HELP Tunze ATO

[Daniel korchick]

I have bad luck with these ATO systems this is my second one first one was reefbreeders $100 one now I bought the tunze ATO system and I’m having a hard time getting it to not dump my whole 5 gallons of RODI water into my tank in one day.

 

[Natural_Reefer]

We need more information! What exactly are the problems?

 

[KStatefan]

Is it set up so it can siphon? That can drain you supply without the ATO activating.

 

[Daniel korchick]

We need more information! What exactly are the problems?

Sorry, Red Sea reefer 250 G2, ATO is in the return pump area. I leave for work, come home the alarm is blaring, and it dumped my 5 gallon RODI water in the tank. I can’t figure out what’s going on , no leak or anything. Where exactly do I need to put the sensor , or is there a better spot for it

 

[Daniel korchick]

Is it set up so it can siphon? That can drain you supply without the ATO activating.

Not siphoning. The hose it came with won’t pump water through it like it shrunk during shipping , I turned the setting all the way up and it won’t pump through the black hose it comes with. So I attached a plastic 3/8 hose over top of the outlet so water can go through no problem now. But definitely not siphon.

 

[bblumberg]

Where is the primary sensor relative to the desired and actual water levels? Picture? It is possible that the primary sensor is failing and so does not stop the pump when the desired level is reached. It is unusual in a new ATO, though.

 

[Natural_Reefer]

Sorry, Red Sea reefer 250 G2, ATO is in the return pump area. I leave for work, come home the alarm is blaring, and it dumped my 5 gallon RODI water in the tank. I can’t figure out what’s going on , no leak or anything. Where exactly do I need to put the sensor , or is there a better spot for it

No worries! Could you post a picture of your ATO setup?
I have a similar situation with Tunze ATO. I noticed that the water level was always higher than the sensor (luckily it did not dumped the whole reservoir into my sump).
Anyhow, what happened was I upgraded the ATO to a large 22gal Reservoir. The Tunze Pump and feed line created siphon and the water kept on running to the sump eventho the pump is already off.
Make sure your ATO is on the same level or lower than your sump! Even if it is on the level, the Reservoir head can't be too much higher than the sump to prevent siphon.
What I did to prevent siphon was set the water line way off in the sump, almost as high as the Reservoir head. I also run the line way up about 5-6ft behind the tank to make NO siphon.

 

[Daniel korchick]

Where is the primary sensor relative to the desired and actual water levels? Picture? It is possible that the primary sensor is failing and so does not stop the pump when the desired level is reached. It is unusual in a new ATO, though.

Sorry currently at work. But the water level on the sensor is at the tip of it. If that makes sense

 

[Montiman]

There may also be an issue with the pump priming Tunze ATO pumps need to reprime if you let them go dry.

 

[Natural_Reefer]

Not siphoning. The hose it came with won’t pump water through it like it shrunk during shipping , I turned the setting all the way up and it won’t pump through the black hose it comes with. So I attached a plastic 3/8 hose over top of the outlet so water can go through no problem now. But definitely not siphon.

Sorry but I am a bit confused! You said it dumped 5gal gallons of water to your sump and now you said it won't pump?

 

[Daniel korchick]

There may also be an issue with the pump priming Tunze ATO pumps need to reprime if you let them go dry.

Tried that. Took hose off let it run ,sprayed water and tried to put hose back on and still nothing

 

[Daniel korchick]

No worries! Could you post a picture of your ATO setup?
I have a similar situation with Tunze ATO. I noticed that the water level was always higher than the sensor (luckily it did not dumped the whole reservoir into my sump).
Anyhow, what happened was I upgraded the ATO to a large 22gal Reservoir. The Tunze Pump and feed line created siphon and the water kept on running to the sump eventho the pump is already off.
Make sure your ATO is on the same level or lower than your sump! Even if it is on the level, the Reservoir head can't be too much higher than the sump to prevent siphon.
What I did to prevent siphon was set the water line way off in the sump, almost as high as the Reservoir head. I also run the line way up about 5-6ft behind the tank to make NO siphon.

 

[Daniel korchick]

Sorry but I am a bit confused! You said it dumped 5gal gallons of water to your sump and now you said it won't pump?

 

[Daniel korchick]

 

[bblumberg]

Sorry currently at work. But the water level on the sensor is at the tip of it. If that makes sense

The pump is supposed to shut off when the water level reaches the tip of the sensor (assuming that the pointy end is down). Is the water level now higher than the sensor? If not, then perhaps the sensor is not low enough...

I'd suspect a siphon as others have noted.

 

[Montiman]

By the looks of things, it may be a siphon issue. I would recommend running the hose all the way to the display. This is what I do on my RedSea Reefer with 3155 and I have never had any issues.

 

[Daniel korchick]

Okay so I got pictures from the wife,
so when I got the pump in the mail I opened it up and there’s a black hose that comes with it for your fill line. That black hose will not let water come through it for some reason. So I took the clear hose and put it over top of the whole outlet of the pump. Pump works fine. Just don’t know why it dumps out.

 

[bblumberg]

I can't see where the sensor is in your photos but agree that if the large loop of 3/8" tubing is going from your ATO reservoir to the sump, it is unlikely to be a siphon situation.

 

[Daniel korchick]

I can't see where the sensor is in your photos but agree that if the large loop of 3/8" tubing is going from your ATO reservoir to the sump, it is unlikely to be a siphon situation.

Okay I will try to run a new tube to the top.

 

[Montiman]

I can't see where the sensor is in your photos but agree that if the large loop of 3/8" tubing is going from your ATO reservoir to the sump, it is unlikely to be a siphon situation.

The only issue is that the end of the tubing is still below the top of the ATO container which is exactly what leads to a siphoning issue.