Tunze Osmolator - Do I have a lemon?

[BlackTip]

I installed my Tunze ATO yesterday. The water level was already a little low. I turned the Osmolator on for the first time, and it worked and filled my return chamber to the the optical sensor, then it stopped.

15 min. later, it turned itself on and kept pumping water for 10 minutes, then stopped. The water level was already above both sensors.

Why it turned itself on again, and why both sensors failed to detect the water level and shut the pump off is a mystery to me.

I bought the kit brand new. Each sensor is attached to separate magnet per instructions. Both sensor are installed in the return chamber. There is about 3/4" distance between the optical sensor the the emergency float sensor. The ATP container is inside the cabinet 10" from the return chamber.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[oseymour]

Did the float sensor fail? There wasn't a loud audible alarm?

If you are sure you installed it correctly. Then I would change it. That's not something I want a faulty unit.

Here is an image of how it should look.

 

[BlackTip]

The alarm sounded after it was running for 10 min. It is the maximum the pump can run. That is how I found out that something went wrong.

The image you posted is recommended if the sensors are installed in the tank. For a sump installation, the manual recommend installing the float sensor on the other provided magnet.

 

[Portsie]

Is it possible the water level in the ATO container is higher than the level in the sump and you are getting a siphon?

 

[SALTYwaterDOG]

Is it possible the water level in the ATO container is higher than the level in the sump and you are getting a siphon?

+1 thinking the same thing

 

[BlackTip]

Is it possible the water level in the ATO container is higher than the level in the sump and you are getting a siphon?

That is not possible. The water hose is hanging from the top of the sump. Far away and not submerged in the water.

 

[Portsie]

Ok. The tip of the hose doesn't have to be submerged though. If the tip of the hose is lower than the water level in the container, the container will continue to drain until the water levels are equal.

 

[BlackTip]

Ok. The tip of the hose doesn't have to be submerged though. If the tip of the hose is lower than the water level in the container, the container will continue to drain until the water levels are equal.

I understand what you are talking about, but this is not the issue. The hose is far high up.

The pump stopped, then 15 minutes later, it started all by itself. The pump was ON. It couldn't be back siphon.

Any reliability issues with the Tunze?

 

[oseymour]

The image you posted is recommended if the sensors are installed in the tank. For a sump installation, the manual recommend installing the float sensor on the other provided magnet.

That image is exactly how I have it installed in the return chamber of my sump. Can you post a picture of your installation. The electronic sensor works and then the float valve is redundancy in case the water level is high.

 

[BlackTip]

That image is exactly how I have it installed in the return chamber of my sump. Can you post a picture of your installation. The electronic sensor works and then the float valve is redundancy in case the water level is high.

I'll try to take a photo tonight, but it might be difficult du to the location of the sensors and the tight space available.

Here is a paragraph from the owner manual:

Location selection for the sensors
when used with cabinet filters
" We recommend
attaching the safety sensor (with the cable pointing
down) onto the small Magnet Holder (1), and the
operating sensor (with the cable pointing upwards)
to the large magnetic holder (2)"

There is a photo in the manual on page 20. My installation is exactly like the photo.


I turned the power back on to the Osomelater this morning. The pump turned on and worked for few minutes then stopped as it should. I observed it for another 10 min. and it looked OK. I will check when I get back home to see whether it malfunctioned again. If it does, I am contacting Tunze for replacement.

 

[Buzz1329]

Is it possible the water level in the ATO container is higher than the level in the sump and you are getting a siphon?

It happened to me. In fact it happened 2x to me because I am stupid. Aside from these oversights on my part, I have never had a problem with either of my Osmolators overflowing either of my sumps. Unless you count the time that the overflow in my 75 got clogged, reducing the water level in my sump, causing the Osmolater to fill the sump, reducing my S to 30 ppt and almost overflowing my DT. I cleaned the overflow (bacteria snot from carbon dosing), removed the O pump from the ATO, put it in a bucket of newly mixed SW and within 3 days, S was back to 35. That's why I check the levels in my tanks (DTs and sumps) every am and pm with flashlight.

So in summary, I have no idea whether your TO is defective but can think of plenty of reasons why it may not be.

Mike

 

[oseymour]

Is it possible the water level in the ATO container is higher than the level in the sump and you are getting a siphon?

I remember this happening to me too, when I first got the ATO about 7 months ago.

 

[fishgate]

These are not the do-all, end-all of ATOs. I have had the same issues with mine. The electric eye is not as good as an old-fashioned float. You will also find later down the road that the ATO will stop sensing when the water level is low and won't fill the tank. Make sure you clean the electric eye once a month or so to (hopefully) avoid this. I also found that it is very finicky to having calm water. The choppier the water, the more unreliable it becomes. For my new tank, I used a JBJ instead and it has been rock solid. If you can still return the Tunze, do so and go with JBJ.

 

[Portsie]

These are not the do-all, end-all of ATOs. I have had the same issues with mine. The electric eye is not as good as an old-fashioned float. You will also find later down the road that the ATO will stop sensing when the water level is low and won't fill the tank. Make sure you clean the electric eye once a month or so to (hopefully) avoid this. I also found that it is very finicky to having calm water. The choppier the water, the more unreliable it becomes. For my new tank, I used a JBJ instead and it has been rock solid. If you can still return the Tunze, do so and go with JBJ.

I have had my tunze for 3 years. I have never cleaned the eye and it has been rock solid, never had a single issue. I also dose kalk through my ato.

 

[joshky]

I have had my tunze for 3 years. I have never cleaned the eye and it has been rock solid, never had a single issue.

+1

Almost one year in choppy water (no sump on my 20g).

 

[oseymour]

These are not the do-all, end-all of ATOs. I have had the same issues with mine. The electric eye is not as good as an old-fashioned float. You will also find later down the road that the ATO will stop sensing when the water level is low and won't fill the tank. Make sure you clean the electric eye once a month or so to (hopefully) avoid this. I also found that it is very finicky to having calm water. The choppier the water, the more unreliable it becomes. For my new tank, I used a JBJ instead and it has been rock solid. If you can still return the Tunze, do so and go with JBJ.

I haven't cleaned mine for about 7 months now with no issues. I like the redundancy that the Tunze gives me.

 

[fishgate]

I haven't cleaned mine for about 7 months now with no issues. I like the redundancy that the Tunze gives me.

My eye started to need to be cleaned after about a year and a half. And don't sleep too well with the "failsafe" false sense of security that the "redundant" high water float supposedly gives you. I jiggle mine once in awhile and it is occasionally caked up and doesn't function. It needs to be cleaned too.

No ATO I think is really failsafe but using the JBJ in a low/high configuration constantly exercises both of the mechanical floats. It also has overrun protection for the pump if it is running too long. For the price of the Tunzu (almost 3x the JBJ) it does not give any more protection and arguably gives less than the JBJ.

 

[Buzz1329]

FWIW, I clean the eye with vinegar every 6 months or so.

 

[Mark9]

These are not the do-all, end-all of ATOs. I have had the same issues with mine. The electric eye is not as good as an old-fashioned float. You will also find later down the road that the ATO will stop sensing when the water level is low and won't fill the tank. Make sure you clean the electric eye once a month or so to (hopefully) avoid this. I also found that it is very finicky to having calm water. The choppier the water, the more unreliable it becomes. For my new tank, I used a JBJ instead and it has been rock solid. If you can still return the Tunze, do so and go with JBJ.

I have never had to clean my eye and my Tunze has worked flawlessly for years. I don't agree with anything fishgate says above.

 

[fishgate]

I have never had to clean my eye and my Tunze has worked flawlessly for years. I don't agree with anything fishgate says above.

You don't "agree" with it? lol not sure what that even means. I am recounting my experience. If your experience is different that's wonderful. An educated consumer is a smart consumer. I'm glad you have not had any problems. If I had to bet, I'd bet most people have had no problems. But that doesn't mean the Tunze is problem free for us all.