Best Top Off pumps - Tunze Osmolator??

[jgoal55]

I am going to be keeping my top-off water outdoors in my balcony area which is right behind my tank. Im holding the water in a 50 gallon container.

Anyway, I currently use an autotopoff.com float switch which has 3 fail safes. It has never failed me and has always worked exactly like its supposed to. The only problem is that it doesn't prevent the top off pump from running dry. Though from what I understand there is a way of rigging it so that it does that.

Anyway, Im not a big DIYer so I was looking at the Tunze Osmoloator which has great reviews but seems just terribly expensive for an ATO. Also, the few bad reviews I've read of it are that it has failed and overfilled peoples sumps (not good).

Do any of you have experience with it and is it truly worth the cash?

The other issue is that since I am keeping the container outside behind the tank wall, I have to drill through my wall and run either the tubing through so that it reaches the top off pump inside the house or run the outlet cable from the float switches outside if I keep the ATO pump outside. The autotopoff.com electrical cable is really thick and could handle being in the wall, however the Tunze cable seems very thin?????

If I don't use the Tunze, which ATO pump do you guys recommend to serve my purpose? I used to use a Toms aqualifter but I dont feel comfortable running airline tubing through my wall.

 

[weaglereefer]

You don't have to use airline tubing with the Aqualifter. Get some 1/4" ro/di line for $3 for a 25ft roll at Home Depot and it'll work fine with the Aqualifter.

 

[jgoal55]

yeah the rigid airline tubing i thought about......i was going to run some of that for me to be able to fill up the containers outside. I was going to clip a john guest fitting to the side of the tubing inside the house and when I need water i just connect my RO/DI.

I didnt think about using it with the Aqualifter though. Thats a thought and would save me drilling a bigger hole.

Only issue with using the aqualifter is that if im not mistaken, the end of the output line has to be higher than the water level of the top-off container right. Otherwise it keeps draining. I may have this wrong though????

So you guys have an idea and maybe I help clear things up, here is the overall plan that I have in my head:

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Never mind the size of the circle (hole). I just made it huge for demo purposes. Distance from the containers outside to the sump is like 4-6ft (max).

What I need recommendations on are (mainly so I know what size to drill the hole and what tubing to run):
1) What pump and size tubing to use for the ATO in line?
2) What pump and size tubing to use for the WC Drain out line (I would like this pump to turn on at the flick of a switch on the DJ strip)?
3) What pump and size tubing to use for the WC (SW) In line (this pump I plan on connecting to the ATO switch so that it refills to the exact amount every time)?

Also, how should I set this up? For example, should the ATO pump be outside in the container (unless its a Toms of course) at which point the electrical cable (from the ATO switch) runs through the wall or should I keep it inside at which point only the tubing runs through the wall.

Same with the WC (SW) pump? Inside or out? If I plan on connecting this pump to the ATO switch and if I place the ATO switch inside the the electrical cable from this pump would be running through the wall......

:confused2: wow.....im hurting my head and confusing myself.....lol..please help..... :confused2:

 

[simon_kruger]

Hi Jorge,

Question : How are you going to stop the ATO water from freezing?

 

[weaglereefer]

Simon.Kruger;423665 wrote: Hi Jorge,

Question : How are you going to stop the ATO water from freezing?

I assume stay in Florida. :thumbs:

 

[simon_kruger]

Hehe, I'm an idiot. I didn't even see that. Good catch.

 

[jgoal55]

Lol. Hey Simon. Good to hear from you.

Yeah. Coldest it's gotten down here so far is about 52 and that was at 3am. I will have a heater in both containers for the three days we hit 40 but other than that it's no issue here in MIA.