Float Valve for ATO

mattevo · 2026-08-26T08:22:40-0400

Starting to automate my ATO a bit and picked up a float value and all the things. Question though. When I make water manually I flush the system for a few mins. How do you guys handle that if you’re RO system randomly turns on here and there to make water?

The Farmer · 2026-08-26T08:41:53-0400

Are you tying in your ro system to your tank for ato?

mattevo · 2026-08-26T08:43:20-0400

That’s the goal.

Kooma · 2026-08-26T09:00:17-0400

mattevo said:
That’s the goal.

Dont do that. If the float fails your tank dies.

Put the water in a holding tank and buy a ATO unit like the osmolator, let it pull from your water holding.

Tangdora · 2026-08-26T10:12:41-0400

Planning to do the same thing. But should only do it if you have backups in place. In my case plan to use apex with multiple electronic shutoff valve, float valve and level sensors. Then plan to use coding to have it flush tds before filling the tank itself.

commod0re · 2026-08-26T10:43:27-0400

a booster pump like the RO Buddie can handle the flushing

get-salty · 2026-08-26T10:48:32-0400

You brave bro..

i'd not plumb that straight to my tank... it is not 100% reliable.

but instead like mentioned above, get a separate storage for RO.

Servos · 2026-08-26T11:27:52-0400

While I agree with others, I do want to communicate my experiences with float valves:

The Eshopp's aqua float has done well when adding RO directly to a sump: https://www.eshopps.com/product/aqua-float-valve/
I use this as another safety for a float-switch controlled ATO. I chose this primarily for the bracket.

For my RO and RODI reservoir, I use ones from BRS: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/adjustable-ro-float-valve.html
I drilled a hole and installed these near the top of the reservoir. I haven't had one fail, but I do have redundant high-high sensors which will activate a motorized ball valve to shut water off to the reservoir.

bouttreepriddy · 2026-08-26T11:32:02-0400

Kooma said:
Dont do that. If the float fails your tank dies.

Put the water in a holding tank and buy a ATO unit like the osmolator, let it pull from your water holding.

BRS has an older video on how to build enough redundancy to make it worth the risk. I think it just came down to multiple floats/sensors and leak detectors. Osmolator even has a solenoid adapter.