Kent Gravity Dosers

[FeatherfinFan]

I'm wanting to add water to my tank in a "drip" manner, since my PH is going to be higher than my desired (post CO2) PH. I'm also thinking this would be a good way to add fertilizers too. What I'm wanting to do is use a larger holding tank than the Kent 5 gallon unit and just using the supply lines, clamps, drippers and whatever else is included in the hose kit. I'm wondering if I can just buy the hose kit and adapt it to a bulkhead in my 25 gallon holding tank~this will be used for my (2) weekly waterchanges.

One other thing about these Dosers~how high above the sump will the doser have to be in order to maintain consistant gravity flow to the sump, and does the drip rate remain consistant regardless of the water volume in the doser?

Thanks for any help w/ this

[danmhippo]

As long as the doser is above the sump waterline.

On the other hand, I have a vacation scheduled a few months from now, and I am thinking of building a auto top-off device too. What I have in mind is building a holding bracket over my tank that I could put a 2L soda bottle inverted. It will work the same way as dog's water can.

I also intend to mix appropriate concentration of fertlizers into the water of the 2L bottle that will replenish nutrient at the same time it's topping off my tanks.

[rwong2k]

hmm do you have any online links or plans on making your own?
the kent ones are around $75 CND which is almost the same price as eheim's digital one (but eheim's one hold less liquid)

Raymond

[Gill Man]

Perfect timing, my two week vacation is 6 weeks away. Been trying to get my dosing routine fine tuned and estimate evaporation rates. With an open top, by 90 gal. acrylic loses about 1 gal. every 18 hours (I have an IceCap fan blowing across the top) which comes to about 14 gallons for the duration of my vacation. That's a bit much. Then I remembered that on my last vacation I just covered the main openings with the lids that came with the tank and evaporation was minimal (about 1") even with the back slot open. If you're still interested in an auto top-off, this place has a good selection including Kent's drip doser: http://www.aquadirect.com/store/cust...me.php?cat=136

Drip doser rates will change over time. Calibrated drip rates when the container is full will be different when near empty due to a change in head pressure caused by the change if the volume of fluid itself. This might be neglegible, I don't know, but I plan on using a 1400 ml drip Aquadoser for all my ferts. I'll also be covering the container and using black tubing as a sleeve around the drip tube to protect the micronutrients from llight.

I don't expect much evaporation with my top covered so I'll save my money and not purchase any top off devices and only spend $18 on the small Aquadose. I just need to work out how concentrated to make the mix with all ferts and the drip rate. I gotta do this AND my taxes before 4/15, the start of my vay-kay!

[FeatherfinFan]

Thanks for the replies, I looked at the Kent website & it looks like I can just purchase the hose kit (for about 13 dollars) and adapt it to fit a bulkhead-equipped holding tank. I'm not too concerned w/ exact flow rates, I just need to get it to fully drip all the 25 gallons befor my next waterchange (so about 25 gallons every 3 days or so).

[ThatNewGuy]

Originally Posted by danmhippo

I also intend to mix appropriate concentration of fertlizers into the water of the 2L bottle that will replenish nutrient at the same time it's topping off my tanks.

I would think though that when you placed the bottle in position that as soon as the water in the tank hit the water in the soda bottle that the nutrients in the bottle would be able mix with the tank water. Wouldn't this overdose your fish. I would try it in a bowl with food coloring in the bottle first.