Dosing pump discuss for Todd

[calvin415]

Here's a dosing pump discussion if you're still debating on getting one.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=794999

 

[racer69]

Thanks Eric, I just read the thread. I am not debating the doser, I have just been too busy to get one and hook it up. It will happen this month though. I am currently dosing 150ml per day of Randy's 2 part recipe, and my levels are right where I want them.

I do believe this method is easier than the reactor method, and it takes very little room in comparison.

When and if I build a new house in the next couple of years and decide to get a bigger (300+) tank, maybe I will look into a reactor.

 

[Deuce67]

150ml a day? Wow! Sounds like a lot. Maybe you should get a calcium reactor instead.

 

[calvin415]

I know you like to tinker with stuff Russ, but 500-600 bucks for a Ca reactor, vs 140 for the dosing pump and a few dollars for the 3 part... (plus it doesn't lower your pH.) I don't care if I'm dosing a gallon a day, I'm sticking with my dosing pump.

 

[Deuce67]

Actually I built my own reactor. Everything was about 300 bucks. Ph stays at 7.9 to 8.3. I just thought 150ml was a lot. I was only dosing 10ml a day when I was using B Ionic.

 

[racer69]

Russ, you have to double the dosing amount with Randys 2 part. I have figured the cost out and it comes to about $3 per month, and that is on the high side. I go through about a gallon of each part per month. The Calcium chloride only cost $26 dollars for a 5 gal bucket, and it only takes 1 cup of it to make a gallon of mix. Then comes the baking soda, and we all know how cheap that is.

I have not had any adverse affect on the tank using the system, and I have also never had this kind of growth. I have two monti caps that have doubled in size in three months. All my sps and my lps are growing substantially. I will try to post some pics tonight of the growth of a few things in just 6 weeks.

I can't wait to see your reactor next month though. That will be my main interest. As I stated before I may be going larger as far as tanks go, and having a fish room downstairs will make it more feasible to have a ca reactor.

 

[Deuce67]

3 bucks a month is cheaper than running a reactor. Let me see, $17 every 8 months to fill my C02, and about $30 in media every year. Homemade 2 part is definitely cheaper. I will definitely use this homemade 2 part if I decide to set up another tank.

 

[racer69]

Russ, here is a couple of pics of a Monti Cap frag I got from Eric. The first shot is three months ago and the second is today. That is how much growth I am getting with only dosing the 2 part recipe. It is at least twice the size.

 

[racer69]

I ordered the Ensign II dosing pump today. One less thing to do manually. hehe

 

[racer69]

Eric, I got my dosing pump on Tuesday. It has been up and running since. I am having a little difficulty getting the silicone tubing the exact length though. If they aren't the same length, they don't dose evenly.

 

[calvin415]

It should have come to you already the same length... The silicone tubing it the really short ones that wrap around the dosing wheel... The others don't matter.

 

[racer69]

That is how it came, and how I hooked it up. But the instructions said that if you run the 4' test and they don't pump evenly you need to shorten the slower silicone tube 1/8" at a time. I think I have finally got it dialed in today. I will recheck tomorrow.