Biocube Dosing Setup

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Scurvy

Scurvy

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Hi, I need to get started dosing my BC 32 and am looking for some ideas on how/where to place the doser, containers, tubes etc. Does having the doser in the cabinet below present any trouble pushing the fluids up into the display? Is there any back flow to worry about if done this way?

I might be able to set something up next to or behind the tank as well but being its in a bedroom I'd like to keep the look as clean as possible.

Is Kalk through the AutoAqua Smart ATO a better idea in a Biocube? Might be simpler but the BC doesn't evaporate much with the lid on it. 5 Gallons lasts me about month.

All idea's appreciated and pics help! Tx
 
Nutramar Foods
Scurvy said:
Hi, I need to get started dosing my BC 32 and am looking for some ideas on how/where to place the doser, containers, tubes etc. Does having the doser in the cabinet below present any trouble pushing the fluids up into the display? Is there any back flow to worry about if done this way?

I might be able to set something up next to or behind the tank as well but being its in a bedroom I'd like to keep the look as clean as possible.

Is Kalk through the AutoAqua Smart ATO a better idea in a Biocube? Might be simpler but the BC doesn't evaporate much with the lid on it. 5 Gallons lasts me about month.

All idea's appreciated and pics help! Tx
Click to expand...

I guess it all depends on the doser you use and how much head pressure it can push if you keep the doser in the cabinet. The best piece of advice i can give you is to monitor your levels and see exactly how much your tank consumes by testing periodically. this would probably point you in the right direction of what and how to dose. Since you don't evaporate much water, kalk may not be a good idea if your tank consumes too much of something. about back flow, most dosers use a peristaltic style pump which is controlled through the rollers on the pump head by pressure, siphoning shouldn't be an issue. but i would still keep the dosing lines out of the water.
 
I think you will have a problem with the head pressure. Your best bet would be to put it on a shelf or something above the tank OR find a good doser that states it can handle the head pressure. I have a cheap jebao doser and it doses fine but It will not push anything up like that. I actually have it mounted in my stand cabinet higher than the sump.
 
Tidal Gardens
My jabao doser sits on a small shelf right under the tank. Pulls my additives out of containers on the floor and pumps them up to the back left of the tank. You can see my homemade doseline holder in the pic. I've had no issues with back pressure or anything else with this setup.

I dose cal, alk, and kalk. I dose mag by hand once a week or so. I set up the kalk dose to act as an ATO. i figured out how much evap i have and set it to dose just under that. I have to top off about a cup 2x a week or so.

20170428_192441.jpg
 
I have BRS dosers (run by my Apex) in the upper compartment of my cabinet with the dosing reservoir in the bottom section. The lines drip Alk and Ca into the return section of the rear compartment. No issues whatsoever. Head pressure and back flow won't be a problem as you will be using a peristaltic pump to dose.

 
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there is some who have proof it will work! Could have just been an issue with mine. I also changed the heads to color ones I bought online that I think do not work as well as the stock ones and think I will be removing. Could be an issue with those.
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
Thanks for all the replies. I run the Jebao on my Reefer and I feel like I'm needing to prime the lines more than I should and those are short tube lengths with no vertical rise which was why i was looking for some different thoughts on it. I guess I'm over thinking it.

Nice looking tank there @Holy_makerel
 
Scurvy said:
Thanks for all the replies. I run the Jebao on my Reefer and I feel like I'm needing to prime the lines more than I should and those are short tube lengths with no vertical rise which was why i was looking for some different thoughts on it. I guess I'm over thinking it.

Nice looking tank there @Holy_makerel
Click to expand...

Thank you! Been beating GHA back after a redbug treatment threw my system out of whack. Trying to be patient and letting it come back to equilibrium.

My guess would be an air leak somewhere as well. Is the doser old? Maybe replace the hosing in the heads?
 
Nutramar Foods
Nice, I like the Voss bottles as containers. Theyre sharp. Is that a Steve's LED you're using for the fuge? I thought it was an odd place for a power strip at first glance. LOL

I've debated drilling and sumping mine, it would certainly make life easier... Just a lot work with a stocked tank.
 
Deltec
Scurvy said:
Nice, I like the Voss bottles as containers. Theyre sharp. Is that a Steve's LED you're using for the fuge? I thought it was an odd place for a power strip at first glance. LOL

I've debated drilling and sumping mine, it would certainly make life easier... Just a lot work with a stocked tank.
Click to expand...

Haha yes it is Steves LEDs, I just use a flood light to grow chaeto now.
 
I have the jebao dosers located about two feet below the top of the tank.
I have no problembs.

My inlet tubes are not actually in the water so no it does not siphon the water out.

Its a paristolic pump so it has no real head pressure. It's also why it's self priming.
If the pump mechanism goes bad yes I assume it will drain back down into the resivor. It has not yet after 6 months.
 
Nutramar Foods
Based on what I'm hearing/seeing I think I'm gonna roll with another Jebao and rig up some smaller homemade containers. More than likely Ive got some tweaking to do on my original Jebao setup which was giving me doubts.

My thoughts on the back flow weren't necessarily of siphoning water but of dosing fluid retreating back down the tubing a bit creating a situation where the actual dose might be less than consistent.
 
View ReefStash's latest YouTube video!
Scurvy said:
Based on what I'm hearing/seeing I think I'm gonna roll with another Jebao and rig up some smaller homemade containers. More than likely Ive got some tweaking to do on my original Jebao setup which was giving me doubts.

My thoughts on the back flow weren't necessarily of siphoning water but of dosing fluid retreating back down the tubing a bit creating a situation where the actual dose might be less than consistent.
Click to expand...
Definitely check the the tube to tube fittings.
 
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