New Tunze Osmolator ATO Siphon problem

[holliek]

Hi everyone,
I have read many of the posts already that discuss this issue, but I am hoping for some personal assistance.

I have a 110 gallon mixed reef with a refugium. My water reservoir is a 20 gallon container that sits next to the tank. The water level in the reservoir is absolutely higher than the water level in the refugium so of course I am having a siphon issue. The water pumps fine, and the the pump shuts off, and the water keeps dripping and eventually the alarm sounds because there is too much water.

My question is this- for this type of setup, is there a valve or anything I can use to modify the tubing to stop the siphon? It will be impossible for me to lower the water reservoir to sump level and its impossible for me to raise the refugium. So far I haven't been able to use the system at all because it sends too much water. I'm concerned that I will have to return it

Thank you in advance for the help!

 

[billbunton]

Can you just raise the end of the hose? When full, my reservoir is higher than the water level in my sump. I just have the end of the hose higher than the water level in the reservoir, and no siphon problem.

 

[IanWR]

The top off does not have to go into the sump. You could have it go into your DT overflow, for example, and not worry about siphoning.

 

[SaltieG]

I was having this issue a few weeks back when I got my Tunze ATO and I had it filling up the sump. To fix it I just cut a longer line and ran it from the pump, up the back of the tank and into the overflow.

 

[Portsie]

The top off does not have to go into the sump. You could have it go into your DT overflow, for example, and not worry about siphoning.

+1 Just run the line to the DT

 

[FirstContact]

Wouldn't a check valve from BRS do the trick?

 

[Portsie]

The top off does not have to go into the sump. You could have it go into your DT overflow, for example, and not worry about siphoning.

+1 Just run the line to the DT

 

[cakemanPA]

Ran mine to the DT in the overflow

 

[muttley101]

Edit: Just realized what you were trying to explain.... Yeah, run it in the display tank overflow would be the quick fix. Maybe run a loop above the reservoir water line later.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Sorry to bring up a dead thread here... My fear is something clogs the overflow (I have a Lifereef hob) and the pump never shuts off and sends the entire contents of the ato reservoir into the overflow since the sump level doesn't change.. Anyone else have this concern? I have an apex with a high level sensor, so if the siphon breaks from the dt to the sump it will be ok, but it wouldn't solve it in case if the back drain clogging... Am I being crazy paranoid?

 

[mathman7728]

i have the same ATO and run it from the reservoir to the sump via a flexible hose. i attach the hose to the stand at an upward angle from the reservoir to the point of stand connection and in downward angle from stand connection point to sump (i.e. the stand connection point is the highest point of the flexible hose). I also make sure the hose empties into the sump above the actual sump water line and also cut "V"s in the hose end (thinking that would break any siphon).

be sure to have the hose empty into the sump in the pump section and NOT the skimmer section. i initially had the ATO pump into the skimmer section (it was closer to the reservoir) but realized that it messed with the water surface tension and would cause my skimmer to overflow. moved the ATO hose to the pump section and no more problems with the skimmer.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

You can use a piece of pvc pipe to raise the level of the output hose as well, the pipe basically acts as a gutter so the water isn't falling 3' into the sump. Making a high point in the hose that's above the reservoir water line doesn't matter... The outlet of the hose as to be higher than the ato reservoir water line, that's the only thing that matters.

That's an interesting thing about your skimmer mathman, I have not had that issue at all. What skimmer do you have? That sounds like a sensitive skimmer to be that affected by small ripples?

 

[Portsie]

The tunze controller shuts off the pump after a set amount of continuous run time, I believe it's 10 minutes. You then have to manually power cycle the unit before it will work again.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Yeah I saw that... 10 mins is a long time, if mine ever ran even 2 mins, then something is likely wrong. I wish there was a way to change that time.

 

[Portsie]

Since you already have an apex you could add another float switch to shut the ato off.

 

[spicytuna]

Your top off water should be going into your final sump chamber where the float switch is located. It does not make any sense to pump the water into any other part of the tank besides where the switch/sensor is located.

If your having siphoning issues you need a check valve. I run the osmotic with the kalk dispenser and I have to use a check valve. The tunze rx came with a check valve that failed after a few years of use. I've been running a cheap airline check valve for almost a year now from let smart with no issues

Here's the check valve hanging at a higher point then the reservoir to avoid pressure on the valve.


Here's where it enters the sump.



everything happens in the same chamber, level sensor and top off return. Simple enough.

 

[Portsie]

I disagree. You can pump the water in to any place you want, different chamber of the sump, or the dt. Doesn't make a difference.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

I disagree. You can pump the water in to any place you want, different chamber of the sump, or the dt. Doesn't make a difference.

I agree.

My fear with check valves is that they do fail, as long as that won't lead to a flood of your floors then it may not be a huge deal. But just raising the level of the output of the tube seems like the easiest solution to me.

 

[spicytuna]

I disagree. You can pump the water in to any place you want, different chamber of the sump, or the dt. Doesn't make a difference.

Soo, if my top off switch is in my return pump chamber, and my top off feed line is in my overflow. By the time the level rises in my return chamber, I have already pumped more top off water into the tank then needed.

To each there own, every system is different. From a precision stand point, it makes sense that the top off feed is pumped into the chamber that holds the sensor. That would give you the most accurate replacement of evaporated water.


What works for me, may not work for you. I was just giving you an alternate answer to your question.