WTB Autotop off

GREEFMAN · 05/03/2010, 12:30 PM

Anyone have an extra ATO switch / setup, JBJ, whatever? My JBJ acts up and has since day one. It works well enough for a couple days but I'm planning on being gone for a week and I'm getting nervous about it.

MarcusSmith · 05/03/2010, 01:04 PM

Hey i just got back from a weeklong vacation, prior I had no ATO so I went with a kit from aquahub.com . Im back now and it worked fine. The kit did take a while to put together though.

lowbudget · 05/03/2010, 01:11 PM

i got a jbj for 60 was using it for my nano and took down the nano im in los angeles may be in oc sometime in the middle of the week

corman1313 · 05/03/2010, 01:14 PM

Just order one from Autotopoff.com, I have had mine for a year and no problems. Very simple unit and does the job. I got the 2 valve setup for 50 bucks and just hooked it up to an aqua lifter. works great

fshRfrendsNTfod · 05/03/2010, 04:04 PM

Sometimes the JBJ acts like that cause the pump your using doesn't fill the sump fast enough. They have a timer and if the pump runs to long it stops the pump from running. It was a problem I had. Don't know what your using but this could be your issue

Enjoy · 05/03/2010, 04:20 PM

If you open up the JBJ ATO unit there is a dial to adjust the max run time. There is also an ON/OFF switch for the alarm.

Didn't find any of that out until my unit straight up died. Took it apart to look for damage and saw the adjustments. Wish I could have utilized them.

Good Luck

Spssteven · 05/03/2010, 11:11 PM

What pump are you using? What sizesump are you filling

GREEFMAN · 05/04/2010, 09:57 AM

Aqualifter, my sump is a 30 gal that runs at about 15 gallons with about 4G in the camber that gets topped off. The pump only runs for 15-25 seconds at a time right now but it's every 20 minutes or so. I've tried adjusting the interval on the JBJ ATO from max to min and it still stalls out intermittently. When it stops working the light for the pump is on but solenoid doesn't kick the pump on until I flick the a/b setting switch back and forth. That seems to reset it for a while.

lowbudget · 05/04/2010, 10:21 AM

how old is your aqualifter, when it pumps water do you get a stream or drips? how is your sensors hung? are you using 1 or 2 sensors

GREEFMAN · 05/04/2010, 11:58 AM

Aqualifter is two months old and it pumps in consistent streams with the inline filter. The JBJ ATO is setup using one sensor and it's hung in the sump using the included hanger. The ATO is running the single sensor setting. The pump works perfect and will run continuously if I plug it into the straight outlet.

lowbudget · 05/04/2010, 12:55 PM

have you tried to use the other sensor. i am running the same setup
make sure when you hang the sensor its straight up and down. where are you putting the sensor at? do you have baffles maybe take a quick picture. have you opend it up to check the setting to make it run max. mine runs 5 minutes before it shuts off until i reset it.
20 sec not a long time for the aqualifter pump

GREEFMAN · 05/04/2010, 03:38 PM

I'm going to try and setup both sensors to see if that makes it function more reliably. The Sensor is in my sump hanging off the side, it is hanging vertical. I've also tweeked the run time setting from one extreme to the other and it doesn't make a difference. The pump only needs to run for 20 seconds or so to do the job in my case and will work properly for a day or two typically. Argh... broke right now just don't want to spend the $ on another ATO... suck...

lowbudget · 05/04/2010, 04:14 PM

you get the jbj used? if new maybe trade it in for another

The REeFFers · 05/04/2010, 04:26 PM

GREEFMAN I have the same jbj and pump and I had the issue also. in-till i changed the time and mounted it on a magnet, my suction cut stopped working, it would slide down with the water level.

Spssteven · 05/04/2010, 10:19 PM

Only use the hangers to hang the sensors.
Use a small maxi jet power head. Your problem will stop. I gaurantee it

05/03/2010, 12:30 PM	#1
GREEFMAN Rob G Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 171	WTB Autotop off Anyone have an extra ATO switch / setup, JBJ, whatever? My JBJ acts up and has since day one. It works well enough for a couple days but I'm planning on being gone for a week and I'm getting nervous about it.

05/03/2010, 04:04 PM	#5
fshRfrendsNTfod I closed "the window" Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Huntington beach Posts: 748	Sometimes the JBJ acts like that cause the pump your using doesn't fill the sump fast enough. They have a timer and if the pump runs to long it stops the pump from running. It was a problem I had. Don't know what your using but this could be your issue __________________ SCRK member 210 gallon mixed reef with magdrive 2400 return pump on 4 returns and 2 koralia #4, DIY LED setup, 60 gallon sump with vectron 600 UV light, reef octopus skimmer, 2 phosban reactors, 10 gallon ATO and 20 gallon fuge

05/03/2010, 04:20 PM	#6
Enjoy That's what she said.... Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fontana, CA Posts: 2,477	If you open up the JBJ ATO unit there is a dial to adjust the max run time. There is also an ON/OFF switch for the alarm. Didn't find any of that out until my unit straight up died. Took it apart to look for damage and saw the adjustments. Wish I could have utilized them. Good Luck __________________ -Andrew IIII20 Current Tank Info: 48x30x20 Rimless

05/03/2010, 11:11 PM	#7
Spssteven SCRK member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Huntington beach ca Posts: 3,071	What pump are you using? What sizesump are you filling __________________ SCRK member 2x2x1 rimless diamond edge starfire prop tank 24 tall 24 deep 32 long Wanting to get my new tank and new LEDs going

05/04/2010, 10:19 PM	#15
Spssteven SCRK member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Huntington beach ca Posts: 3,071	Only use the hangers to hang the sensors. Use a small maxi jet power head. Your problem will stop. I gaurantee it __________________ SCRK member 2x2x1 rimless diamond edge starfire prop tank 24 tall 24 deep 32 long Wanting to get my new tank and new LEDs going

05/03/2010, 01:04 PM	#2
MarcusSmith Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 165	Hey i just got back from a weeklong vacation, prior I had no ATO so I went with a kit from aquahub.com . Im back now and it worked fine. The kit did take a while to put together though.

05/03/2010, 01:11 PM	#3
lowbudget Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,258	i got a jbj for 60 was using it for my nano and took down the nano im in los angeles may be in oc sometime in the middle of the week

05/03/2010, 01:14 PM	#4
corman1313 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sherman Oaks Posts: 194	Just order one from Autotopoff.com, I have had mine for a year and no problems. Very simple unit and does the job. I got the 2 valve setup for 50 bucks and just hooked it up to an aqua lifter. works great

05/04/2010, 09:57 AM	#8
GREEFMAN Rob G Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 171	Aqualifter, my sump is a 30 gal that runs at about 15 gallons with about 4G in the camber that gets topped off. The pump only runs for 15-25 seconds at a time right now but it's every 20 minutes or so. I've tried adjusting the interval on the JBJ ATO from max to min and it still stalls out intermittently. When it stops working the light for the pump is on but solenoid doesn't kick the pump on until I flick the a/b setting switch back and forth. That seems to reset it for a while.

05/04/2010, 10:21 AM	#9
lowbudget Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,258	how old is your aqualifter, when it pumps water do you get a stream or drips? how is your sensors hung? are you using 1 or 2 sensors

05/04/2010, 11:58 AM	#10
GREEFMAN Rob G Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 171	Aqualifter is two months old and it pumps in consistent streams with the inline filter. The JBJ ATO is setup using one sensor and it's hung in the sump using the included hanger. The ATO is running the single sensor setting. The pump works perfect and will run continuously if I plug it into the straight outlet.

05/04/2010, 12:55 PM	#11
lowbudget Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,258	have you tried to use the other sensor. i am running the same setup make sure when you hang the sensor its straight up and down. where are you putting the sensor at? do you have baffles maybe take a quick picture. have you opend it up to check the setting to make it run max. mine runs 5 minutes before it shuts off until i reset it. 20 sec not a long time for the aqualifter pump

05/04/2010, 03:38 PM	#12
GREEFMAN Rob G Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 171	I'm going to try and setup both sensors to see if that makes it function more reliably. The Sensor is in my sump hanging off the side, it is hanging vertical. I've also tweeked the run time setting from one extreme to the other and it doesn't make a difference. The pump only needs to run for 20 seconds or so to do the job in my case and will work properly for a day or two typically. Argh... broke right now just don't want to spend the $ on another ATO... suck...

05/04/2010, 04:14 PM	#13
lowbudget Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,258	you get the jbj used? if new maybe trade it in for another

05/04/2010, 04:26 PM	#14
The REeFFers Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Pedro Posts: 1,462	GREEFMAN I have the same jbj and pump and I had the issue also. in-till i changed the time and mounted it on a magnet, my suction cut stopped working, it would slide down with the water level.

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