Tunze Osmolator 3155 Optical Sensor Issue?

[FishyFishFish]

I am testing for siphons I think you're right. I just don't get how it's happening now after running for 3 years fine.

Have you changed the height of the blue bucket? Was it sat at the same level as the sump before?

Was the fill tube always in the sump? Was it always at the same height in the sump?

Were the water levels in the ATO reservoir and the sump always the same?

Hopefully that is the problem as that’s an easy fix, and that’s the important thing.

 

[rvitko]

See Siphon Situation 3-

 

[Hallowhead]

See Siphon Situation 3-

Definitely the issue... Thank goodness I was bugging. I need to either fill it less or raise my hose higher than the reservoir. Just odd how it never happened before guess when tank moved it dipped lower into the tank.

 

[rvitko]

The simplest fix is to top off to the main tank or overflow or just secure the hose right at the top of the sump. Regardless of where you add the water, the return chamber of the sump is what rises first.

 

[fromjuan]

@rvitko, is it okay to send you over my 3155 to be repaired? believe the optical sensor went bad as it no longer fills up to the optical sensor. When I power it off and back on it will run for about 10-15 seconds and then stops off and all the lights turn green.

 

[gryaffa]

It sounds like a break in a wire or a short in the optic sensor. I would send it in, if it is just the sensor it can be repaired. The only caveat would be if this unit is older than 2009, it likely is not repairable and the issue is probably incompatibility with the newer pumps made since which need more power than the older ones can supply.

Tunze USA
305 Victor St
Austin, TX 78753

@rvitko
Hey what’s going on man I’m having an issue with my tunze ato 5017.. it’s filling to the center of the optical eye and not turning off right when the eye touches the water as it should.. but it stops pumping before the float switch any idea on whats causing this? it’s was working great for about 6 months and then I upgraded systems and now Its having this issue. I soaked the eye in a vinegar bath for an hour but it didn’t work.. appreciate any help thanks in advance!!

 

[rvitko]

Is this possibly a smaller sump or smaller system? It overfills for 5 seconds on every fill, on something under 50-60 gallons, this may make a noticeable difference or if the sump compartment is very small, to solve this, open the controller and turn down the pump speed.

 

[gryaffa]

Is this possibly a smaller sump or smaller system? It overfills for 5 seconds on every fill, on something under 50-60 gallons, this may make a noticeable difference or if the sump compartment is very small, to solve this, open the controller and turn down the pump speed.

@rvitko Hey thanks for the reply it’s an 80g Red Sea xl300 65g display and 15g sump. Upgraded from a 35.1g system with 10g sump. I did have it hooked up to a kalk reactor on that tank but am only using it as an ro top off on the 80. I soaked the eye in vinegar for an hour and replaced the pump. I turned the dial on the controller down to the nano as well.

 

[rvitko]

It could just be an issue of lag time, they do have a delay and do deliberately overfill, the sensor function could not cause this, it will either be the deliberate overfill timing, possibly a siphon if it only happens when the reservoir is full, or possibly just a lag in the water reaching the chamber the sensor is in or something momentarily affecting the sensor, for example if the water is added to the chamber the sensor is in, splash and bubbles may delay the response.

 

[gryaffa]

It could just be an issue of lag time, they do have a delay and do deliberately overfill, the sensor function could not cause this, it will either be the deliberate overfill timing, possibly a siphon if it only happens when the reservoir is full, or possibly just a lag in the water reaching the chamber the sensor is in or something momentarily affecting the sensor, for example if the water is added to the chamber the sensor is in, splash and bubbles may delay the response.

@rvitko Yea seems like it’s the overfill timing. I have a check valve in place to avoid back siphon and I have the ato pumping into my refugium section and haven’t noticed any lag in the water reaching the the return chamber and the sensor is located in the return chamber no bubbles or splashing.

 

[Ancarol2421]

Hello, I've been having issues with my optic sensor too so have been reading all these forums. From what I understand, a sump light can interfere with the optic sensor. If that's the case, for those of us who have refugium's in our sumps, what is the best placement for the fuge light? The sump is organized going from right to left: media filter, refugium, protein skimmer, return pump. Right now I use a flat LED light that is attached by velcro to the side of the sump on the chamber for the refugium. The Tunze sensors are in the return pump chamber of the sump.

If you have any suggestions please let me know. I don't want to get rid of my refugium for this ATO, but not having a working ATO sucks too.
Thanks!

 

[rvitko]

You just need to have the optic sensor out of the path of light, anyway you can arrange that will solve the problem.