Check Your Doser!

[T-J]

So, for about a week, I couldn’t figure out my alkalinity dosing. It kept dropping, so I kept upping my dosing schedule. It was all over the place and for the life of me I couldn’t figure it out.

Tonight, it dropped below 7, so I got under my tank and decided to run a manual dosing cycle. That’s when I noticed that my dosing pump wasn’t putting out any alk solution. I looked at the dosing head and saw dried alk solution (white powder) all around it. Uh oh!

I pulled the head off and replaced it with a spare I had. It immediately started working.

I inspected the old head and found a pinhole leak in the tubing inside the head. It’s been running for about a year at this point. The pinhole leak caused the alk solution to crust up the moving parts.

Automation is great, but make sure to check your gear. Especially if something doesn’t seem right.

 

[mdb_talon]

Its always something in this hobby. Glad you found it. I remember when my alk kept dropping i could not figure it out. 2 weeks later i figured out i put calc in the alk container.

 

[T-J]

Its always something in this hobby. Glad you found it. I remember when my alk kept dropping i could not figure it out. 2 weeks later i figured out i put calc in the alk container.

That was my first thought a few days ago. Or I had switched the lines by accident.

 

[JoshH]

Always a great Reminder, I had something similar happen a month ago with one of my AWC heads. My Salinity started dropping and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out my SW in head had seized up so it was only pulling water out to be replaced by my ATO instead.

 

[gbroadbridge]

So, for about a week, I couldn’t figure out my alkalinity dosing. It kept dropping, so I kept upping my dosing schedule. It was all over the place and for the life of me I couldn’t figure it out.

Tonight, it dropped below 7, so I got under my tank and decided to run a manual dosing cycle. That’s when I noticed that my dosing pump wasn’t putting out any alk solution. I looked at the dosing head and saw dried alk solution (white powder) all around it. Uh oh!

I pulled the head off and replaced it with a spare I had. It immediately started working.

I inspected the old head and found a pinhole leak in the tubing inside the head. It’s been running for about a year at this point. The pinhole leak caused the alk solution to crust up the moving parts.

Automation is great, but make sure to check your gear. Especially if something doesn’t seem right.

Wow, just happened to me last week.

Alk all over the place I finally figured out the doser was all over the place with the dosing amount.

It was over 6 years old, so not bad for a $120 ebay item.

Just replaced it on Monday.

Graham

 

[DeniableArc]

I always fill up my reservoirs with the exact same amount just to see if one drops faster then the other. I guess it’s a perk of balling and dosing same amounts.

 

[wcharon]

I always fill up my reservoirs with the exact same amount just to see if one drops faster then the other. I guess it’s a perk of balling and dosing same amounts.

Same here. I actually have my reservoirs situated right when i open the Cabinet doors and that way i can see the 3 Containers levels.

Also, maintenance is a key so every 3 months i run 20ml of Vinegar thru the lines to avoid buildup.

Have been working for me several years now.

 

[Robs_Reef]

Similar issue with mine last night. I have an AWC set up via my Neptune DOS... and noticed over a period my salinity would fall. When I checked the inwards line I noticed it was all silted up. So tank water was being removed but not replaced. The replenishment was only coming from my ATO of RO/DI water. Replaced the line and now salinity remaining stable... Need to check the lines on a regular basis. Lesson learnt.

 

[Aquaman11]

I change the rollers and tubing on mine annually to avoid (hopefully) any problems.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Its always something in this hobby. Glad you found it. I remember when my alk kept dropping i could not figure it out. 2 weeks later i figured out i put calc in the alk container.

I get worried they'll parcipitate if I pour them in the correct container to close to each other, that must have looked terrible, instant milk..........

 

[T-J]

I change the rollers and tubing on mine annually to avoid (hopefully) any problems.

After this happened, I did some more reading and found out most dosers recommend changing the pump tubes yearly.