Suggestions for an Auto Top Off System?

[hankstanks]

Hello,

I am in the market for an Auto Top Off system. I am looking for quality and saftey first, price second.

Any suggestions? I want to assure I dont Automatically add way too much water by accident if the thing gets stuck etc.

What are you using?

[Loverotties]

Check Ebay "mermaid" I think is the one I got off their.But if you want a fail safe which nothing 100% guarenty is getting to one that turns it on when low and anougher one to turn it off if to high (incase the first gets stuck)But mines been working fine for a good long time now with one.It's got a green led for when it's pumping and you have a three position switch on it which is manualy on/auto/off.I think it was like $40.And I think it is one of the best things I got for my reef!I think there's a web site.I'll look and post it when I'm home.

[Clownfishman]

I made mine with a float switch from www.floatswitches.net and connected it to a powerhead in a 5 gallon bucket and it works very well... never head any trouble... plus it uses magnets so not much chance of it getting stuck

[wanareef]

My top off uses a float switche and is "caged" to be snail proof. You can use two as Clownfish uses, I just use one. This turns on a PH in a rubbermaid can and pumps ro/di to the kalk reactor and then to the sump.


Simple - but I have to lug water to refill the can every so often

[nikesmashing]

that is way cool. all of the float swicthes i have found were 4 times this cost. I just order 3

[jjaramillo]

Going back to hankstanks question, which manufacturer of top-off/dosing provides quality and safety first? Eheim,Tunze, SpectraPure, etc.???

I'm looking as well for a reliable, quality system.
thanks!

[redwinger]

Here is what I am using for dosing kalkwasser for topoff. I run a litermeter 3 with one end that pumps from a 16 gallon container of kalkwaser. This feeds into the sump and is preset to my evaporation rate. The failsafe that is in place is a autotopoff switch from spectrapure ($39.00) It works off of vaccum and no moving parts. If the evap rate changes and the sump fills up faster than it should the litermeter shuts off completely untill the water level comes down. Normal float switches have the tendancy to stick in the on position not the off position. Snail guard help with snails but not with calcium deposits etc. Having the most redindancy possible is key when having a auto toppoff. Granted this is a little more expensive but gives me the most piece of mind. One overdose of kalk or freshwater and just imagine the amount of money you will lose in livestock plus damage to your carpet, walls, etc.

[reefworried124]

I got the Ultralife one and it seems to work good. The only thing is that a snail somehow got into my return area where the float switch is one time, and he triggered the pump and I had an overflow. Easily correctable with a plastic guard around the float. Im an idiot.

[Clownfishman]

Originally Posted by nikesmashing

that is way cool. all of the float swicthes i have found were 4 times this cost. I just order 3

Make sure the PH you get doesn't exceed the electrical specifications of the switch.. it shows those specs on that webpage I listed above..

[Clownfishman]

Originally Posted by redwinger

Here is what I am using for dosing kalkwasser for topoff. I run a litermeter 3 with one end that pumps from a 16 gallon container of kalkwaser. This feeds into the sump and is preset to my evaporation rate. The failsafe that is in place is a autotopoff switch from spectrapure ($39.00) It works off of vaccum and no moving parts. If the evap rate changes and the sump fills up faster than it should the litermeter shuts off completely untill the water level comes down. Normal float switches have the tendancy to stick in the on position not the off position. Snail guard help with snails but not with calcium deposits etc. Having the most redindancy possible is key when having a auto toppoff. Granted this is a little more expensive but gives me the most piece of mind. One overdose of kalk or freshwater and just imagine the amount of money you will lose in livestock plus damage to your carpet, walls, etc.

You can clean the float switch during regular maintenance to prevent the calcium deposits from occuring..

[redwinger]

Originally Posted by Clownfishman

You can clean the float switch during regular maintenance to prevent the calcium deposits from occuring..

You can, if you are willing to worry about whether you did or did not clean the float switch last week. I don't have to worry about this as much. And I do not have to worry about being gone for 5-7 days if need be. Redundancy is key and what can go wrong will go wrong at the wrong time. Nothing is fail safe, but this is pretty darn close.

[Rothie]

Originally Posted by jjaramillo

Going back to hankstanks question, which manufacturer of top-off/dosing provides quality and safety first? Eheim,Tunze, SpectraPure, etc.???

I'm looking as well for a reliable, quality system.
thanks!

I have seen a lot of posts from reefers who use the Tunze osmolator and are very happy with it.