Can a 2 part additive be dosed w/ one pump?

[Overland04]

I was going to run the ESV 2 part on my new 50g SPS tank. I want to know if I will be able to dose the two parts using one peristaltic pump. If i just get a splitter on the input of the pump and equally dose the two parts wont that work?

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I personally don't understand...How would you split it?

 

[Overland04]

Have a tube come from each bottle and they would meet at a "y" connector and the top of the "y" would go to the input of the pump.

 

[luther1200]

You would need a valve to switch the lines. Or else the pump would just suck from each bottle.

 

[Peter Eichler]

No, won't work.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

doesn't the instructions say not to add calcium until the alk has cleared up in the tank first? I don't think you want to mix the 2 chemicals

 

[Overland04]

I wasn't sure cause I don't have the product yet. I never dosed before and I thought that you just add the same amount of each everyday as long as the levels were good when you start.

 

[plyle02]

I would think precipitation would work against you in this manner. In fact, when I used to dose automatically 2 part, I would space out the dosing by at least 5 minutes between each of the 2... I would not do it....

 

[Overland04]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14826951#post14826951 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
No, won't work.

Any reason?

 

[NCSUsalt]

when they meet at the y, the two chemicals will react with each other and precipitate out. all that will happen is your pump will put snow into your tank that won't actually increase your alk or calcium

 

[Overland04]

Ohhhh, that makes sense. I guess ill just dose by hand till I can afford a CA reactor. Id rather not by two dosing pumps when I eventually want to by a calcium reactor.

 

[brandon7491]

when you add alk and ca in syncopation with one another they start to crystalize.

 

[tatkinson]

^ what they said.

Aside from the $$ for the pumps when you want to get a Ca reactor I think you'd find plenty of uses for those pumps after you got your reactor. I rank them right up there with zip-ties as things you can never have to many of when running a reef tank.

 

[drummereef]

Both parts must not directly mix with each other or it will precipitate. Ever done the 'volcano' experiment? Each part must be separately dosed to avoid this. But with this being said, check out this link to the Drew's doser.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Plumb...ser-Peristaltic-Dosing-Pump/product_info.html

 

[Overland04]

That's the pump I was going to use but if you take the cost of two pumps and the additives over a year, I'm starting to get in the range of a calcium reactor. I have a controller, c02 bottle and regulator all ready so I might skip the dosing part and go right for the CA reactor. I wanted to dose to keep the cost of the new 50g at a minimum but its starting create a lot more work.

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14831757#post14831757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Overland04
I wanted to dose to keep the cost of the new 50g at a minimum but its starting create a lot more work.

My advice? Pick a new hobby. Thats the only way to do that.

Almost nothing done correctly in this hobby is cheap.