Doser with Carbon / GFO Reactor

[John Minnix]

Hello,

I just purchased an Aqua Medic EVO 4 Doser. I've been running a BRS dual carbon / GFO reactor for the last several months. Do I need to turn off the reactor to run the doser? I wasn't sure if the carbon would remove the calcium, magnesium, etc., I am adding with the doser.

Any other doser tips also appreciated!

Happy reefing!

John

 

[Big G]

Bump

 

[Kyuss414]

Nope no need to shut the doser off, there's already plenty of alk, calcium, and magnesium in the water. I would just keep the doser lines away from the intake that's feeding the reactors though just so it isn't sucking in the supplements right as they're dosed into the water though. Doing so could make the media in the reactors solidify and lose efficiency. Dosing into a high flow area with a little room before equipment is all it takes. I say equipment because heat from heaters and even pumps can also cause the supplement to precipitate and build up on the hot equipment if it's hit with the concentrate before it has time to disperse a bit. Alkalinity supplement makes it especially easy to see how well it's being dispersed since the concentrate is a bit cloudy. It doesn't take much if it's in a high flow area.

For instance, I dose into the bubble trap on the overflow/skimmer section side and due to the waterflow thru that section by the time it hits the return pump on the other side of the bubble trap, which also feeds my reactors, it's well dispersed and doesn't affect the media in the reactors or the pump that's putting out heat.

 

[John Minnix]

Nope no need to shut the doser off, there's already plenty of alk, calcium, and magnesium in the water. I would just keep the doser lines away from the intake that's feeding the reactors though just so it isn't sucking in the supplements right as they're dosed into the water though. Doing so could make the media in the reactors solidify and lose efficiency. Dosing into a high flow area with a little room before equipment is all it takes. I say equipment because heat from heaters and even pumps can also cause the supplement to precipitate and build up on the hot equipment if it's hit with the concentrate before it has time to disperse a bit. Alkalinity supplement makes it especially easy to see how well it's being dispersed since the concentrate is a bit cloudy. It doesn't take much if it's in a high flow area.

For instance, I dose into the bubble trap on the overflow/skimmer section side and due to the waterflow thru that section by the time it hits the return pump on the other side of the bubble trap, which also feeds my reactors, it's well dispersed and doesn't affect the media in the reactors or the pump that's putting out heat.

Thanks, Kyuss! Good stuff!