Automatic top off recommendations?

I use a breakout box tied into my Apex on my 180g display and a JBJ ATO on my frag tank. Both work just fine for my needs!

The JBJ ATO is a pretty slick little package and is easy to use.. you would just have to make sure you use a pump that will refill the displaced water within a 14 minute span. They built in a safety feature which limits the amount of time the ATO pump stays on and the max you can set it for is 14 minutes... so when I tried using an aqualifter it would frequently end up shutting off on me.

 

My system is not recommended by most people but here it goes.

RO/DI water pumped through a solonoid which is triggered by a couple float valves from Autotopoff.com

People will say if my float valve sticks or my (solonoid fails on - unlikely) then the tank will fill with fresh water and I am screwed. To counter that I have my salinity probe tracking the salinity...if it gets too low it turns off the solonoid feeding the RODI water. Also, I have an extra float valve tied into my breakout box...if it gets too high in the sump (my ATO float valves fail) then it will also shut of the RODI water.

 

you can easily make one the uses vaccuum to add water once your water level gets low. 5g bucket 2 runs of hose and a few ball valves.

 

I like the Tunze osmolator myself. This is also how I dose kalk. The JBJ also seems to be popular. I think Joe, here in Ames, has one for sale right now.

 

Tunze. Period.

 

I'll show you how ours works at the shop Thursday.  Float switches connected to the Apex is a pretty sweet option.

 

+1
And Jim, your option doesn't sound bad either.  It sounds like you have more than adequate fail-safes in place.  Now if you have a float valve hooked up to your RO/DI with no other fail-safes in place, then you would be crazy, but you mitigate your failure risk in a number of other ways.  Sounds like a solid setup to me.
--AJ

 

Go for it...they are nice devices...but totally independent of your Apex. That shouldn't really matter if it's Apex integrated if it's a reliable device. You can do your own integration with float switches if you absolutely feel the need to show apex integration for water level control.

--AJ

 

shouldnt need to have it hooked up to your apex. like AJ said they are stand alone units and can manage all the functions themselves.

they are a great unit, if its a good price i wouldnt pass it up. and id run kalk through your ATO

 

the ATO you mentioned. It can raise your PH, but low PH is sometimes a problem found with reefing. and dosing through your ATO is a common, easy fix. Just a suggestion.

 

yes

but all your answers can be found here. a great write up. Dont skimp.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php