Tsunami AT1 Top off system

Clownfishman · 06-10-2004, 05:43 PM

I just got one of these and was testing it out.... I was wondering if anyone else uses one.... there is like one inch difference of when it activates and shuts off... loosing 1 inch of water for a 30G may have drastic consequences, I thought maybe shortening the hose would help or it might hurt... since this activates by air pressure I wanted to ask in here and be sure..... I mean 1 inch of water is probably like 2 gallons and I don't want it getting that low...

Suggestions..

mjsandbe · 06-10-2004, 07:25 PM

do you have a link to the product? It sound a lot like my NURCE top off system.

Clownfishman · 06-10-2004, 08:30 PM

http://www.aquadirect.com/store/cust...ctid=308&cat=9

This product uses air pressure to stop/start pump, instead of metal contacts like you might find with float switches... thing is the high water level (pump shuts off) and low water level (pump turns on) seems to far apart, about 1 and 1/4" inch of water loss... to loose that much in a 30 gallon would make for drastic salinity changes I would think... I wanted to know how i could reduce that 1 and 1/4 inch... to maybe just 1/4" whether trimming the pipe down will work or what...

sanblas · 06-10-2004, 08:39 PM

I saw a post on RC a while back on how to mod one of these things, if you do a RC search on tsunami it would probably come up

Clownfishman · 06-10-2004, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanblas
I saw a post on RC a while back on how to mod one of these things, if you do a RC search on tsunami it would probably come up

Can you send me an email with the thread contents.. I tried to register and still haven't gotten the activation email.. email to rhan101277@direcway.com

sanblas · 06-10-2004, 09:21 PM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hlight=tsunami

Clownfishman · 06-10-2004, 09:43 PM

Here is an excerpt from the thread in case anyone else wonders...

jonboy,

I believe the end-pipe on a Tsunami is 1/2", substitute a 3/4" or 1" dia pipe of the same length.

Now re-check the accuracy of your unit.

The bigger the pipe, the more sensitive the sensing unit is to pressure deviations.

This is due to the trapped air in the end-pipe having a greater volume and therefore exerting the trigger pressure on the sensing unit more quickly when water level changes.

The bigger the pipe o.d, the faster your trigger pressure will be reached with a smaller water level change.

To recap: increase pipe diameter = less water level drop to trigger the unit.

i will try it tomorrow..

Clownfishman · 06-10-2004, 10:04 PM

I think I may go with a 1" outside diameter pipe... should give me about 1/2" of water loss... I may even get a 1 and 1/2 in pipe to and try it... I am shooting for just 1/4" that way the pump should run once every two days or so... but I am going to get the 1" just both one should do the trick but I need to experiment...

Clownfishman · 06-11-2004, 03:44 PM

Well I got a 3/4" pipe and retrofitted the thing.... now I have about 3/4" of water loss before the pumps cuts on... instead of 1 and 1/4".... I think I am just going to go with that...

Anyone think that 3/4" of water loss.... is acceptable... when I say 3/4" i mean 3/4" from where the water level normally is when its topped off... I think it maybe mean .002 salinity change at the most..hopefully just .001 which shouldn't be to bad... can someone chime in on how quick their top offs cut on....

mjsandbe · 06-11-2004, 03:58 PM

It all depends on how much volume that 3/4" represents. In my 58 where I have a partitioned sump that 3/4" would only be fore an area 12"X6" on my 90 it would be for the whole sump so on the 58 3/4" is almost nothing on the 90 it is more important.

In my opinion I would say that a 3/4" is acceptable variation, ... but if you could get it down to 1/2".....

tweaking our tanks is never done, such is the life of a reefer, I mean Reef Keeper.

Clownfishman · 06-11-2004, 05:21 PM

I am using this to topp of my main tank.... I already tweaked it, it was cutting on at 1 and 1/4" water loss, with a new pipe it now cutting on at 3/4" I tested and I think it really isn't that much water maybe 1 gallon or 1 and 1/2 gallon at most... salinity difference .001 at most..

here are my completed pictures.. needless to say even though I bought the top off there was still DIY work involved...

Clownfishman · 06-11-2004, 05:22 PM

Clownfishman · 06-11-2004, 05:25 PM

And my tank... which is small but thinks its big...

Clownfishman · 06-11-2004, 11:27 PM

Well I ordered a float switch from www.floatswitches.net...

I plan on using it as a simple overflow prevention.... just in case something happens to my top off... I can hook this thing up where it stays normally closed, but if the water level gets to high... it will open up, thus cutting the power to my powerhead..

Should keep my tank from overflowing pretty easily... anyone else do this??

reefBoyDc · 06-11-2004, 11:42 PM

Yep... I got 5 float switches from them too.

I am using 2.

One is in the sump and connected to a powerhead in my top of water reservoir so that when the level in the sump gets low, it pumps FW into it.

The second is in the main tank and connected to my return pump, so that if the water level gets too high in there, it cuts off the return flow. I imagine that if this is ever triggered, i am going to get a back and forth filling and draining of the tank, which may be interesting. Interesting wavemaker

They are quite sensitive and have worked great so far. Not to mention cheap!