Suction Cup On A Float Switch, Can It Be Trusted?

[CorkPullerPHL]

I'm looking to add a top off system to my Nano Cube. I'm looking at the JBJ Unit and the Ultralife Float Switch.

The Ultralife utilizes a suction cup to hold the switch; this worries me. What are your thoughts?

Are there other ATO's I should look at?

Cheers

 

[shaneh]

replace the suction cup every three months or make a bracket out of acrylic to bend over the side

 

[CorkPullerPHL]

Good call there, I guess a bracket could certainly fix the problem.

Any thoughts on the switch itself?

 

[THE ROOK]

Autotopoff.com - Dual float kit. Comes with a decent bracket & is very reliable. No bells & whistles. Just a reliable relay setup.

 

[Yogre]

I personally don't trust suction cups. The water level sensor in my sump is held by a pair of magnetic "suction cups". Very solid, I like them.

Here's a link:


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19711

 

[patsfan1130]

+1 on autotopoff.com

 

[CorkPullerPHL]

Thanks all

I've come to the conclusions that an ato is the solution to all my nano woes.

Till the next catastrophy. . ...

 

[sjm817]

I glued mine to little mag floats

 

[BeanAnimal]

There is no way in hell I would ever trust a suction cup to hold a float switch...

the magfloats--- yeah I guess I could sleep with that.

 

[CorkPullerPHL]

Thats a cool trick. I'm sure it makes fine adjustments pretty easy.

I think i'm gonna use the Tom's Aqualifter for my ATO. It is somewhat under powered, but I think this could be a good thing.

I am going to use Kalk in my top off water with a bit of Vinegar to help stabilize ph and add a carbon source. With a weaker pump, it should dose slowly and give the floats/switches time to react to the new water height.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[THE ROOK]

Aqualifters are great. Very happy with mine. Without a sump, make sure whatever you purchase for an ATO, it activates the floats at 1/8" drop or less. Some floats have to drop a full 1". This would be very bad when using Kalk.

 

[CorkPullerPHL]

nice. good tip

 

[turner1]

"There is no way in hell I would ever trust a suction cup to hold a float switch...

the magfloats--- yeah I guess I could sleep with that."

+1
I trust suction cups for nothing, not even to hold a probe...

 

[ChuckLawson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14931842#post14931842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by turner1
I trust suction cups for nothing, not even to hold a probe...

A probe? I can't even get 'em to hold a sheet of nori reliably