Is there a auto chem doser?

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by ghost, Nov 10, 2007.

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  1. ghost

    ghost Astrea Snail

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    Are there any auto chemical dosing product out there? I put in supplements in the tank and sometimes forget to. So wanted to know if there are products out there that add supplements into tank automatically.
     
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  3. Camilsky

    Camilsky Montipora Capricornis

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    There is a possibility to buy a small peristaltic pump (that is able to pump specified small(analytic) amount of liquid into Your tank) and automate it with simple timer. In Europe we have got the following models:

    Click here

    I think that would be the cheapest solution ...
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2007
  4. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    Yes there are.

    A cheap one I used to use is the Kent Marine Aquadose.

    It is simply an I.V. drip system.

    I used the small one for years and made a mod for it shown here.

    Of course an I.V. is not 'set and forget.' You have to adjust the drip rate and such. But it works pretty well. Plus it adds the additives slowly as opposed to tossing cap fulls of stuff in your tank that can shock it a bit.


    There are some more serious auto dosers for additives out there.

    Check out the LiterMeterIII Precision Dosing Pump.

    Equipment like this needs to be calibrated to your aquarium's specific intake needs.

    Hope this helps.


    matt
     
  5. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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  6. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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    I saw those Aqua Medic ones.. have you used them? Do they work well?
     
  7. JustPhish

    JustPhish Peppermint Shrimp

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    I have an aquamedic double doser (they come up to quadruple) and so far so good. Once you figure out the math and get all the air out of the line I guess the measurements are pretty precise though admittedly I have never really checked against anything concrete.
     
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  9. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    J.B that double doser is it for pulling like from a 2 part buffering system like the 2 part buffers and mixing them or putting them into the sump at the same rate and time ?
     
  10. JustPhish

    JustPhish Peppermint Shrimp

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    You can do it either way you want. There's one controller but each pump being controlled by the one can be set independent of the other. I happen to have mine draw from 5 gal pails of B-Ionic parts one and two at the same time. Since I have mine draw at the same time I just put the outputs in different sections of the system.

    You can set the first pump to cycle on X number of times in a 12 hour cycle(what the controller works with....don't ask me why) and the other one Y number of times.

    Like I said they come as a stand alone or in a controller or all the way up to four in one.

    HTH
     
  11. reef_guru

    reef_guru Humpback Whale

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    using a doser that has a constant flow rate and are non adjustable:

    figure out the flow rate per second
    figure out the amount you want to dose
    2+2 is not 5
    and use a TIMER

    if the flow rate is 2ml per second and you want 10ml per day, dose for 5 sec per day.

    i personally use 2 quad aquamedic dosers and have had no problems
     
  12. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

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