inexpensive dosing pump
 

has anyone tried an aqualifter (by tom) with a timer for dosing calk etc.?

Link or photo?

yes
http://www.progressivereef.com/prodd...prod=TOMlifter

I use it as the pump for my ATO. At one point in time I added kalk to my topoff water and did alright. Obviously the problem with my application was that I was dosing kalk but it was based on my evaporation rate.

What I will tell you is that the rate that an Aqualifter will pump at is impacted by the height of the column of water (i.e. the more full your kalk vessel the faster it will pump and you'll find that it will pump less water when your kalk vessel is getting low leading to variable amounts of kalk actually being dosed).

Yes, I use one on my DIY Kalk reactor. I have it on a timer to dose twice during the night (it drips a bit fast to add it all in one dose). It takes a bit of trial and error to get it just right but it works for me. Once and a while it will get an air lock in it but that is rare. I have been using it this way for about 6 months now. I love that I don't have to add fresh water all the time now and I boost my calcium too. Never mind the stability of the tank is much better as well.

I add about a gallon a day to my 130 gallon tank.