That's a great story and confirms what I thought about others doing this kind of thing. I knew there had to be someone out there. I'm glad you shared your experience with it.
I'm not sure it's any more or less accurate to use measuring cups instead of what I'm doing now because I do use exactly the same cup all the time and I use measuring spoons to get the right doses. So the dilution is consistent. If I need a higher dose, I mix up separate batches.
And I guarantee the slow drip I set up with the gadget is much more accurate than me with my baster, getting a sore shoulder from standing there and trying to drip the stuff steadily into the tank. Plus, being human, I'm sure there have been faster, bigger drops using the baster as I got more and more anxious to finish.
And the mention of a doser having more pressure to break up a clog just makes me wonder about when they do get plugged, or fail in other ways. What if I don't notice? How hard is it to fix? Will I have to spend yet further mucho dollars to replace it because it can't be fixed? And what happens if it is the opposite of a clog that's the problem - if it doses at too high a concentration for some reason? This worries me because it can damage the coral as opposed to a temporary drop in levels. If I end up with a larger system then I realize I will probably be better off with a doser but I will probably still worry about it.
I had this type of issue with skimmers. I have no less than 4 skimmers in my spare parts closet, all attempts to find one that would suit this small aquarium. One was too noisy. Like, ridiculously noisy. Another didn't fit the rim of the tank and I was never able to anchor it properly. The third one had micro bubbles that drove me mental trying to eliminate. The last one separated along the join between the front and back so couldn't maintain the pressure required for the Venturi to run properly. I finally got tired of spending $200+ each time I tried a new "best out there" skimmer, and now I just do 2-gallon water changes every 5 days. This works for me and though it is a pain, the hands-on nature of it keeps me well acquainted with what's going on in there.
I'm really glad to be able to have this discussion because it helps me figure out when it's time to stop inventing or adapting, and start working with purpose-built equipment. It sounds like I will be okay for a while as long as I'm careful, but I should be prepared to use the right equipment if I get any more ambitious in terms of tank size.
Here is a quick shot of what the tank looks like today (the glass needs a bit of a scrape). There is lots that is not visible, and the jumble in the front right corner is a bit of a holding area until I get a chance to remove the massive upright rock with the cabbage leather on it, and build a new structure for the montis. I have no sump and when/if I get one set up, I'll be glad to get that unsightly pump out of there. Or, I guess I could replace it with a different type of filter.
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