I'm looking for a new top off unit...Thoughts?

Reggae Fish

Reggae Fish

Premium Member
I'd like to keep it inexpensive and was just going to buy another JBJ ATO which is about as simple as it can get. However, looking around, it looks as though MANY people have had the same problems I have had so I really would like to stay away from another.


I am not a DIY person so I'd rather just buy a unit. Thoughts???

I looked at (I think) was the reefkeeper auto leveler but not sure if this is what I need???
 
you have problems with jbj ato, i just added one to my setup, let me know so i know what to watch out for.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12239300#post12239300 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by d.french
you have problems with jbj ato, i just added one to my setup, let me know so i know what to watch out for.
Click to expand...

A lot of people have had issues with the float switches but even more so, the actual unit.
 
so far i have had mine for 1 month in a ten gallon tank next to my sump in my stand. put one sensor in return pump are since that is were water level changes and the other at the low point in topoff water tank so i don't burn up my pump. were my sensors are nothing touches them since there are no crabs or snails in sump but a turbo snail got in hang on overflow box and slowed suction of utube which made ato keep kicking on and pump more water in sump which almost overflowed my tank. since that issue i lowered utubes so no large snails cannot get under my utube flow to sump.
 
cheapest setup possible for me 90 bucks for jbj ato and i already had a ten gallon tank with tubing and a maxi jet 1200.
 
ten gallon holding tank for now keeps my 125 good for a week so i fill it up once a week. my 75 gallon has a 5 gallon kent aquadose jug which last pretty much a week also. i really like jbj ATO works great.
 
It's almost as if there is malfunctioning inside the unit. The lights will dim, not come on, go off, etc... I can switch switches and same thing. Usually if I unplug if for a couple days, it works for about a day. I have a custom top off box, about 9 gallons and it's worked great for me but I'm having a hard time buying another with seeing as many people having the same issues.
 
You already have the aquacontroller. Just add the float switch and then one outlet controls the pump. It's the cheapest and most reliable.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12244194#post12244194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
You already have the aquacontroller. Just add the float switch and then one outlet controls the pump. It's the cheapest and most reliable.
Click to expand...

Is there a diagram anywhere as I'm confused. Wouldn't I need 2 switches? 1 for the sump and 1 for the top off tank
 
You would need float switchs for the sump to tell it when to turn on. To keep your ro/di reserve container full, you could do a regular float valve to the ro/di line. The easiest on the reserve container is a regular float since that won't be subject to ca buildup like tank water usually is. I'd probably do a double float switch in the sump for a backup, then if 1 float switch fails, there is always the other.

Just order a couple floatswitchs from the above link and we'll put it in. I didn't look at the prices but that will get you going and setup real nice for less than a new ato. Get the IO breakout box for about 35-40 bucks from Mark and then just run the floatswitch wires to it.

Do you use the serial port on the acjr? Here's a couple threads on that with reply's from Curt:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1052443&highlight=acjr+and+breakout

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1342281&highlight=acjr+and+breakout

http://www.neptunesys.com/probes.htm#IOBREAKOUT
 
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