ATO recommendations

[spoonman]

I have the JBJ and move the float switches when I do tank maintenance. I have a switch in the spare water tank and one in the sump. When my storage tank goes empty it wont turn the pump on to top off the sump. I have an 18 gallon rubbermaid container for storage and have to fill it about every two weeks. Love the system and have no salinity swings anymore.

 

[dmolavi]

How does the float handle turbulence on the surface of the water? On my tank, I have a HOB filter, and then one of my powerheads pointed towards the surface for agitation. I wouldn't want the thing having false starts (or stops).

 

[z_dano]

I have the JBJ and move the float switches when I do tank maintenance. I have a switch in the spare water tank and one in the sump. When my storage tank goes empty it wont turn the pump on to top off the sump. I have an 18 gallon rubbermaid container for storage and have to fill it about every two weeks. Love the system and have no salinity swings anymore.

Sounds almost exactly like what I would be doing except my water storage is smaller.

 

[dmolavi]

Is it possible to mute the audible alert on the JBJ when the pump is running? Or is it just a single beep when it starts/stops? (ie, it would suck if it beeps the whole time the pump is running and wakes people up at night)...


Edit: Nevermind, found how to do it.

Also, the JBJ doesn't include a pump, does it? That adds to the cost...

 

[spoonman]

I use a $20 aqualifter on mine.

 

[mr_X]

A 20 dollar maxijet is what I use on my JBJ. Purchasing a more expensive model because it comes with a pump, hopefully won't cost you double.
You can use the 2 switches for high and low so it will shut off when it gets too high.
when I put my arm in the sump and disrupt the water it turns on, but only for a couple seconds.
Never had any salt buildup on my float switches and never moved them since installation 1.5 years ago. The same goes for the model I used in the old house. That ran flawlessly for 4 years.

 

[dmolavi]

Maxi 400? Based on feedback I'm seeing on this site, I'm seriously considering leaning towards the JBJ...

 

[mr_X]

I use a 1200, but I have a big system with lots of evap. Either way, any MJ will work really, as long as it can get water from the reservoir to the sump.

 

[Space lord]

My jbj works great and I use toms aqua lifter pump with mine

 

[z_dano]

I just purchased the jbj ato. I have a small pump that I think will work.. a little Rio. It's slow though.
Thanks for the recommendations everyone.

 

[carey]

Good choice. I have two jbj's running now and havent had any issues other than one time recently one of the floats got stuck. It had been in there for over 2 years with no cleaning so that was my own fault. lol

I use a maxijet since I have alot of evaporation, I used to use the aqualifter pump when it was a smaller tank. Anything will do as long as it can push the water to the tank you need it in.

 

[Sniperhank]

I use the Jbj without any issue in tandem with an aqua lifter. I have it in mode for one sensor. Works great, even use it for lazy man water changes without issue. No alarms on mine.

 

[dmolavi]

I'm sold on the JBJ...esp since the Tunze doesn't seem to be able to run with a sensor in thr tank and one in the reservoir.

 

[mr_X]

I would not set it up that way. I would use the 2 floats for high and low levels in the sump. I would rather burn out my maxijet than run my sump dry, lose the benefit of my sump/skimmer/algae, and possibly burn out my return pump(s).

 

[z_dano]

I would not set it up that way. I would use the 2 floats for high and low levels in the sump. I would rather burn out my maxijet than run my sump dry, lose the benefit of my sump/skimmer/algae, and possibly burn out my return pump(s).

Good point, plus I have my heater it the sump. If it turns on while dry... Pop

 

[dmolavi]

I would not set it up that way. I would use the 2 floats for high and low levels in the sump. I would rather burn out my maxijet than run my sump dry, lose the benefit of my sump/skimmer/algae, and possibly burn out my return pump(s).

Is that directed at my comment? If so, I'm running a 20G nano with no sump, so it's either both floats in the tank or split between the tank and freshwater reservoir. I was going to put the low level float in the top off water and the high water float in the tank...

 

[mr_X]

And this would shut off the pump if too much water was removed from the top off reservoir? I suppose that would work. It's not really going to matter anyway, because once the tank float is submerged, it's going to shut the pump down anyway. You could just keep the other float as a spare.