Long run auto top off

[revhtree Verified Admin]

What are all of you doing for auto top off that have a long run from your fresh water container to your tank?

I was all ready to set up my Tunze Osmolator and realized it wouldn't reach.

 

[Paul B]

My freshwater top off bucket is about 30' from my tank. I mounted that bucket from my ceiling in my workshop and a 1/4" hose goes above the ceiling to the closet my tank is in. Then it goes to a float switch in my tank. The bucket automatically fills from the RO/DI and the DIY float switch in the bucket turns off the electric valve when the bucket is full. Been working like that for as long as I can remember.
The blue bucket in my workshop is the reservoir

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Thanks man.

Trying to figure out a way to run something I don't have to put together! No DIY guy here!

Anybody know of a ATO that would work? My Tunze makes it about half way.

 

[Ocelaris]

A diaphragm pump will do the trick. My ato bucket is at least 30 feet and the pirate company diaphragm pump did the trick. I have float valves on my apex, and use a USB cable spliced together (you can buy a long one) to control an eb4 power brick. The only downside with diaphragm pumps is that they can't do caustic liquid like Kalkwasser, so if you wanted to do Kalkwasser, you'd need a stirrer at your display tank. Sorry can't recall the company name, but it's a well known company with a pirate theme.

 

[azbigjohn]

My plan is to run a T valve off of my RODI fill line and run it to a float valve in my ati container in my stand. It will require a 25 foot 1/4" line around baseboards, but in my head sounds easy. Once I do it, I'll know for sure.

 

[TheEngineer]

A diaphragm pump will do the trick. My ato bucket is at least 30 feet and the pirate company diaphragm pump did the trick. I have float valves on my apex, and use a USB cable spliced together (you can buy a long one) to control an eb4 power brick. The only downside with diaphragm pumps is that they can't do caustic liquid like Kalkwasser, so if you wanted to do Kalkwasser, you'd need a stirrer at your display tank. Sorry can't recall the company name, but it's a well known company with a pirate theme.

Avast

 

[Ocelaris]

Avast Marine

http://www.avastmarine.com/products/diaphragm-pump

Works like a charm, just get some little cable ties to secure the 1/4" tubing. Fills at quite a clip.

 

[711reefer]

spectrapure liter meter pump for me. I have it hooked up to an avast ato switch and find the avast fluctuates about 1/2 inch. . If I had to do it over I would have bought the whole spectrapure ato system.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

This puts the tunze to shame.

http://spectrapure.com/DOSING-TOP-O...uto-Top-Off-System-with-Magnetic-Probe-Holder

 

[Ocelaris]

Question on the Spectrapure top off controller, it appears according to the manual

http://spectrapure.com/manuals/UP-ATO_Manual v2_web.pdf

that the top off is controlled by air pressure? Does that mean that the pump needs to be close to the tank, or can that be remote? I'm still more comfortable with standard float switches and electronics than air pressure. Even better would be the optical control, but I'd still prefer to have that behind an apex than a stand alone system so I can turn that off during semi-automated water changes (so it doesn't try to fill when the sump is low etc...).

I may replace the avast with a spectrapure eventually, big fan of their products, just pricey, and at the time I needed something fast, and that little diaphragm pump has worked for 8 months or so now.

 

[TheEngineer]

The air pressure tells the water height. Same concept as the avast sensor.

 

[thewbell]

I use the Spectrapure pump to pull water about 75 feet from my ATO container through my attic and down to the tank. I tried the Avast diaphragm pump but could not reliably avoid a siphon so the pump was re-purposed and swapped for the Spectrapure. Also, I recommend locating the pump at your tank so you do not have to worry about any leaks if something were to happen to the RO line in the walls or attic.

 

[mfinn]

JBJ ATO. It can be used over any distance.
The first one I had I talked with them about the distance ( 15').
They sent me a unit with a longer wire between the float and the sending unit.
After looking at it closer, I modified my second one myself with door bell wire.

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Extend the pump wire with basic speaker wire. Call Roger for longer pump tubing. Voila!

This puts the tunze to shame.

That's a heckuva claim ... by what metric?

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Thanks everyone for the good info!

 

[d2mini]

On my big tanks, I use an optical float sensor controlled by my Profilux. The pump I use is a cheap, old, fixed rpm Cole-Parmer peristaltic pump.
Delivery of the water from the RO to the pump and from the pump to the tank is regular RO water line which you can buy in any length you need and its cheap as dirt.

 

[DLHDesign]

What about putting a booster pump inline on the ATO line?