DIY Automated dosing/topoff

[bharada]

Haha! Thanks for the nomination, Steve.

Once the pumps arrive I'll run them through their paces to see what their actual flow rates are. Do you notice appreciable differences depending on the height of the output tube? Or do these types of pumps have a flow rate based on head? Maybe not since the rollers are forcing the fluid out. Anyway, I'm planning on doing a three week test run once it's all set up, including skipping the weekly water changes. I should have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done by the time August rolls around.

As for target vs. average, right now I dose to maintain an average target level. Seriously, though, I've been testing weekly for the past month to gather data. What I'm finding is that NO3 levels stay pretty constant with only fish waste and feeding during the week. But both my 40 and 125g tanks go through about 1-1.5ppm of PO4 every other day. So I've been adding about 5ppm of NO3 after the Saturday water change, then none during the week. Then I add 1.5ppm of PO4 M-W-F.

[scolley]

Originally Posted by bharada

Do you notice appreciable differences depending on the height of the output tube? Or do these types of pumps have a flow rate based on head?

That's a great question. Most peristaltic pumps have phenomenal head height's, like 20', or something ridiculous I believe. But even then, I think it will depend on the mechanism you use to get the ferts in the tank.

You'll have to play with it. It's a bit more imprecise than many might like. In my case, there is some resistance to the flow going in because when I calculate the rate at which my fert batch is supposed to last, I've always got stuff left over. So it's not going in as fast as the pump pumps. But at the same time, with a little tinkering, you can select your target, peg it, and hold it there! Subject of course to the normal variance caused by any changes that occur in the tank (lights, fish, heavy trimming, etc.)

Sounds like you've got your targets established now. Can't wait to hear how it turns out.

[bharada]

Well, this is definitely an expensive way to keep my brother-in-law from having anything to do with tank maintenance during our vacation. Since I'm not trying to plumb anything into the filter lines it made the part list a lot less complicated...just the pumps and some vinyl tubing.

Now that I think about it, I wonder how hard it would've been to rig up some drip sprinker heads to a small powerhead...to late now, but I may goof around with the idea for possible future setups (at work tank, for instance)

[Wasserpest]

Originally Posted by bharada

Now that I think about it, I wonder how hard it would've been to rig up some drip sprinker heads to a small powerhead...to late now, but I may goof around with the idea for possible future setups (at work tank, for instance)

Hmmmm... that makes me wonder. A small powerhead should only be like $10, connected to a timer, and some sort of sprinkler or sprayer... Not that I dose that often, my tanks can go by for a week or two without, but still, that's pretty cheap for automating things! Thanks for the idea...

<<off searching for cheap powerheads>>

[scolley]

Originally Posted by bharada

The auto feeders will arrive next week so I'm fully on my way to automating my day-to-day routines.

I'm with you there! Next is auto drain/topoff to get out of the weekly water changes!

[bharada]

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

Hmmmm... that makes me wonder. A small powerhead should only be like $10, connected to a timer, and some sort of sprinkler or sprayer... Not that I dose that often, my tanks can go by for a week or two without, but still, that's pretty cheap for automating things! Thanks for the idea...

<<off searching for cheap powerheads>>

Searching online it looks like the drip emitters go down to 5gph. That would equate to about 10oz/minute. if you could get it to flow at full capacity. I have a couple of powerheads and some drip emitters at home so I'l play around this weekend.

[bharada]

Originally Posted by scolley

I'm with you there! Next is auto drain/topoff to get out of the weekly water changes!

Well, there's no way I can get any of my tanks plumbed for auto drain and fill. I have only limited carte blanch with the missus for my hobbies, and running 3/4" PVC water lines across the living room would fall well out of that area.

[TechoJunkie]

I'm just about to setup my peristaltic pumps (one for macros+one for micros). I was wondering did you tap into the filter lines for both? Or did you run the micros straight into the tank?
My micros are coming through a 1/16" ID tube so I was thinking of running it straight into the tank (opaque tubing to protect the contents from light damage). Dripping them in, not allowing the tube to touch the water. I will have such a low flow rate on these (1-2ml/day) I don't see any other viable alternative. Just concerned about the distance they travel from beneath the tank to top of tank and the residence time in the tube damaging the Fe.
For the macros I was thinking of injecting them into my CO2 line (just before it enters the reactor) and letting the CO2 push it into the water stream (I run a DIY CO2 reactor on my main filter line).I have a check valve which should stop any issues with fluid backing up but as per previous in this thread so will the pump.
Thoughts?

[scolley]

Brett - 1-2ml/day? Is that right? Or do you mean that you have a timer that turns on long enough to push that out?

I certainly can't tell you the "right" way to get this stuff in to the tank. I think we are all kind of figuring that out now. But I'm injecting the stuff in-line on my canister return, using what is basically a T. I do believe that is how IUnknown is doing it too. IUnknown?

The T I have now is overcomplicated I think. But I've got another pump waiting to be set up for micros, and I bought a plain old plastic T for that. The pump provides enough pressure to push it.

[Wasserpest]

Originally Posted by bharada

Searching online it looks like the drip emitters go down to 5gph. That would equate to about 10oz/minute. if you could get it to flow at full capacity. I have a couple of powerheads and some drip emitters at home so I'l play around this weekend.

I am using 1/2 gal/hour drippers in my yard. However, the pressure created by a "normal" powerhead is nowhere near the tap water pressure. So maybe instead of using one of those drippers, it would be better to use a certain length of airhose. Lot's of things to try... It won't be as exact as a peristaltic pump, but one could just make more diluted solution and in the end it's the same thing, but for $15 instead of $150

[bharada]

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

I am using 1/2 gal/hour drippers in my yard.

What brand is it? I did a search on Rainbird and only saw the 5gph emitters. When I get serious about testing it out I'll make a trip out to Lowes or HD and see what they actually carry.

[TechoJunkie]

Originally Posted by scolley

Brett - 1-2ml/day? Is that right? Or do you mean that you have a timer that turns on long enough to push that out?

Yeah I have a pump that delivers 0.16ml/min so a 6-8 minute cycle each day should deliver what I require. My concern is if I'm injecting what is such a small volume that by the time it fills a non-return valve it might be sitting there for a while before it enters the water column.

[scolley]

Brett -When you are dosing such small volumes (I am too) it is inevitable that some portion of the fert will be in the hardware one to multiple days before it hits your water. I don't see why that should be a big deal. Maybe I'm wrong.

If you are worried about light damage while it in the check valve - wrap in black electrical tape to shut out the light.

If you are worried about the materials in the check valve doing damage - lose the check valve. Shorten the tube between the return line and the pump and let the pump be your check valve.

And if you are worried about the overall time the ferts spend in the hoses - shorten it all. Bring the pump as close as possible to the reservoir. And then bring your return line as close as possible to the pump.

[Wasserpest]

Originally Posted by bharada

What brand is it? I did a search on Rainbird and only saw the 5gph emitters. When I get serious about testing it out I'll make a trip out to Lowes or HD and see what they actually carry.

These are the Raindrip drippers from HD, one side black, one side red, and they come in 1/2 gal/h and 1 gal/hour flavors. But they are made for 20+ psi so I doubt a powerhead would get them dripping at all.

[g8wayg8r]

Wish I had joined in a little earlier. I could spend a bunch of time surfing through smallparts.com.

This link has some microbore tygon tubing. They also have some teflon shirk wrap that could work. Both are a bit pricy but if it's what you need, it's what you need.

Keep your run lengths short