Help with Osmolator and BM Doser

[Stolireef]

So, I have all of these shiny new toys to play with and that I've never used before. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on best practices for them.

Tunze Osmolator: As I noted in my build thread, I'm really concerned about TDS creep. That said, I don't want to create something with too many break points. Initially, I was thinking about setting up three Neptune solenoid valves. One would run to my salt station and would be manually operated. Whenever it was on, the ATO would turn off. One would be on a diverter line to allow the first five minutes of new water to run to the slop sink. It would then turn off and the ATO reservoir line would turn on until the ATO reservoir was filled.

While this sounds good on paper, it seems really complicated both from a mechanical and programming perspective. If I'm refilling a 10 gallon ATO reservoir once every five or six days (that's my expected evaporation based upon my last build), do I really have to worry about TDS creep if I'm good about maintaining my RO/DI system? It's also about $100 for the three solenoids.

Bubble Magus Three Channel Doser: This is probably a bit early to discuss since I won't have to supplement for some time, but if anyone has experience using this, I'd love some feedback. Once things are settled in and cycled, I plan to dose B-Ionic 2 part(unless there's consensus on a better produce) and perhaps AcroPower. Any thoughts?

As always, thanks for any input.

 

[evolved]

Since you're asking, thoughts on the Doser are: return it, sell it, or trash it.

They like to fail stuck in the "on" position after ~3 years of usage. Mine failed on the 3rd pump (Mg - no harm), Jeff's failed on pump 1 or 2 (Alk - almost a disaster), and others have not been so lucky.

 

[jporter]

Since you're asking, thoughts on the Doser are: return it, sell it, or trash it.

They like to fail stuck in the "on" position after ~3 years of usage. Mine failed on the 3rd pump (Mg - no harm), Jeff's failed on pump 1 or 2 (Alk - almost a disaster), and others have not been so lucky.

Not almost a disaster, it was a disaster. Started a downward death spiral. Made my tank look like whole milk. I went back to a CA RX right afterwards. JP

 

[The Kahnasaur]

Question about the doser as that's the one I'm using.

Do you think the heads failed or was it in the programming? I've had no issues with mine but I bought it used so it could have more mileage than I think.

 

[evolved]

Question about the doser as that's the one I'm using.

Do you think the heads failed or was it in the programming? I've had no issues with mine but I bought it used so it could have more mileage than I think.

Something on the board fails; the motor just starts running continuously whenever the unit is powered on. Programming has nothing to do with it.

 

[Stolireef]

:crazy1: Now you tell me...

So, do I buy a better doser (eg. Neptunes new one)? I've done the CA RX route for a long time and wanted to try something different. Frankly, I still have the Geo I was trying to sell a few days ago and I have a extra port off of my return pump for feeding it.

Think I'm going to try the dosing route for a little while and see how it goes.

 

[Stolireef]

Oh, and if takes three or so years to fail, I have a little time to experiment.

 

[Vanpire]

What didn't you like about your CARx? I love mine. It is set and forget for months and then I test and make some slight adjustments with my APEX setting the Ph level.

 

[Stolireef]

Actually, it's not that I didn't like it. In fact, I'm a big fan. I just wanted to try something different. Some of the best tanks I've seen are dosed. Since I'm going very specifically for an SPS tank, I thought that dosing would give me the ability to dial in somewhat higher CA/Kh numbers.

 

[scott11]

I have had the BM doser for just about a year and am very happy with it, but seeing the above posts does have me concerned.

 

[Soluent1]

I have a BM doser. It is complete with the containers for the chemicals. All three of the connections in the lids leaked. BM was aware of the problem. They sent me replacements that had previously Leaked and they had siliconed. Two of the replacements are leaking now. I am going to reSilicone them. By leaking, I mean that they are sucking air. This makes the dosing amount unreliable. It is about three months old. I wish I had never bought it!

 

[zibba]

Elliott will tell you to stick with dosing and, he's got great arguments and results to back it up. If you're going down that path, buy this vertex doser: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2627076

Or buy the BRS single heads and program them to your apex.

I switched to the CaRx and think it makes the most sense for your set up since I don't think you have the same space dedicated to holding 10+ gallons of premade chemicals and, more importantly, have already come out of pocket for the CaRx set up.

You'd probably be better off keeping the CaRx and adding a kalkdoser to keep pH in check. Perhaps keep the CaRx, sell the doser and buy a kalk stirrer? That's the direction I'm going. Lots of benefits to kalk beyond the simplicity and the stirrers reduce the risk most people have with ODing on it.

Hunter's and Jeff's BM doser issues were enough to cause me to sell mine even though mine always worked well.

But then again, Brad doses and he's arguably the best SPS keeper in AZ.

 

[zibba]

Regarding the ATO:

You'll have a dedicated reservoir, correct?

My recommendation is size is so that you have to fill it once per week and to run a loose RODI line into it. Dump the first 2-5 gallons straight into your sink then move the line over to your ATO until it's filled. I don't think it makes much sense to over complicate that part of the build.

 

[evolved]

Lots of benefits to kalk beyond the simplicity and the stirrers reduce the risk most people have with ODing on it.

Couple it with an ATO controlled via Apex and with some fail-safe programming, and it's nearly impossible to OD it.