Help with auto top off

[gsheen]

I just installed an auto topoff. An ATO contoller, small aquarium pump and aqua medic kalk reactor. I installed as directed. Pump to reactor to sump, pump controlled by float switches connected to ATO unit.

Problem: when the pump shuts off, the water continues to siphon thru the reactor and doesn't shut off. Any ideas about stopping the flow after the pump shuts off???

Thanks for you help.

 

[Llarian]

Put a check valve between the pump and the kalk reactor?

I usually would use a perstaltic pump w/ airline tubing for the feed to the kalk reactor, so check valves are plentiful for that. Not sure what size tubing you're using.

-Dylan

 

[NaH2O]

Please see this thread for additional responses: Siphoning problems with top off setup... HELP!!

 

[shallowreef]

You also could elivate the one to kill of the syphoning.

 

[Llarian]

Hey, I gave the check valve anser first! Nyah!

-Dylan

Please see this thread for additional responses: Siphoning problems with top off setup... HELP!!

 

[Llarian]

Its still a more or less sealed system in the middle. You'll get some siphoning between the RO/DI reservoir and the reactor without a check valve regardless of height, although it would not siphon into the tank as long as the output was out of the water and above the high water mark in the reactor and/or RO/DI reservoir.

-Dylan

You also could elivate the one to kill of the syphoning.

 

[NaH2O]

Hey, I gave the check valve anser first! Nyah!

-Dylan

:lol:, yeah well, your response was in a different thread lolol

 

[gsheen]

Please see this thread for additional responses: Siphoning problems with top off setup... HELP!!

Thanks, that was me being impatient... I posted twice.

Still having difficulty.

The ATO unit shuts off after 4 minutes (safety feature) many times before the tank is properly filled up. That is why the peristalic dosing pump I tried to use first didn't work. Any thoughts?

Thanks for you imput.. At least now I'm dosing kalk!!!! YAH

 

[Llarian]

After 4 minutes? I'd consider that a design flaw personally. Is there a way to override that?

My preferred method for safety is to have a second float switch higher than the first that cuts off the pump as a failsafe, although I've yet to his mine.

-Dylan

 

[gsheen]

After 4 minutes? I'd consider that a design flaw personally. Is there a way to override that?

-Dylan

My thoughts exactly... ATO has a diagram on their website that shows a pot on the circuit board that can be adjusted to set the shut off to 14 minutes, but still!!! If I want to dose slowly (like with a peristaltic pump), I'm out of luck. I like the ATO controller, but it isn't capable of using a second switch an an emergency cut-off.

Any other ideas???

Thanks

 

[NaH2O]

How long after the 4 minutes does it turn back on to continue to top-off?

Did you get the siphoning problem fixed, though??