Red sea dosing pump issue

[Lavey29]

I've had my Red Sea doser for almost 3 years and it's worked flawlessly. Recently I am experiencing more carbonate build up on the alk nozzle. I know this occurs periodically and I generally clean it every other week.

What's happening now is the tiny nozzle itself is getting plugged up with build up and the pressure causes the hose to detach from the nozzle so my alk dose goes everywhere but inside the sump. We all know what happens with big alk swings to.

The nozzle clogs every few days now and I'm not sure why this is occurring after 3 years? Some people spill their ATO water over their nozzles but my connects don't allow this.

Any thoughts why my alk is clogging now? Nozzles are 4 to 5 inches above the water line.

 

[exnisstech]

When you say "nozzle" do you mean you have a nozzle in the tube on the discharge end. I just run an open hose and rub it between my thumb and fore finger every once in a while to get the build up out. I do the same on my kalk hose . Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.

 

[Tonycass12]

Have you removed and cleaned the nozzle really well? If you aren't taking it off and cleaning it 100% a little buildup on the inside quickly turns back into blockage. I'm nearing the 3 year mark on my reef dose as well and am thinking about changing out all the lines and getting a couple replacement heads to swap onto my heavier dosing lines that run alk and cal. 3 years on the same equipment is a long time, things are going to start failing sooner rather then later.

 

[Lavey29]

When you say "nozzle" do you mean you have a nozzle in the tube on the discharge end. I just run an open hose and rub it between my thumb and fore finger every once in a while to get the build up out. I do the same on my kalk hose . Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.

Here is an example of clogged nozzle

 

[Lavey29]

Have you removed and cleaned the nozzle really well? If you aren't taking it off and cleaning it 100% a little buildup on the inside quickly turns back into blockage. I'm nearing the 3 year mark on my reef dose as well and am thinking about changing out all the lines and getting a couple replacement heads to swap onto my heavier dosing lines that run alk and cal. 3 years on the same equipment is a long time, things are going to start failing sooner rather then later.

I soak them in citric acid and rodi

 

[Lavey29]

Here is where they connect to the nozzles and dose into the sump. You can see all the alk overspray when the hose becomes detached.

 

[exnisstech]

Here is an example of clogged nozzle

Ya I don't use nozzles. Just an open hose. It's super east to clean without the nozzle.

 

[Lavey29]

Ya I don't use nozzles. Just an open hose. It's super east to clean without the nozzle.

How do you secure the open hose in place?

 

[Evil1]

I have the same issue with my RS RD. Firstly I put all heads on whisper so it doesn’t blow hose off or out of holder also took little red tips off and just pushed hose into RS holder where tip used to go. Problem solved.

 

[exnisstech]

I just have these little holders. I have just enough friction to keep the hoses in places. They can be pulled out so not a secure as using the nozzle but I just pay attention when I'm working in area.

 

[Lavey29]

Thank you guys, I'll try this. Strange though after 3 years it starts happening.

 

[Lavey29]

I have the same issue with my RS RD. Firstly I put all heads on whisper so it doesn’t blow hose off or out of holder also took little red tips off and just pushed hose into RS holder where tip used to go. Problem solved.

Whisper?

 

[Tonycass12]

Whisper?

It's in the speed settings for the heads.

 

[Lavey29]

It's in the speed settings for the heads.

I can't seem to find it in reef beat. Can you screen shot the page it's on in the app please?

 

[Tonycass12]

Go to the specific dosing head on the app, scroll down to the schedule box, if your on 24hr schedule click that, this should bring you to the doser schedule and speed settings.

 

[Hats_]

I just run my ato line to let the water flow over the dosing bracket, never had an issue with buildup since. This a problem with all dosing pumps unfortunately, eventually the tubes clog up

 

[Lavey29]

Go to the specific dosing head on the app, scroll down to the schedule box, if your on 24hr schedule click that, this should bring you to the doser schedule and speed settings.

Yes I'm on that part of the app. I have everything you show except the select mode part at the bottom?

 

[Lavey29]

I just have these little holders. I have just enough friction to keep the hoses in places. They can be pulled out so not a secure as using the nozzle but I just pay attention when I'm working in area.

Ok I stuck mine through the red sea bracket. It's pinched off slightly. Will see if it works.

 

[Lavey29]

Well so far the bare hose suggestion is working great. Now I'm thinking of doing the same for the calcium side also even though I get no build up on that nozzle.

 

[Tonycass12]

Yes I'm on that part of the app. I have everything you show except the select mode part at the bottom?

You have to actually press on those right facing arrows to the right of the 24hr dose setting to open the drop down menu. That's where you find the speed settings.