Aquarium Float Switch for Auto Top Off

An aquarium float switch is something that will have a few very crucial benefits for an aquarium. The first is for an automatic top off system. An automatic top off system for an aquarium is a setup that does exactly what it sounds like – top off the water in your aquarium automatically so you don’t have to do it everyday. Automatic top offs have a few great benefits such as keeping salinity in the aquarium stable and removing the need for manual top offs. However, without an aquarium float switch, an automatic top off system like this would not be possible. The aquarium float switch is one of the main components to the system as it is the piece that will actually control the water level of the aquarium as well as tell the pump to turn on to refill the aquarium. In the picture above of an aquarium float switch, you can kind of get an idea of how it works. First, this float switch will be installed somewhere in the sump of the aquarium where the water level can be controlled. Then, the float switch will be installed at the appropriate height for the aquariums water. The aquarium float switch will activate, which will activate the pump, adding more water to the aquarium until the float stone rises. As the stone rises, it will cut the circuit powering the pump, stopping the refilling of the aquarium. This will keep the water level constant as long as the water in your automatic top off system doesn’t run out. Another very practical use of an aquarium float switch is to prevent aquarium overflowing. I know that one of the main concerns with aquariums is that of the tank overflowing, which could potentially cause a lot of damage to your home and belongings, or even worse if your aquarium in not on the first floor. The aquarium float switch can be installed on to an aquarium controller, such as a aquacontroller or reefkeeper, and it can actually be programed so that whenever the  aquarium float switch is activated (when the aquarium is about to overflow), the aquarium float switch will notify the controller and shut off all the pumps, avoiding a disaster. A setup like this is a little more expensive, but in my opinion is very worth it. In my searches while trying to find a good float switch for my own DIY’s, I was able to find that ebay has the best prices on these float switches.

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