Osmolator "Level" Blinks Green, Keeps Filling in Cycles

[Bonsaii]

Within the past week, I've added the Tunze 9002 Skimmer and the Tunze Osmolator to my 29G Biocube. It seems as though the 9002 requires a very consistent water level, so I picked up an Osmolator to help with that.

I setup the Osmolator tonight, but I'm seeing odd behavior. After about an hour of having the unit hooked up, I kept hearing the pump kick on for about 10 seconds, then off for about 10 or 20 seconds, then the cycle repeated. During the "off" time, the "Level" light blinks green ...

I unplugged the Osomolator because I feared it would eventually fill up so much that it would trip the float switch.

Can you advise me what is going on?

Thanks!
Jason

 

[Macca_75]

Is the sensor in turbulent water? small waves will make it do this, but it will settle down.

Did it fill and send trip the high alarm (assuming you are using the float valve)?

 

[Bonsaii]

Is the sensor in turbulent water? small waves will make it do this, but it will settle down.

Did it fill and send trip the high alarm (assuming you are using the float valve)?

Thanks. The sensor is in very calm water ... and it cycled through this maybe 4 times and was filling up the back of my BC29, so I turned it off before it could trip the float valve and set off the alarm.

 

[rvitko]

My best guess is:

A) The top off hose is touching the water surface and siphoning back the top off water after every cycle, top off hose must be mounted securely so it does not touch the water surface.

B) The sensor is in an area with many micro bubbles, when new the sensor has a strong attraction to bubbles which diminishes over a few days or with a rinse in hot soapy water. In general, the sensor only detects air vs water and bubbles should be avoided.

Just an additional suggestion for safety on small tanks, you can open the controller and turn down the pump speed if it is one made this year (2012).

 

[Bonsaii]

Ohhh, so that's why people was the sensor with hot soapy water. I thought that was odd, because washing anything reef related with soap is generally a no-no.

I'm guessing it must be microbubbles from the 9002, as the water line from the Osmolator pump is not touching the water of the tank of back siphoning. I'll try washing the sensor with warm soapy water ... thanks for the advice.

I did turn the potentiometer in the unit down all the way to "Nano" but it wouldn't pump the water up to my tank at that speed, so I had to bump it up just a little bit.

 

[rvitko]

Soap is only harmful if you get it in the tank, so long as you rinse it well, it won't be an issue.

 

[turbobake]

Question about osmolator setup

Question about osmolator setup

rvitko

I was thinking about purchasing an osmolator for my 200 gal mixed reef tank. I wanted to know about setting it up with a water resevoir that is about 12-15 feet away. Does the pump need to be rewired for that long a run or is there longer cords available for installations of this type. I was planning a water container on the floor in a closet and running the water line under my kitchen cabnet edge to my refugium.

Thanks!

 

[rvitko]

You would need to extend the wiring and the tubing. The stock is only 7ft of wire and 9ft of tubing. Speaker wire is all you need to extend the wire and the tubing can be ordered in a 30ft roll. I would be careful that the hose will end above the water level of the reservoir, a potential danger in what you describe is if the refugium is 12" tall or so and sits on the floor and the reservoir is say 24" tall and also on the floor level, 12" of water can siphon even after the pump shuts off. The hose should always terminate above the water level of the reservoir.

 

[turbobake]

Thanks so much for the info, I had a hard time researching that subject.
I will be purchasing an osmolator later this week.
:thumbsup: