmolator ATO 3155
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vhuang168
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The Tunze pump is noisy but fills faster so the noise is short lived. The Avast peristaltic pump is much quieter but it is slow so depending on the chamber it needs to fill, could take a while.
I also find the Tunze optical eye to be more sensitive so it activates more often.
But my Avast is tied to my Apex so I can log and control it through Fusion.
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I also find the Tunze optical eye to be more sensitive so it activates more often.
But my Avast is tied to my Apex so I can log and control it through Fusion.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
thanks vhuang - I really like the fact the Tunze 'seems' to have a sort of fail safe point with the additional sensor and the fact that it turns off after 10mins runtime. <-- I'm wondering if that should be a concern with the Avast??
Did you have the tunze at one point? If yes, why the switch?
Did you have the tunze at one point? If yes, why the switch?
Thanks for the input - I will be running this as a stand alone without a controller.
enthejungle
Member
I'm looking at the same and trying to decide on whether spending $200 on this ATO setup is worth it or spending the extra $$$ and getting the Apex and setting up float switches.
Tunze has not one, but two fail safes in place. The back up float and the internal timer. However, I have never heard or witnessed Tunzes "eye" fail. When I maintained aquariums for a living I had 6 clients running them, no problems.
Im sure the Avast product is great as well, but haven't been around as long as the Tunze's so they don't really have the "tried and true" stamp yet.
Sensitivity was mentioned about the Tunze, yes it is sensitive and will generally add only a cup or so of water at a time if its triggered so If you are running kalk in your ATO this can actually be a good thing, smaller amounts will be added at a time, but more often.
Cons of the tunze is the metering pump has limited head pressure and is kinda loud, but TBH its actually reassuring hearing it, also I can tell when its time to refill my 20gal brute that my metering pump sits in because it starts gettting louder and louder.
Should also mention that yes the tunze is around 200, but if you are not happy with it or want to get out of the hobby for a bit you can sell it for at least 150, and when posted for sale on here, they rarely last a day. So that should tell you something...
Im sure the Avast product is great as well, but haven't been around as long as the Tunze's so they don't really have the "tried and true" stamp yet.
Sensitivity was mentioned about the Tunze, yes it is sensitive and will generally add only a cup or so of water at a time if its triggered so If you are running kalk in your ATO this can actually be a good thing, smaller amounts will be added at a time, but more often.
Cons of the tunze is the metering pump has limited head pressure and is kinda loud, but TBH its actually reassuring hearing it, also I can tell when its time to refill my 20gal brute that my metering pump sits in because it starts gettting louder and louder.
Should also mention that yes the tunze is around 200, but if you are not happy with it or want to get out of the hobby for a bit you can sell it for at least 150, and when posted for sale on here, they rarely last a day. So that should tell you something...
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What do you think regarding the "fail-safes" tunze appear to have that avast doesn't. I really am leaning towards avast but am scared of a run away pump. Whatcha think?
vhuang168
New member
vhuang168
New member
If you are running as a stand alone you won't have the timer cut off.
You can get the optional float valve that will mechanically cut off the flow when it hits the level you set the float valve at. But that seems like a temp stop, I don't think the pumps have a backup pressure cutoff switch so even if the float valve closes, the pump will keep on pumping. I don't know what would happen if you left it running for a long time or up until evaporation causes the float to drop.
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If you run the peristaltic pump with the closed valve it will burst the pipe as it has positive displacement and the water has no where to go.
Bent
I got nothin'
Pressure switches have been around longer than opticals, so actually the avast unit has been in use longer in one form or another. As for fail safes, you can do basically the same thing that the tunze has with a 15 dollar timer from a big box store. Actually I don't advocate running an ATO at all without setting up some sort of timer that will only allow the ATO pump to run at certain times of the day rather than just trickling in the top off throughout the day.
Either way with the tunze or the avast unit, in my opinion they aren't 100% out of the box safe and I would never run them that way. In order for an ATO to let me sleep at night it needs:
1. Two switches. One that will turn the pump on when the water level drops, and one that will turn it off when it gets too high just in case the ATO sticks.
2: a timer. As described above, a timer needs placed on the pump (a cheap one from a big box store will do just fine) that will switch on a couple of times a day and limit the ATO pump from turning off and on all day. It saves wear and tear on the pump.
3: a float valve on the ATO inlet to mechanically cut flow at the highest allowable water level. This is extra just flood insurance.
Plus some more items like wifi water alarms in case of a leak and a float switch inside the reservoir just in case the ATO pump try's to kick on with the reservoir empty are other good insurance policies.
So, no matter what unit you buy, you will need at some point to add to it. Which is why I wouldn't buy the tunze. Not that it isn't a good unit or anything, but 200.00 for a ATO that you still need to buy stuff for just isn't my bag.
I run a system I put together using a double float switch from autotopoff.com. I think I got out got 100.00 or so for everything mentioned above.
Im a bit confused how do you think a manual timer is going to keep the ATO consistent? again compared to a actual Tunze unit it is starting to sound pretty jankey, I have no experience with Avast or DIY topoff.com or pieced together rigs. What I do know is that hundereds out there swear buy Tunzes osmolators.
Esp like with people like me who push their ATO systems through a Kalk reactor, I personally wouldn't trust the setup you are describing.
Bent
I got nothin'
People have been using these setups for years without issue before the AIO units came along. I too run mine through a Kalk stirrer.
A manual timer will work just fine, just set it to come on for a couple of hours once or twice and day. The float switch will catch it like its supposed to.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying the tunze isn't a fine piece of equipment or it's unreliable or any of that stuff. Just like you said, there are hoards of people who like them. But me personally, if asked my opinion between the tunze or something cheaper, I'll always suggest the cheaper option since they all accomplish the same goal. For me, it just doesn't make financial sense.
All simply my opinion on the subject.
I have used both of them and either is a fine choice. However, I do prefer the Tunze due to the optical eye/float switch back up and cheap replacement pump. Another idea (which I currently do on my frag tank) is use the Avast peristaltic pump to replace all top off water with Kalk instead. I have a float switch in the sump which activates the pump that pulls water from my ATO resivoir through the Avast Kalk stirrer.
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Reading through all of this, this might make better sense.
Get the avast setup with the DIAPHRAGM pump they have (instead of peristaltic pump).
Also, get the add-on/additional float valve and run the tube through the mechanical float valve. Mostly rely on the pressure switch to turn on and off the diaphragm pump and if the float valve just happens to kick in, the float valve can hold back the pressure of diaphragm pump (unlike the peristaltic pump) with out busting the pipes. At least i've got 2 switches working for me. Then I can through in the timer to assist this whole process..
Can someone please try to punch holes in this setup?
Get the avast setup with the DIAPHRAGM pump they have (instead of peristaltic pump).
Also, get the add-on/additional float valve and run the tube through the mechanical float valve. Mostly rely on the pressure switch to turn on and off the diaphragm pump and if the float valve just happens to kick in, the float valve can hold back the pressure of diaphragm pump (unlike the peristaltic pump) with out busting the pipes. At least i've got 2 switches working for me. Then I can through in the timer to assist this whole process..
Can someone please try to punch holes in this setup?
Bent
I got nothin'
That's almost exactly how mine is set up.
My pump is connected to a switch and a timer. The timer comes on twice a day once in the am and once at night. A float switch operates the pump. So basically the pump fills up the sump twice a day. It's pushed through an avast Kalk stirrer.
Bent
I got nothin'
There's nothing wrong with that setup at all.
Just make sure if the pump and reservoir are higher than the sump that you have a siphon break above the water line in the reservoir. Otherwise you'll siphon all your top off water to the sump.
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