Please suggest a dosing pump

Myka · #1 01-14-2009, 09:24 AM

I'm going to start using a dual dosing instead of manually dosing my tank, however my tank is fairly low demand, and needs little dosing between waterchanges. So I need a doser that will dose quite slowly on a 40g tank, as I don't want the doser to act as an ATO. I'm going to buy a Tunze ATO sometime soon here. I'm trying to make my tank as self-sufficient as reasonably possible as I am working out of province as of late, and want to make my tank sitter's job as easy as possible. I would prefer a dual dosing pump to buying two single pumps.

Any suggestions on a slow dual doser that is med/high quality?

fencer · #2 01-14-2009, 03:09 PM

What are you dosing and how much are you dosing.

mseepman · #3 01-14-2009, 03:39 PM

I have heard good things about the Drew's Doser on BRS. I know that the Aquamedic dosers are junk from the reviews of most users and one of the things I have read is important is the number of rollers to prevent back flow. I think the Drew's doser has 4 rollers if I remember correctly.

Delphinus · #4 01-14-2009, 04:25 PM

How much do you want to spend? A fairly low-cost approach would be two Aqualifter pumps and a digital appliance timer (or two). If you can add the effluent lines to different spots in the tanks you can have them dose at the same time. If you prefer to drip the effluent in the same spot then you need two timers (so that you can add them at different times). Use one minute intervals on the timer (hence the digital timer) and you should be set.

I never tried the controllable Aquamedic pump but I did once try a noncontrolled one (ie., using my own timer) for dripping kalk but I can confirm the rollers did not pinch the tubing hard enough to prevent seeping during the off cycles (ie., either forward flow OR backward flow, depending on which direction the head pressure was). The only way you could use an Aquamedic, in my opinion, is if you are lifting the water into the tank (so no chance of uncontrolled flow during the off cycles) AND the effluent line had no chance of being submerged (ie, so no chance of backflow during the off cycles). Do-able mind you, but something to keep in mind. I wasn't able to use the pump because my kalkreactor was taller than my sump so there was a constant slow drip during the offcycles.

Another option is the LitreMeter3, they've been around forever, but they are pricey. Both BRS and MOPS come to mind as places you can pick up a LitreMeter3. BRS also sells the "Drews Dosers" and the Aqualifters.

HTH!

Myka · #5 01-14-2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fencer

What are you dosing and how much are you dosing.

Two-part; Calcium and Alkalinity. I will probably end up having to weaken the solution out quite a lot, but I plan to add a bunch more corals, and doing some light and skimmer upgrades in hopes to get my cal and alk demands a bit higher to ease the dosing. Right now my calcium only decreases about 10 ppm per week, and alk about 1.5 dKH per week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mseepman

I have heard good things about the Drew's Doser on BRS. I know that the Aquamedic dosers are junk from the reviews of most users and one of the things I have read is important is the number of rollers to prevent back flow. I think the Drew's doser has 4 rollers if I remember correctly.

Awesome, thanks! Good to know about the rollers too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

How much do you want to spend? A fairly low-cost approach would be two Aqualifter pumps and a digital appliance timer (or two). If you can add the effluent lines to different spots in the tanks you can have them dose at the same time. If you prefer to drip the effluent in the same spot then you need two timers (so that you can add them at different times). Use one minute intervals on the timer (hence the digital timer) and you should be set.

I never tried the controllable Aquamedic pump but I did once try a noncontrolled one (ie., using my own timer) for dripping kalk but I can confirm the rollers did not pinch the tubing hard enough to prevent seeping during the off cycles (ie., either forward flow OR backward flow, depending on which direction the head pressure was). The only way you could use an Aquamedic, in my opinion, is if you are lifting the water into the tank (so no chance of uncontrolled flow during the off cycles) AND the effluent line had no chance of being submerged (ie, so no chance of backflow during the off cycles). Do-able mind you, but something to keep in mind. I wasn't able to use the pump because my kalkreactor was taller than my sump so there was a constant slow drip during the offcycles.

Another option is the LitreMeter3, they've been around forever, but they are pricey. Both BRS and MOPS come to mind as places you can pick up a LitreMeter3. BRS also sells the "Drews Dosers" and the Aqualifters.

HTH!

Well, I don't want to spend 2x LitreMeter III. That's like $7 or 800 I think. I was hoping to spend about $200-300.

I only need to pump from beside my sump into my sump, and the end of the tubing won't be int he water, so no chance of back flow. I like the diy idea of the Aqualifter pumps and digital timers, but my cabinet is crowded already, so it would be nice to just have a couple of the dosing pumps. Although after reading further I see that I would need digital timers for the Drew's Dosers as well. Humph...

I think the Drew's Dosers are top of my list so far though.

Thanks for the input!

Delphinus · #6 01-14-2009, 09:31 PM

Yeah the LitreMeter is pretty spendy.

However, FWIW, it shouldn't be 2 times Litremeter3, you'd only be looking at an add-on pump which is less than the cost of the full unit.

The Drew's Dosers look fine though, if you're happy with that then you're set.

Phanman · #7 01-14-2009, 09:53 PM

Hey Myka,

Im currently looking at a way to dose calcium, alk, and magnesium as well and deciding on something like this (english version)

http://74.125.95.102/translate_c?hl=...B8QE2a6AoA08_w

or the GHL stand alone doser. Trying to figure out if the korean drip version has 1 or 2 timers to dose the 2 containers at different times. But I will let you know if your interested. The price is only $150 + shipping so its quite abit cheaper then the GHL.

Powertec · #8 01-14-2009, 10:33 PM

I use the BRS doser and its perfect.
A year and half no problems.
No back flow.

Myka · #9 01-14-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Yeah the LitreMeter is pretty spendy.

However, FWIW, it shouldn't be 2 times Litremeter3, you'd only be looking at an add-on pump which is less than the cost of the full unit.

The Drew's Dosers look fine though, if you're happy with that then you're set.

Oh, I didn't realise that! That makes the LiterMeter much cheaper, but still rather costly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phanman

Hey Myka,

Im currently looking at a way to dose calcium, alk, and magnesium as well and deciding on something like this (english version)

http://74.125.95.102/translate_c?hl=...B8QE2a6AoA08_w

or the GHL stand alone doser. Trying to figure out if the korean drip version has 1 or 2 timers to dose the 2 containers at different times. But I will let you know if your interested. The price is only $150 + shipping so its quite abit cheaper then the GHL.

I have used drip systems before, and I can tell you that they are a pain in the butt. The calcium and alkalinity precipitate out on the end of the drip and will slowly cause the drip to drip slower.

The GHL Profilux dosers are looking pretty pimp. I like that they come in multiples, and you can add more if needed to the controller. I wonder how many rollers they have... Thanks for the suggestion!

Phanman · #10 01-14-2009, 11:05 PM

mmm very good point, i forgot to think about the precipitation build up... well i think im going to go for the GHL then, lol. I figure after buying 2 of those korean ones and salts then it would come close to the GHL package anyways.

Just got to find room under the tank for the 3 containers needed to hold the solution