Help! Problem with BRS 1.1ml dosing pump and alk

[glb]

So, I noticed my alk was dropping last week so I upped the dosage amount. Much to my surprise (and shock), the alk came in at 4.8 today. I set a timer and turned the pump on. When I went to check if it was actually dosing, nothing was coming out of the tubing. I checked the jug and there’s plenty of alk solution, and the tubing doesn’t seem to be blocked. When I watch it carefully, I see some alk going through the tubing but also a lot of air. I manually dosed and will the next few days to get it back to 8.5 slowly, but I honestly don’t know where the problem is. The pump is running, I don’t see a leak anywhere, but it’s just not pumping the solution up to the return nozzle, which is where the tubing is connected. I’ve had the doser for years and have never had a problem. Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be? Luckily my corals look fine but I need to fix this right away. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[mtraylor]

Did you use the hard plumbing into the container you are trying to dose? Also is the pump higher than the sump or area you are trying to dose in?

 

[Miami Reef]

Following.

 

[glb]

Did you use the hard plumbing into the container you are trying to dose? Also is the pump higher than the sump or area you are trying to dose in?

I have rigid tubing going into the BRS jug and flexible tubing going to and from the dosing pump. The pump is in the sump and it doses into the display tank, about a 2 1/2 ft. rise. Both the alk and ca have been plumbed this way for a while without a problem. The ca is exactly the same pump and works fine. I visually checked for blockages in the tubing but didn’t see any. I’m going to take apart the whole thing today to see if I can find a blockage. Maybe the tubing in the rotating part of the pump needs to be changed. I love these pumps because they’ve worked flawlessly until now.

 

[Gtinnel]

Maybe the tubing in the rotating part of the pump needs to be changed.

If the connection between the rigid and flexible tubing is still good then checking the tubing in the head would be my next step. If it is split then that will prevent the pump from working properly.

 

[glb]

If the connection between the rigid and flexible tubing is still good then checking the tubing in the head would be my next step. If it is split then that will prevent the pump from working properly.

I didn’t see leaks in any of the tubing to and from the pump so I ordered replacement tubing for the head today. I’ll just dose manually until it arrives.

 

[glb]

So it turns out that the stiff tubing that goes down into the jug had been knocked loose. Once I pushed it back in, looks like problem solved. I had already changed the tubing in the pump itself (the part that the rotating gear moved around). It didn’t solve the problem but it had never been changed so it’s all good. Thanks to everyone for your help!