Tunze osmolator ATO stops working when dosing phyto - how to fix it ?

[Idech]

Title says it all. This is very annoying because I like my system very silent and when the ATO stops working, I need to rebalance the system and it can take hours (new at having a sump so maybe not totally efficient yet). The dripping noise just drives me mad.

There must be something I can do to fix that ? I can’t believe everyone fiddles with their system every 2 days because they are dosing phyto ?

Thanks for your help.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Title says it all. This is very annoying because I like my system very silent and when the ATO stops working, I need to rebalance the system and it can take hours (new at having a sump so maybe not totally efficient yet). The dripping noise just drives me mad.

There must be something I can do to fix that ? I can’t believe everyone fiddles with their system every 2 days because they are dosing phyto ?

Thanks for your help.

Are you saying that the extra water you add with the phyto is somehow affecting your ATO?

 

[Idech]

Are you saying that the extra water you add with the phyto is somehow affecting your ATO?

No, no, not the extra water. I only dose 2 capful and they are small caps.

The phyto actually clouds the sensor and it stops « seeing » the water line so no longer functions.

It did that with my 75 gallons sumpless tank as well, and I thought having a sump would change that (since I dose in the display), but alas, no.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

No, no, not the extra water. I only dose 2 capful and they are small caps.

The phyto actually clouds the sensor and it stops « seeing » the water line so no longer functions.

It did that with my 75 gallons sumpless tank as well, and I thought having a sump would change that (since I dose in the display), but alas, no.

Gotcha. I've never added enough phyto to cloud the tank... Maybe I'm doing it wrong.
I also don't have an optical sensor, just a float (Tunze 3152).
Sorry I'm not much help...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

How long does the tank stay cloudy? Maybe you can add a bit of RODI water to the sump when you dose phyto, to give the system time to clear before the water level drops low enough to need the ATO.

 

[Idech]

How long does the tank stay cloudy? Maybe you can add a bit of RODI water to the sump when you dose phyto, to give the system time to clear before the water level drops low enough to need the ATO.

The water isn’t even cloudy to the naked eye. 2 caps in 135 gallons of water. I mean it’s ridiculous, this sensor is soooo sensitive.

The water level doesn’t even drop in the ATO compartment (I had another post about that), it drops in the overflow box. I haven’t fixed that problem yet.

I can fix the sensor really easily. All I to do is rub my finger on it and boom, it’s now working ! But the thing is I don’t know if it stops working or not. Nothing tells me except when I start hearing the gurgling in the overflow box because there isn’t enough water in it.

So I would have to remember to rub the sensor maybe 1 hour after dosing, every time I dose. I am not going to do that. If I have to, I’ll buy a new ATO.

Maybe the same as yours. How do you like it and how long have you had it ? Is it reliable ?

eta : I see it’s too small for my tank. I’ll ask Roger in the Tunze forum also in case he has an idea.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The water isn’t even cloudy to the naked eye. 2 caps in 135 gallons of water. I mean it’s ridiculous, this sensor is soooo sensitive.

The water level doesn’t even drop in the ATO compartment (I had another post about that), it drops in the overflow box. I haven’t fixed that problem yet.

I can fix the sensor really easily. All I to do is rub my finger on it and boom, it’s now working ! But the thing is I don’t know if it stops working or not. Nothing tells me except when I start hearing the gurgling in the overflow box because there isn’t enough water in it.

So I would have to remember to rub the sensor maybe 1 hour after dosing, every time I dose. I am not going to do that. If I have to, I’ll buy a new ATO.

Maybe the same as yours. How do you like it and how long have you had it ? Is it reliable ?

eta : I see it’s too small for my tank. I’ll ask Roger in the Tunze forum also in case he has an idea.

I used it for years on a 90 and now use it on my 140... Not too small in my opinion/experience.