[ChrisX]

I am trying to streamline maintenance of my high tech tank.

Dose CSM+B supplemented with DTPA iron daily. The potential problem I see, is that when the ferts are mixed with water, they are only in suspension so over time they will precipitate to the bottom. Would I need to shake the auto dosing bottles frequently for it to work? If so, might as well keep dosing by hand.

 

[minorhero]

Mine do not leave suspension once mixed. I am using thrive dry ferts.

 

[Deanna]

Once dissolved, the traces will remain in solution, so long as you don't exceed solubility limits. Dosing pumps make life easier. I would also add ascorbic acid (antioxidant) at a rate of 1mg/1ml and potassium sorbate (mold inhibitor) at a rate of 2mg/5ml.

 

[jellopuddinpop]

Each compound has a solubility limit, and as long as you don't hit that limit, they won't fall out of solution. If you use Rotalabutterfly, it will warn you if you're going over the solubility of CSM+B with the mix.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Potassium normally is what puts my mixes over the edge. So I dose it as a lump sum after a water change. But as mentioned if solubility is within range it should never precipitate out. I mix CSM and DTPA as well, never had an issue. Warm water helps to dissolve those stubborn granules as well

 

[mboley]

Yes, absolutely a dosing pump is worth it especially if you want to dose daily. I use csmb on one of my tanks and dont have the issue of it falling out of solution; I mix it very thoroughly though with a battery operated wisk used for making half-and- half foam cream for my coffee. Try that.

Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk

 

[jellopuddinpop]

I should add, that with an automatic dosing pump, you can just double or triple the amount of water you add, and then double or triple the daily dose. Shoot, as long as it doesn't flood the tank, you could put your dosing pump hose into a 55g drum and dose a gallon a day if you wanted to. The thing that's important is the amount of the dry fert that makes it into the tank. A large volume of very diluted fertilizer has the same effect as a small volume of very concentrated fertilizer.

 

[typically]

What brands of pumps are recommended?

From what I've seen online the Jebao are cheap but not always the most accurate on low doses. People seem to alleviate this with a higher dosing rate of a more diluted mixture. 10 pumps vs 1 pump or something like that if I'm not mistaken. Other pumps are better, but the price goes up quickly.

 

[mourip]

I am using a Jebao and diluting the daily dose with RO water to give 100ml of total volume with the same dose of ferts. Based upon plant health it is working really well and gives you a bit of top-off also.

 

[ChrisX]

Thanks everyone, I just ordered a Jebao.

This should help with daily micros and I can use it to daily dose Excel into a low tech tank.

 

[mourip]

Be sure to look at some of the YouTube videos regarding how to program it. The included instructions are not too good.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

I second the above recommendation

 

[xrayguy]

I have definetly noticed the difference in plant growth with the autodoser. There is something to be said about consistency and accuracy.