Calcium build up on dosing nozzles

[Lavey29]

I tried soaking my dosing nozzles in RODI and using a small tool to chip off the calcium build up but it's on pretty solid.

What do you soak yours in citric acid or maybe vinegar and water?

 

[Jason Scalise]

Either will do along with some mechanical brushing.

 

[PeterC99]

What’s your magnesium level?

 

[Lavey29]

Either will do along with some mechanical brushing.

I was brushing and chiseling but it's caked on hard.

 

[Lavey29]

What’s your magnesium level?

1370 as of last month ICP. Been adding to get back to 1400.

 

[PeterC99]

1370 as of last month ICP. Been adding to get back to 1400.

Try getting it up to 1500 and see if you are still getting the calcium build up.

Also are you dosing 2 part?

 

[Lavey29]

Try getting it up to 1500 and see if you are still getting the calcium build up.

Also are you dosing 2 part?

Yes 2 part. The build up is only on the alk nozzle though which is typical. I ran 1500 for many months and still had build up. How does magnesium prevent this? The zozzles are 4 inches above the water line so tank water is not a factor.

 

[PeterC99]

Yes 2 part. The build up is only on the alk nozzle though which is typical. I ran 1500 for many months and still had build up. How does magnesium prevent this? The zozzles are 4 inches above the water line so tank water is not a factor.

The high magnesium helps the aquarium consume the Alk & calcium. I had the same problem and found higher magnesium reduced calcium buildup.

Finally - I switched to a calcium reactor and gave up 2 part. I no longer have any calcium buildup problems.

 

[Pistondog]

I tried soaking my dosing nozzles in RODI and using a small tool to chip off the calcium build up but it's on pretty solid.

What do you soak yours in citric acid or maybe vinegar and water?

I ended up diluting the solution 2:1 and dosing twice as much.
Cooler ambient in winter can cause the concentrated solutions to do this.

 

[JGT]

Yes 2 part. The build up is only on the alk nozzle though which is typical. I ran 1500 for many months and still had build up. How does magnesium prevent this? The zozzles are 4 inches above the water line so tank water is not a factor.

Are you running your ato through your alk/ca dosing tubing?

 

[Lavey29]

Are you running your ato through your alk/ca dosing tubing?

No it's separate line.

 

[Lavey29]

The high magnesium helps the aquarium consume the Alk & calcium. I had the same problem and found higher magnesium reduced calcium buildup.

Finally - I switched to a calcium reactor and gave up 2 part. I no longer have any calcium buildup problems.

I agree but this is not relevant to my situation.

 

[PeterC99]

I agree but this is not relevant to my situation.

Why not?

 

[JGT]

No it's separate line.

All you need is a tee valve for airline tubing. Have your alk or ca line and ato go into it and have a small piece of tubing come off the third port. Every time the ato comes on it will wash out the alk/ca line. No buildup.

 

[Lavey29]

Why not?

It's just alk dripping threw a hose above the water line. Every month the alk calcifies on the outside of the nozzle thus blocking my dosing nozzle from functioning properly. Magnesium level in my tank water has nothing to do with this because it is strictly a problem that occurs outside of the sump water.

 

[Lavey29]

All you need is a tee valve for airline tubing. Have your alk or ca line and ato go into it and have a small piece of tubing come off the third port. Every time the ato comes on it will wash out the alk/ca line. No buildup.

Yes, thanks, I have experiment with this. My buildup is underneath the plastic mount that holds the dosing tube so I am having trouble trying to get the ATO water to actually hit the build up spot. It sprays along the top and does not hit the bottom. It's the Red Sea plastic mount and nozzles.