Automatic Top Off Water

[ryshark]

Do you guys have a unit in place that automatically tops your sump off with fresh water? Or is it a daily thing to add freshwater to the sump manually? I am switching over to a small sump and would like to have a auto top of system in place. But don't know what to do.

 

[Ziggy953]

I keep a 10g tank (for the moment) next to my sump with a pump and float switch to keep my top-off taken care of. This works for about 2 days for me. Now that I'm upgrading to the 150 I'll probably go back to the 32g trashcan I used before as my top-off.

 

[ryshark]

How does the pump and float switch work? Would I need a bulkhead to connect the freshwater container and the sump? Thanks.

 

[Ziggy953]

The float switch is placed in sump at the working water level. When the water evaporates the float switch drops and turns on the pump in the top-off water tank and fills the sump until the float switch floats up to the shut off point.

Here are 2 pics of a spare float switch I have. This first one shows the position the "float" would be in for the pump to be off. Meaning the water level is where you set it.

This image shows the float switch in the "PUMP ON" position meaning you have had water evaporate and the float switch is activated and turns your pump on.

You do not want a bulkhead connecting your FW top off to your sump.

 

[ryshark]

I am thinking about getting this float switch for RO top-off

Ultralife Float Switch (Saltwater Aquarium Supplies > Dosing Pumps/Top-Off > Electric Powered > Plug-in Units )

Does anybody else have one to recommend? This one is $67 does that sound about right for a float switch? Thanks.

 

[Ziggy953]

That is basically the same thing as I pictured above the difference is they have already put the plug on it for you. If you don't like doing any kind of wiring then I would say go with the one you are looking at. The float switch I use cost about $7 and I wired it up myself.

 

[cmor1701d]

I use a 45 gallon BRUTE container next to my 125 gallon tank. I use the JBJ Automatic Top Off (A.T.O.) System Water Level Controller with the float in the sump. I have a maxi-jet 1200 sitting in the bottom of the Brute with a hose coming our of the top going to the tank overflow. Having the output from the pump higher than the highest level of the top off container prevents a siphon from sucking the water out of the top off container into the sump once the flow is started.