Big tank evaporation!!!Auto Top Off systems

[putter]

The sump has 2 floats, one set so that a small amount of evap will engage the pump, now the pump for the ATO is small and slow, the return pump out pumps it hands down. I have a second float set to a lower level on the return side of the sump, if the return pump is able to pump the sump to this second level then the float shuts the ATO pump off. Even at this stage if the return was to complete pumping what was in the sump it would indeed over fill the DT. I was looking at the setup again yesterday while doing maintenance, and for the cost of a second system I am thinking it would be easier to just add the sensor to shut the return pump down.

 

[d.french]

my new jbj ato system works great comes with 2 sensors i put one is return pump are of sump since that is were water level flucuates and put it a mininum water level, and put other in a ten gallon tank at the mininum water level. So when water level gets low in sump ato kicks on maxi jet 1200 fills up real quick, but second sensor in water holding area protects pump so water level gets to low in there just kicks everything off so i don't burn up pump. No worry for snails or crabs cause there are none in my sump, plus sensors have a nice design to keep snails and crabs off. I love it no more lugging jugs of water every other day just once a week. Easy setup i made a plastic fixture to hold water hose above water line so when it fills up it is still above water line so it doesn't create a back syphon.

 

[fatman]

Do not expect a Maxi-Jet pump to last a long time used in that manner. They were not made for repeatedly being turned on and off. They built soft stars into WaveMasters because of the power heads fast failure rate due to repetitive shutting on and off. You should only be pumping very , very small amounts each time your ATO signals for water and that means a lot of cycling. Floats are inherently troublesome, but cheap. If I could do it over again I would use an ATO with electronic sensors not floats, and I would stick with proper pumps even though they are more expensive.

 

[putter]

The only real problem I have so far is the fact that the sensors are hard to set, JBJ could have spent a little more time on making the sensors more adjustable. I wonder how the JBJ system would work in reverse, if I set the sensor high to have a pump run all the time, but turn off in the event of high water.....hmmmm. I use a small mag pump on my ATO system, cuts in once a day, or once a day that I have noticed.

 

[reeffreak]

Those Taam aqualifter pumps make the best ATO pump if its not pumping for long distances.My ATO resevoir is about 5 ft away.Heck they only cost $10 and has a nice slow 3.5gph max.

 

[d.french]

my pump doesn't kick on that often but if it does burn out i have two other sitting around, 20 bucks aint nothin i've waste more on fish and corals that didn't make it.