Autodosing for Dummies

Martin · 09-09-2006, 08:33 AM

did you guys use RO water? Maybe that can help on the degrading?

vidiots · 09-09-2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Symbiot

did you guys use RO water? Maybe that can help on the degrading?

For reasons I don't fully understand, I found less scum in my reservoir by mixing with tap water, instead of distilled. With distilled water I'd get this fuzzy white film build up on the bottom of the macro fert reservoir. With plain tap water I don't seem to get this. The nice thing is that tap water is much cheaper.

Wasserpest · 09-11-2006, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigstick120

I miss dosing things everyday!

Hard to believe!

Martin · 09-11-2006, 06:11 PM

hmm... my setup is acting strange.
I did up all the bits, and it worked like it should. Ran it to check how long it takes to empty, and let it run dry.
Then refill to adjust outflow. Now it just sits there.. like it lost the will to live..
Well removed the hose and started it up.. woomp, runs like a baby.
Connected it again... no go....
Connected a larger piece of hose... runs smoothly.

So; 16/22mm hose, with a 4/6mm hose coming out of it.. sealed with silicone.
Works... once..?
Then a 12/16 inside the connector on the pump, runs fine..

Weird...

does the description make any sense?

it like it can't get "it out" so to speak... any ideas?

Wasserpest · 09-11-2006, 06:34 PM

Not sure I understand completely... What do you use the larger hoses for, to connect the pump with the airline tubing? What did you have to seal with silicone? Are there any leaks in your connections? The backpressure might be enough to create little leaks that you won't notice when the pump is submerged in solution, but enough to reduce the output to nil...

Martin · 09-11-2006, 06:47 PM

right...
Eheim compact 1000
Connector is for a 16/22mm hose. So I need a 16/22 hose, and then I add the 4/6mm hose inside the 16/22mm, and seal it with silicone.
I have leakchecked it, and can find nothing. It _may_ be backpressure.
When it happened, I tried removing the hose, and nothing changed, so the problem was still there after removing the airline etc.

I wrote that I removed the hose and it ran, well not until later on. At first it was like the out flow was being restricted.
I disassembled it to check, but there was nothing to see.

Wasserpest · 09-11-2006, 06:53 PM

Do you have the container sitting on the floor, pumping a few feet up? That might be too much for the little pump.

Although, if it worked before, and then stopped, that does sound like a leak. I wouldn't trust silicon and hoses... doesn't bond very well.

If you look at my solution... I used a little plastic syringe to bridge the pump output with the airline. If you find one of those oral syringes with the same diameter as your pump output, you just use a piece of hose (16/22mm) to connect the pump and the syringe. The airline then fits on top of the syringe.

Wasserpest · 09-11-2006, 06:56 PM

On yet another note...

I think I found the culprit for degrading solutions... KH2PO4. I had a solution of KNO3 and K2SO4 and K2Mg4 for two weeks, and it didn't get the typical smell. So now I mixed them up for four weeks!

I can add the P once a week, or rig up some more of the Fluidosers to add it that way.

Martin · 09-12-2006, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasserpest

Do you have the container sitting on the floor, pumping a few feet up? That might be too much for the little pump.

Although, if it worked before, and then stopped, that does sound like a leak. I wouldn't trust silicon and hoses... doesn't bond very well.

If you look at my solution... I used a little plastic syringe to bridge the pump output with the airline. If you find one of those oral syringes with the same diameter as your pump output, you just use a piece of hose (16/22mm) to connect the pump and the syringe. The airline then fits on top of the syringe.

The pump is on the floor, but it's an O.K. sized pump, and should be able to lift water 1.5M.

Strange that it seems, I found a syringe among my aquarium kit... it fits over a 16/22 and the airline fits as well.
Now I just need to wait until I come home from work to test it.

Thanks!

Martin · 09-12-2006, 08:42 PM

so, I set it up, and am testing it now.
I ran it once already, and it seems ok.. but it hasn't displayed any behavior dissimilar to the other testruns.

I just filled it the second time, but while fiddelig, I pushed the hose further down, and created backpressure through the pump, 2nd time is just finished now.. ran smooth..
This is straight airline, no reduction of pressure etc.

Let's try it the 3rd time.

Martin · 09-12-2006, 09:06 PM

well, 3rd time ran smoothly.

I just added my valve, and elbow joint.

1st time is running. Let's see what happens after this.

Martin · 09-12-2006, 09:36 PM

Right.

officially I now have an autodoser. Or at least a doser. Now I need to figure out the timing etc.
Got the timer, set it up to 1 min. runs.
Now comes the on/off for ages trying to figure out the intervals.

RoseHawke · 09-12-2006, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Symbiot

Right.

officially I now have an autodoser. Or at least a doser. Now I need to figure out the timing etc.
Got the timer, set it up to 1 min. runs.
Now comes the on/off for ages trying to figure out the intervals.

I finally got tired of doing that. I ended up using a small plastic container (a recycled yogurt container in this case) set the timer temporarily for like one minute a couple of minutes from now, held the container under the "tap" and waited until it ran its minute. Marked the container to that height, then got a cheapie plastic pitcher which I put 14 fillings (two weeks) of the measured yogurt container into, then marked that as two weeks worth, figured up two weeks worth of ferts and dumped 'em in, mixed 'em up real good then poured the pitcher full of fertilizer solution into the delivery system container under the stand. Then re-set the timer for its "real" delivery time.

It's been working like a champ

(Thanks, Wasserpest!) No more hit or miss dosing (I've got a memory like a sieve) and the tank looks great for a change (knock on wood.)

Martin · 09-13-2006, 05:53 AM

Excellent suggestion.
We'll see what I come up with. I might not be home all day, so this may have to wait a while.

About degrading..
Yesterday my girlfriend was making her own jam/marmelade thing.
When you do, you add a bit of Sodium benzoate to keep the jam from degrading... hmm...
It's used in food, so perhaps it could be used to stop KH2PO4 from messing with the solution?

Martin · 09-13-2006, 08:51 PM

any thoughts on using jam conserver liquid thingy?

09-09-2006, 08:33 AM	#31 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	did you guys use RO water? Maybe that can help on the degrading? __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-11-2006, 06:11 PM	#34 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	hmm... my setup is acting strange. I did up all the bits, and it worked like it should. Ran it to check how long it takes to empty, and let it run dry. Then refill to adjust outflow. Now it just sits there.. like it lost the will to live.. Well removed the hose and started it up.. woomp, runs like a baby. Connected it again... no go.... Connected a larger piece of hose... runs smoothly. So; 16/22mm hose, with a 4/6mm hose coming out of it.. sealed with silicone. Works... once..? Then a 12/16 inside the connector on the pump, runs fine.. Weird... does the description make any sense? it like it can't get "it out" so to speak... any ideas? __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-11-2006, 06:34 PM	#35 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 10,518	Not sure I understand completely... What do you use the larger hoses for, to connect the pump with the airline tubing? What did you have to seal with silicone? Are there any leaks in your connections? The backpressure might be enough to create little leaks that you won't notice when the pump is submerged in solution, but enough to reduce the output to nil... __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

09-11-2006, 06:47 PM	#36 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	right... Eheim compact 1000 Connector is for a 16/22mm hose. So I need a 16/22 hose, and then I add the 4/6mm hose inside the 16/22mm, and seal it with silicone. I have leakchecked it, and can find nothing. It _may_ be backpressure. When it happened, I tried removing the hose, and nothing changed, so the problem was still there after removing the airline etc. I wrote that I removed the hose and it ran, well not until later on. At first it was like the out flow was being restricted. I disassembled it to check, but there was nothing to see. __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-11-2006, 06:53 PM	#37 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 10,518	Do you have the container sitting on the floor, pumping a few feet up? That might be too much for the little pump. Although, if it worked before, and then stopped, that does sound like a leak. I wouldn't trust silicon and hoses... doesn't bond very well. If you look at my solution... I used a little plastic syringe to bridge the pump output with the airline. If you find one of those oral syringes with the same diameter as your pump output, you just use a piece of hose (16/22mm) to connect the pump and the syringe. The airline then fits on top of the syringe. __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

09-11-2006, 06:56 PM	#38 (permalink)
Wasserpest Born to be mild (View User Tanks) PTrader: (72/100%) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 10,518	On yet another note... I think I found the culprit for degrading solutions... KH2PO4. I had a solution of KNO3 and K2SO4 and K2Mg4 for two weeks, and it didn't get the typical smell. So now I mixed them up for four weeks! I can add the P once a week, or rig up some more of the Fluidosers to add it that way. __________________ All my tanks Cheap Autodosing Cheap Water Change Cheap Filter Acrylic Filter Pipes The Wasser-Controller

09-12-2006, 08:42 PM	#40 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	so, I set it up, and am testing it now. I ran it once already, and it seems ok.. but it hasn't displayed any behavior dissimilar to the other testruns. I just filled it the second time, but while fiddelig, I pushed the hose further down, and created backpressure through the pump, 2nd time is just finished now.. ran smooth.. This is straight airline, no reduction of pressure etc. Let's try it the 3rd time. __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-12-2006, 09:06 PM	#41 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	well, 3rd time ran smoothly. I just added my valve, and elbow joint. 1st time is running. Let's see what happens after this. __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-12-2006, 09:36 PM	#42 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	Right. officially I now have an autodoser. Or at least a doser. Now I need to figure out the timing etc. Got the timer, set it up to 1 min. runs. Now comes the on/off for ages trying to figure out the intervals. __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-13-2006, 05:53 AM	#44 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	Excellent suggestion. We'll see what I come up with. I might not be home all day, so this may have to wait a while. About degrading.. Yesterday my girlfriend was making her own jam/marmelade thing. When you do, you add a bit of Sodium benzoate to keep the jam from degrading... hmm... It's used in food, so perhaps it could be used to stop KH2PO4 from messing with the solution? __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

09-13-2006, 08:51 PM	#45 (permalink)
Martin Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 437	any thoughts on using jam conserver liquid thingy? __________________ 85G ; 6x54W T5 ATI Powermodule Co2 via 6Kg bottle ; Milwaukee SMS122 Co2 controller ; Co2 reactor Flourite RED _ ¾ tsp KNO3 3x week ¼ tsp KH2PO4 3x week ¼ tsp K2SO4 1x week 20ml CSM+B 3x week 50% W/c

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