Best Auto Top Up unit???

[Devaji]

I put my tunze osmolator pump in a bucket with a lid on it inside my cabinet. It's so quiet now that I get concerned about whether it is actually working or not.

mine is in a 29H tank with glass top its so dang noisy I can here it thought the house and even in the drive way. I hate it

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

mine is in a 29H tank with glass top its so dang noisy I can here it thought the house and even in the drive way. I hate it

Yea, I think the glass would resonate much louder than a plastic bucket in wood cabinet. Maybe try zip-tying it to a 4x3 piece of eggcrate/light diffuser and then adding some rubber feet to the corners. You could also try suspending it off the glass so its just surrounded by water and not touching anything.

 

[Devaji]

Yea, I think the glass would resonate much louder than a plastic bucket in wood cabinet. Maybe try zip-tying it to a 4x3 piece of eggcrate/light diffuser and then adding some rubber feet to the corners. You could also try suspending it off the glass so its just surrounded by water and not touching anything.

yeah I did try to suspend it just in the water column it did help some but it's not the vibration its the pump motor sounds like a high pitch wine, that's why I thought the pump was bad got another same thing, unless there was a bad batch of pumps and I got 2 of them these things are way to laud for the $$ really bumped as I choose this over avast wish I would have went another way...

anyone else dont care for there tunze?

 

[Cory]

Avast marine, not limited to one pump, you can use any.

 

[BoomCorals]

I use the Neptune ATK. Works better than any I've had and I've tried just about all of them.

 

[DHill6]

I have the aqua smart, not the micro, over the past three yrs or longer, not a problem. Both sides keep water in the middle of the sensor. Works extremely well. Optical and small size sold me on this product. It's pumping from a trigger ATO container, uphill to the back of a Reefer 170 and back down to the return section. No problem

 

[Sleepydoc]

I used a Tunze Osmolator for 5 years, I tried a Neptune ATK and switched back to the Tunze. I recently bought a Neptune Apex and re-installed the ATK. Based on my experience:

The Tunze Osmolator:

• Is bulletproof. The only issue I ever had with it was when the optical sensor got dirty because I hadn't cleaned it in 3 ½ years. Optical sensors are more reliable than float switches, but you still need to keep them clean.
• The Tunze has a backup float switch that sounds a loud alarm and cuts power to the system if the water level gets too high.
• It also has a safety cut off if the system has been running for more than 10 (?) minutes
• The pump for the Tunze is not quiet. I could clearly hear mine inside the closed cabinet, but it wasn't intrusive for me. It's not so bad if you put it in the middle of the tank and/or suspend it in the water column, but if you want a silent pump, this is not it. That said, the pump has worked reliably (not in Kalkwasser) for 5 years. Replacement pumps are also cheap ($24 at BRS)
• Tunze does make a 120V adapter that lets you use any 120V pump you want, but that costs extra. You can also DIY an adapter with a relay operated off the Tunze.

The Neptune ATK:

• Is as accurate as the Tunze in terms of water level control
• Is easier to set up - virtually completely assembled.
• The PMUP pump seems to be better constructed and is definitely quieter.
• Will shut off and alarm if it runs for more than 3x the 'average' fill time, if the upper sensor is covered for more than 10 minutes, or if it runs for more than 5 minutes. (these are pre-programmed and can't be changed.)
• Both the primary and backup sensors are optical sensors, vs a float valve for the backup with the Tunze. Optical sensors are generally better, but I've never even had to clean the float sensor for my Tunze.
• Also has a float valve as a mechanical shut off.
• The magnet is not as strong as the Tunze's. This could be good or bad - it's easier to work with because it's not so strong (the Tunze's are almost too strong.) It works fine on my 40b sump and it holds the sensors in place ok, so I don't think this is an issue unless you have a really thick-walled sump.
• Easily allows you to add an optical sensor for the ATO reservoir water level and a sump flood sensor, something that no other ATO system has, to my knowledge.
• Problems I experienced:
  • The alarm signal is quiet; difficult to hear inside the closed tank stand
  • The level of the separate backup sensor is not adjustable unless you buy a separate mount for it.
  • Any alarm permanently shuts down the system until you do a hard reset by unplugging the system
  • I shut off my return pump to feed. That meant that every time I fed my fish, the sump level rose and triggered the backup alarm, so I would have to reset the ATK after the pump came back on.
  • The same thing would occur whenever I did a water change.
  • I have a Beananimal overflow system. As part of the startup, the water level would drop in the sump return chamber util the siphon got established and stabilized. This took longer than 3x the average fill time, so every time I would start up the system the ATK would alarm.
• Can be readily integrated with a Neptune Apex (and is cheaper than buying the components separately)

The ATK has some nice features, and the ability to add the reservoir and flood sensors is really nice, but the issues with nuisance alarms that would shut the whole system down made the system unworkable for me. It was working exactly as designed, it was just that the design had some flaws, IMO. Buying a separate mount and moving the high water sensor would certainly eliminate some, but not all of the problems.

Now that I have integrated it with an Apex, the system is perfect, and if you are planing on getting an Apex in the future I would urge you to consider the ATK, and if the issues surrounding the alarms don't apply to you then it's a fine system and worthy of consideration.

 

[Devaji]

I used a Tunze Osmolator for 5 years, I tried a Neptune ATK and switched back to the Tunze. I recently bought a Neptune Apex and re-installed the ATK. Based on my experience:

The Tunze Osmolator:

• Is bulletproof. The only issue I ever had with it was when the optical sensor got dirty because I hadn't cleaned it in 3 ½ years. Optical sensors are more reliable than float switches, but you still need to keep them clean.
• The Tunze has a backup float switch that sounds a loud alarm and cuts power to the system if the water level gets too high.
• It also has a safety cut off if the system has been running for more than 10 (?) minutes
• The pump for the Tunze is not quiet. I could clearly hear mine inside the closed cabinet, but it wasn't intrusive for me. It's not so bad if you put it in the middle of the tank and/or suspend it in the water column, but if you want a silent pump, this is not it. That said, the pump has worked reliably (not in Kalkwasser) for 5 years. Replacement pumps are also cheap ($24 at BRS)
• Tunze does make a 120V adapter that lets you use any 120V pump you want, but that costs extra. You can also DIY an adapter with a relay operated off the Tunze.

The Neptune ATK:

• Is as accurate as the Tunze in terms of water level control
• Is easier to set up - virtually completely assembled.
• The PMUP pump seems to be better constructed and is definitely quieter.
• Will shut off and alarm if it runs for more than 3x the 'average' fill time, if the upper sensor is covered for more than 10 minutes, or if it runs for more than 5 minutes. (these are pre-programmed and can't be changed.)
• Both the primary and backup sensors are optical sensors, vs a float valve for the backup with the Tunze. Optical sensors are generally better, but I've never even had to clean the float sensor for my Tunze.
• Also has a float valve as a mechanical shut off.
• The magnet is not as strong as the Tunze's. This could be good or bad - it's easier to work with because it's not so strong (the Tunze's are almost too strong.) It works fine on my 40b sump and it holds the sensors in place ok, so I don't think this is an issue unless you have a really thick-walled sump.
• Easily allows you to add an optical sensor for the ATO reservoir water level and a sump flood sensor, something that no other ATO system has, to my knowledge.
• Problems I experienced:
  • The alarm signal is quiet; difficult to hear inside the closed tank stand
  • The level of the separate backup sensor is not adjustable unless you buy a separate mount for it.
  • Any alarm permanently shuts down the system until you do a hard reset by unplugging the system
  • I shut off my return pump to feed. That meant that every time I fed my fish, the sump level rose and triggered the backup alarm, so I would have to reset the ATK after the pump came back on.
  • The same thing would occur whenever I did a water change.
  • I have a Beananimal overflow system. As part of the startup, the water level would drop in the sump return chamber util the siphon got established and stabilized. This took longer than 3x the average fill time, so every time I would start up the system the ATK would alarm.
• Can be readily integrated with a Neptune Apex (and is cheaper than buying the components separately)

The ATK has some nice features, and the ability to add the reservoir and flood sensors is really nice, but the issues with nuisance alarms that would shut the whole system down made the system unworkable for me. It was working exactly as designed, it was just that the design had some flaws, IMO. Buying a separate mount and moving the high water sensor would certainly eliminate some, but not all of the problems.

Now that I have integrated it with an Apex, the system is perfect, and if you are planing on getting an Apex in the future I would urge you to consider the ATK, and if the issues surrounding the alarms don't apply to you then it's a fine system and worthy of consideration.

thanks for the detailed write up on tunze vrs Neptune ATO

 

[3mm3]

I use a dual float switch from autotopoff.com and a toms aqua lifter. Very simple and under 50$ for everything

I use the same.

 

[Damien Buckley]

I have a ReeFloat and am super-happy with it. Similar to the Tunze but with a variety of different fittings. Ships out of UK - had no problem with delivery or service and I'm in Australia. The guy who makes them is a top bloke.

http://www.reefloat.com/index.php/atu-pro3-auto-top-up.html

All the Brits on Ultimate Reef swear by them.

Otherwise, Tunze Osmolator all the way.

 

[Bdog4u2]

I have used the TMC V2 unit before which I replaced last week with the Autoaqua Smart Micro unit which has an optical eye. I'm having issues with the smart micro as it isn't keeping a consistent water level, it seems to pump enough water in the return to where the entire optical sensor and about 1cm of wire are submerged.

I spoke to the shop where I purchased it from and he told me in his opinion the best ones are still ones with the manual float switches like the TMC.

My reason for replacing the TMC unit was because it had a suction cup and it kept becoming loose and slanting to the side stopping the float switch from functioning freely.

I then asked about the Tunze nano which also has a float switch but he said he gets a ton of complaint about those so to stay away from that particular model.

The reason I think my optical sensor isn't keeping a consistent water level is because ambient light. room light is affecting it? I have a AIO with it in the return chamber and light does hit it but the funny thing is it seems to overfill during the night when the lights are out.

Thoughts and advice?

I'd put a backup float switch to turn pump off if sensor doesn't

 

[Sleepydoc]

One other minor addendum - Zoo med makes magnetic clips that work perfectly for the Neptune optical sensors. (the Neptune rep actually told me that they use these for their clips.)

I removed the upper sensor from the ATK bracket and used the magnetic holder to move it higher in the sump. In stand alone mode, this would eliminate some of the alarms I experienced. Integrated with an Apex controller I have the level set so that it will shut off my skimmer and ATO pump if the sump level rises too much.

 

[ageno125]

Best ATO = gravity. imo

 

[Sleepydoc]

Best ATO = gravity. imo

If you mean plumbing the reservoir to a float valve and letting the water drain in via gravity, controlled by the float valve then I would have to disagree. Straight float valves are prone to leaking, sticking, or getting obstructed by critters, and then there's nothing preventing your entire reservoir from draining into your system.

 

[Pmj]

I have two Tunze, but it is annoying that the optical sensor needs to be cleaned about once a month bc of kalk.

 

[Sleepydoc]

I have two Tunze, but it is annoying that the optical sensor needs to be cleaned about once a month bc of kalk.

Where do you have the sensor relative to the outlet of the tubing? Would moving them further apart help?

 

[Pmj]

It's as far as it can be in that section of the sump, but the same section for obvious reasons. Soaking in vinegar for 15 minutes usually takes care of it, but annoying nonetheless.

 

[Sleepydoc]

I don't know how your sump is set up, but you can have the ATO pump discharge in a different section. No matter where you add water in the system, the level will rise in the return chamber, it just may take a bit longer.

It may be worth looking at the water flow patterns in your sump, too, as there may be a position where less of the kalk flows toward the sensor.

Regardless, an optical sensor is probably your best bet. If you're getting enough deposits to foul an optical sensor, it would probably be an. Issue with a float sensor, too.

 

[LEOreefer]

I know its probably been said but I have a BRS 6 stage 175 GPD unit and its a beast! Highly recommended

 

[RobMay]

Tunze osmolator. Magnetic mount, optical water level sensor with a mechanical float switch backup, plus a timer on the controller in case both of those fail... options for plugging in a solenoid or alternative pump...

You didn't ask for the cheapest

Yeah, and you listed the worst. Tunze are garbage. You can have the two units that I've thrown in a box. Worthless!