Top-Off System - Backup question

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Serpentman

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Messages
133
Location
NE Ohio
I am getting ready to fire the bullet on a topoff system from autotopoff.com.

I am planning on plumbing the system directly to my RO/DI system. My concern is I would like to build in some redundancy for safety reasons.

I was planning on purchasing a dual switch (one low leve/one high level) (for sump) as well as dual solenoids. My question is this, can the second high level switch be used with an solenoid? Is this step unnecessary with the use of dual solenoids?
 
If you are using the autotopoff system, the dual switch plugs into the solenoids. Meaning both are connected to the solenoids. I'm loving mine.
 
I think I figured it out. The top switch is reverse wired so it defaults with power "on". When the water hits it, it switches off.

Thanks again.
 
Check out the JBJ ATO before you decide. It has two floats that can be used in 3 different set-ups. I'm using it now and it works beautifully for me. Although I'm only running FW from a holding tank under my stand into the sump/fuge right next to it.
 
austinsdad said:
Check out the JBJ ATO before you decide.

I am very intrigued. I really like the timed shut-off protection feature. Although I can't see why it would be any different than a pump, do you know if this unit will work with a solenoid hooked to a direct line from the RO/DI unit?

Let me run this by you. I have a separate fuge that I was planning on incorporated some fail-safe mechansim (float switch) in the event the siphon is broken back to the sump. I wonder if I could use the second sensor (which wouldn't be needed with a direct connect) to monitor my fuge levels?

I really like your setup Serge. Although I admit, I would be very intimidated wiring my own switches.
 
Now you're getting too technical for me. I have no idea how to answer that one.

One sensor is in my fugve/sump. Once it drops about an inch, an Maxijet 1200 pumps water to get that inch back. I have a flex hose coming from the MJ1200, then hard piped and elbow. Then, I have a larger (than the elbow) tibe going straight down into the sump/fuge below the water line. That way I get no noise and with the larger vertical hose, there is a siphon break. The second float switch is in the FW reservoir to prevent the supply pump from truning on if the water level gets too low. HTH.

Lemme know if you'd like pics. I can get'm by later this evening.
 
If its not too much trouble, pics would help. Unfortunately, there is no room under my tank for a reservoir so I will have to plumb it from my RO with a solenoid. I think it should work.
 
It should work just fine from the ro unit. I have my autotopoff device on this timer from intermatic.
I've got it set to only come on once a day for an hour.

So far, so good.
 
3 shots. First the down hookup into the sump/fuge With the oversized vertical hose , then the junction between flex and pvc. Finally, the reservoir with the flex hose and sensor (grey thingy, lower left. In the first pic, you'll also see the sensor.

Hope that helps.
 
Thank you for the pics! Nice setup. It will come in handy come install time either way I go.
 
Well, I completely switched gears and went with the JBJ ATO topoff system connected to a reservoir instead of directly connecting to the RO/DI unit. I was concerned about 2 things:

1. Potential flooding which would kill the tank as well as my living room.
2. The constant on/off of the RO/DI unit. I read that the constant on/off allows a lot of impurities by as the unit doesn't build sufficient pressure across the membrane.

Plus, with a reservoir I have to ability to dose Kalk if needed. I did plumb the reservoir directly to the RO/DI unit with a ball shut off valve. Therefore, when I need to fill it, there is still no carrying buckets of H20.
 
Not sure how dosing in a reservoir works when you may be only pumping a gallon or so at a time. I guess there is calculation that works for that, huh?
 
My thought was if needed, I could add kalkwasser to the 4g reservoir. I might configure a separate dosing system. Not sure at this point what my Ca requirement will be as I have yet to add any animals.
 
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