Tunze Osmolator Pump Breaking

kaylajoy · Mar 23, 2021

I have the Tunze nano ATO and after noticing I left it unplugged today, I found out that it has broken once I got it hooked up again. The first one I can understand, because I accidentally let it run dry. But it didn't break until some time after, so not sure if that's the cause. And this second one broke after only a few weeks and it's been completely submerged in a bucket of RO water since the day I got it.

Trying to figure out if it's user error or not. Could I have caused damage by leaving it unplugged for a day or two (unlikely) or perhaps if it's not completely upright in the bucket it damages the pump? It just seems odd that I would burn through two of these when the tank hasn't even been running for a month. Both of them came on and attempted to pump water, but they just didn't move anything.

dank reefer · Mar 23, 2021

kaylajoy said:
I have the Tunze nano ATO and after noticing I left it unplugged today, I found out that it has broken once I got it hooked up again. The first one I can understand, because I accidentally let it run dry. But it didn't break until some time after, so not sure if that's the cause. And this second one broke after only a few weeks and it's been completely submerged in a bucket of RO water since the day I got it.

Trying to figure out if it's user error or not. Could I have caused damage by leaving it unplugged for a day or two (unlikely) or perhaps if it's not completely upright in the bucket it damages the pump? It just seems odd that I would burn through two of these when the tank hasn't even been running for a month. Both of them came on and attempted to pump water, but they just didn't move anything.

Have you tried shaking the pump while its submerged to see if it will draw water? Happens to mine when it runs out, and when I refill and turn it on its like sucking air. After I shake the pump while it's running it will start to draw water and fill like normal.

kaylajoy · Mar 23, 2021

dank reefer said:
Have you tried shaking the pump while its submerged to see if it will draw water? Happens to mine when it runs out, and when I refill and turn it on its like sucking air. After I shake the pump while it's running it will start to draw water and fill like normal.

Thanks, you saved me some money. It started running again after I messed around with it.