very un happy in my tunze ATO :( defective?

[Devaji108]

Hey guys I was wondering if I have a defective product?

1st and pump on the 3155 was so loud it's crazy I got a replacement from BRS. and same thing. I cant believe its this nosy. I have a 29H ATO res. covered by .25" plate glass then a shelf I can hear the pump in every room of my house.

that would be OK if it only kicked on every few hrs. but this thing turns on every min. for about 20secs. I kid you not. 60+ times an hr..
tank is in my room so I wake up to it all night long.

this ATO is a real mood killer if you know what mean.

so do I have a defective product? for the amout of $$ I spent on this ATO over the "others" I am VERY UNHAPPY.

is there a fix? what to do? or is this how it is?

I would like to update my negative review on BRS of this product but as of now I do not recommend this to anyone...

help...

 

[jd371]

Mine isn't noisy at all, the only way I know it's working is I hear the water splashing into the sump when it's on. When I clean out the 5g reservoir every few months the pump is noisy when I first refill the reservoir and start the pump until I give it a shake while it's working to release the trapped air. It quiets down as I shake it a little.
Mine kicks on a couple of times an hour, a little more during the winter months.

 

[GOSKN5]

Have you tried to suspend the pump vs allowing it to sit on the bottom?

 

[Devaji108]

humm no I have not tried that. I will give that a shoot.
still don't understand why its turns no so often tho.

wish there where reefers around me to see and hear another unit.

 

[GOSKN5]

Mine was also loud... especially when the water got low in the reservoir

 

[Flippers4pups]

Okay I'm not familiar with the tunze ato, but the water level sensor in your sump is the culprit. If you have a lot of flow in the sump were the sensor sets, the wave or turbulence at the surface will make the ATO pump kick on randomly or on off all the time. The flow around the sensor has to be calm.

The pump needs to be suspended, if possible in the ATO reservoir close to the bottom, but just enough to keep it off the bottom. Of course this doesn't apply if the ATO pump is plumbed outside the reservoir through a bulkhead. If so, a rubber pad under the pump would help. Also use of flexible tubing helps dampen the vibrations.

 

[Devaji108]

not much turbulence around the sensor but i'll double check to make sure.
also will check where the pump in in the ATO res.

I just think I got a lemon. but how knows I have been putting up with this for a few months now and I am at wits end....

 

[rvitko]

Yes, suspend the pump, if it is on a hard surface it can be very loud from the vibration of the pump.

Make sure the hose is not touching the surface of the water, a lot of top offs generally means the evaporation is very high or the hose is touching the water and it tops off, siphons the water back and runs again.

 

[Devaji108]

^ i'll check and see what I can do. I am pretty sure I am not getting a back siphon but I will defiantly check that out for sure.
thanks for the feedback guys.