Water changes with DOS

[BestMomEver]

I’ve been contemplating the purchase of an Apex DOS. I already have a doser for calc/alk/mag so I would be using it for water changes only (for now). My reason for debating.... I have a two year old tank that I may have done 3 small water changes on. Why so few? It’s a pain. There’s no easy way to do it. I fancy the idea of putting an empty bucket and a water filled bucket on the floor, pressing a button, and watching it go. I think I’d be way more diligent about water changes if it were that easy. I also could use it later to dose other stuff if I wanted.

But.... it’s an expensive thing to have just to be able to do water changes. Realistically, I can do water changes without one. Do any of you keep a DOS specifically for water changes? Was it worth $300?

 

[CC13]

I’ve been contemplating the purchase of an Apex DOS. I already have a doser for calc/alk/mag so I would be using it for water changes only (for now). My reason for debating.... I have a two year old tank that I may have done 3 small water changes on. Why so few? It’s a pain. There’s no easy way to do it. I fancy the idea of putting an empty bucket and a water filled bucket on the floor, pressing a button, and watching it go. I think I’d be way more diligent about water changes if it were that easy. I also could use it later to dose other stuff if I wanted.

But.... it’s an expensive thing to have just to be able to do water changes. Realistically, I can do water changes without one. Do any of you keep a DOS specifically for water changes? Was it worth $300?

This is my opinion.

If you already have an APEX, you can VERY easily setup an AWC schedule with some water level sensors and two pumps (one inside your sump and one inside your fresh salt barrel). $300 for a 2-head dosing system is very expensive and personally, even with my APEX, I would only trust GHL dosers or lab/medical grade dosing units. I have also heard great things about the Spectrapure dosing pump but never used it.

 

[BestMomEver]

This is my opinion.

If you already have an APEX, you can VERY easily setup an AWC schedule with some water level sensors and two pumps (one inside your sump and one inside your fresh salt barrel). $300 for a 2-head dosing system is very expensive and personally, even with my APEX, I would only trust GHL dosers or lab/medical grade dosing units. I have also heard great things about the Spectrapure dosing pump but never used it.

I’ll have to look into the spectrapure. Thanks for the info.

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

I have a DoS that is used strictly for water changes. I love the ease of doing 3gal water changes daily without lifting a finger. I do not like the noise that comes with it. It is mounted in my basement and I can hear it on the second floor when it is running.

 

[CC13]

I’ll have to look into the spectrapure. Thanks for the info.

https://www.livingreefs.com/threads/automatic-water-change-system.24727/

https://spectrapure.com/LiterMeter-III-Water-Exchange-Module

 

[BestMomEver]

The spectrapure is $279 and only has one pump. If you wanted to dose 2 part, you’d have to purchase an additional unit (or two). If I purchased it for water changes, it’d cost me way more than just on DOS. Oh, well.

 

[MSB123]

I do it when I am not at home (10am-2pm)

I have a DoS that is used strictly for water changes. I love the ease of doing 3gal water changes daily without lifting a finger. I do not like the noise that comes with it. It is mounted in my basement and I can hear it on the second floor when it is running.

 

[CC13]

The spectrapure is $279 and only has one pump. If you wanted to dose 2 part, you’d have to purchase an additional unit (or two). If I purchased it for water changes, it’d cost me way more than just on DOS. Oh, well.

DOS is not designed for water changes where the pump is running for long periods of time or over long runs. The motor will burn out.

Like i suggested in the first post, I would use 2 pumps and level sensors and run a AWC schedule on my APEX. Its not hard to do, and i will work far better imo.

 

[MSB123]

 

[CC13]

11,356ML of water is 3 gallons approx.

Like I stated, for large water changes, the DOS pump will burn out if its run over long continuous periods.

A 3 gallon water change is not considered large lol

 

[DangerDave]

DOS is not designed for water changes where the pump is running for long periods of time or over long runs. The motor will burn out.

Like i suggested in the first post, I would use 2 pumps and level sensors and run a AWC schedule on my APEX. Its not hard to do, and i will work far better imo.

Odd, they advertise it for AWC, and the programming is in the tasks list. I’ve been changing about 3 gallons a day for a year now with a DOS.

 

[CC13]

Odd, they advertise it for AWC, and the programming is in the tasks list. I’ve been changing about 3 gallons a day for a year now with a DOS.

A week in with a Neptune DOS pump

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dos-expected-life-span.504955/

 

[DangerDave]

So the mtbf they list is 5000 hours. Your schedule would determine the expected life.

 

[DangerDave]

A week in with a Neptune DOS pump

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dos-expected-life-span.504955/

Not sure what your saying here.

 

[CC13]

So the mtbf they list is 5000 hours. Your schedule would determine the expected life.

Expected life is usually somewhat variable from actual life. My tires from Michelin claim 50,000 miles, I don't know one person in the history of cars who has gotten that many miles out of a tire. The same principle applies to most consumer goods.

Again, I will restate my original statement: DOS is not designed for water changes where the pump is running for long periods of time or over long runs. The motor will burn out.

A 2-3 gallon water change a day is not a large water change. A 15 - 20 gallons or more is considered large.

 

[Burrito]

i use my dos exclusively for AWC, i change out 1.5g of water every night over the course of 8 hours. my pump according to my schedule summary runs 34 times in that 8 hours and doeses 167ml each time. running about 3 minutes each time. neptune advertises this as a feature, given the cost of reefing in general, i wouldnt be happy about potentially buying another dos when/if this burns out but i will do it in a heart beat. i cannot tell you how satisfying it is to not lift a bucket and spill water everywhere. once every few weeks i make a batch of water and thats it.

 

[Radman73]

I used it on my 60 cube and it was a life saver. Shortly after upgrading to my 60 cube I was rear ended and needed a 2nd cervical fusion surgery. Lifting 5gal buckets was a no go. Showed my wife the DOS and she emphatically said "Do it!" I put the DOS, new salt water, and old salt water bins in the garage, just on the other side of a wall from the tank. Connected everything, calibrated the DOS, and then let it do it's thing for over a year. I think I recalibrated it twice during that time. When the old salt water brute filled up I rolled it to the curb and dumped it. When the fresh salt water bin got low, I addd RODI and salt. Think I did 1gal per day for 75gal total water volume. That was likely overkill.

The only reason I don't use it on the 220 is because I hardly ever do water changes now. My nutrients are too low as it is, no reason to do WC's for the most part so I use the DOS for Alk and Cal.

 

[Waters]

I use a second DOS to change roughly 2 gallons a water a day, 7 days a week. If you don't mind the cost, it is definitely worth it if you already have an APEX. I use another DOS strictly for ALK and CA. I would actually like a third for food, AcroPower, or Mg lol.

 

[BestMomEver]

Y’all are soooooo helpful. I understand what @CC13 is saying.... nothing lasts forever, and it is a movable part that is absolutely gonna break or wear out at some point. But if I could get a year’s worth of daily 2-3 gallon water changes out of it, it’d be well worth the cost. I too have back and knee issues...part of aging I guess... and a life around horses..... so having to not drag and lift huge things of water all the time is appealing. Heck.... if I could do small daily water changes like that, I might try to go sockless!

 

[jsker]

I have been using the DOS for a daily water change since last April without issue.