ATO siphoning
 

What is the best way to run your ATO water line so that there is no siphoning once the pump shuts down?
I set up my Tunze and after the first run it kept a small trickle until it emptied a gallon or 2 into the sump.

My tunze pump, and ato tank level, are both lower than the sump water level
If your ato tank is higher than your sump level, you may get away with a long loop that is higher than the ato tank level

It is definitely higher than the sump, I shouldn't have cut the line LOL .

I think there is enough left to try again with the Loop..

You could also patch the hose with a straight connector

I have that issue sometimes with my tunze. It's weird though... Mine will be fine from the time I fill up my bucket, to the time I fill it again...But right after I fill it it always seems to siphon for some reason, and then automatically stops. It's the wierdest thing.

These are the little things that, generally, are not available except by mail, in the great city of Yellowknife. But I will check it out. May have something in a box somewhere LOL

Water pressure does funny things
Filling your ato probably pushes some water out the hose

Automotive vacuum connectors are plastic, so may be reef safe
Do you have a local parts store ?

The big 2 Walmart and Canadian Tire. :biggrin:

If you need to lengthen your hose, I'm sure someone at Can Tire can find you a connector with a hose sample

If they can only find you a 'tee', a short piece of hose on it with something jammed in the end and tie strapped will get you by

I use a golf tee to plug unused lines!! Lol

Classic. LOL

9 yr old just everted a flood. Left house to pick up fish order and forgot to turn ATO off after last experiment. Called to say alarm was going off (disturbing his xbox gaming) pulled pump and turned it off. Way to go Dawson. :smile:

Is the tube going from the ato into tthe sump submerged?

If the ATO, reservoir is above the sump you don't need a fancy controller just get a float valve similar to what's in a toilet. Make sure it is all plastic as brass contains copper and will quickly dissolve in rodi water and nuke your tank. Use syphon to top up and then the valve shuts down flow when desired level is reached and should resume syphon once the level drops and opens the valve.

The OP is running a Tunze Osmolator system

I get that, what I'm getting at is why spend the money on something that is having issues. ATO systems are great but once you get syphon involved they can be a headache and messy. Sell it and buy a mechanical float valve. I believe ufa sells them for about 50 bucks which is peanuts compared to a tunze.

No, it definitely isn't submerged. Sits a couple inches above high water level.

Only problem is that I Still need a pump to start the flow. The tank is sitting at the same level as the sump, it just sits 5 inches higher than the sump and probably 8 or more inches over water level in sump.


I'm thinking of adding a float shutoff to the current setup. Could work >>>>:wink: will have to experiment some more.

IMO ...
You either run a true ato, or you don't ...
You can run the system suggested above, which involves a float valve installed through the side of your sump ( or some other rig ), or you run a true ato, which you already have .......

I don't see any problems with the setup you have
You only need to adjust the hose

To suggest you turn away from what you have and use floats and such instead is going backwards ......

Bothers me when people don't read the whole thread .... :rolleyes:

Before you do that, just try the extended hose thing ....
Sure, you can add redundancy to the system later, but it will work with the setup you have

...or you could run your ATO feed line into a piece of pvc that runs from a higher level down into the sump. This will raise the level of your output above the water level in your reservior. Siphoning problem solved and no need to extend the tubing.

I could see that working

Hope you figure it out and glad your kid was home playin' games :wink:

PM me if you have any questions ....

DOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 

Feeling pretty Homerish right now. :redface: Problem solved.
Moved ATO hose to the top of the Reservoir which actually overhangs the sump a bit. Works as it should but because of the height it is noisy, Will add a short piece of larger diameter hose to get it down to a quieter level.....
Thanks for all the input ........... DOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yes for once I wasn't upset that he was inside on a hot sunny day LOL

That's exactly what I did ... a length of 1/2 hose going right into the water
I never hear it now, just the pump, and no more splashing all over either

So on the siphoning issue..... Would a small in-tank anti-siphon hole work? Like this?

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ATO-Siphon.jpg