Water changes with DOS

[Greybeard]

Your math is off. According to Neptune the stepper motor has expected life of 5000 Hours. At your calculated 23 min per day you are safe. The heads will wear and that will be the maintenance.

You're right Unit of measure issue... hours ≠ minutes.

5000 Hours == 300000 minutes.

300000 \ 23 minute daily runtime gives us 13043 days of water changes... 35 years.

If my DOS goes that long, chances I'll be around to see it's demise are pretty slim.

 

[Rakie]

I'll be honest.. I've seen so many DOS failures... I don't think there's a less trustworthy item to me. I'd be afraid of using a DOS.

 

[135zman]

If you guys don’t mind sharing, I have 3 questions for the folks already using DOS for AWC:

1) What is a good targeted amount (% or gallons) to change daily with total water volume of 130 gallons?

2) Do the 2 DOS heads run simultaneously (emptying and refilling) or does it empty first then refill? I thought the later so was concerned with tripping my ATO sensor and dumping in too much kalk that I use for ATO or making skimmer level go crazy.

3) Lastly, does it matter where the two hoses are located in the different sump sections? My sump has 4 sections - overflow/filter socks, refugium, skimmer and then final is return pump where Tunze ATO sensor is also located.

Received the DOS this week so hoping to learn from you all before setting it up.

 

[dwest]

If you guys don’t mind sharing, I have 3 questions for the folks already using DOS for AWC:

1) What is a good targeted amount (% or gallons) to change daily with total water volume of 130 gallons?

2) Do the 2 DOS heads run simultaneously (emptying and refilling) or does it empty first then refill? I thought the later so was concerned with tripping my ATO sensor and dumping in too much kalk that I use for ATO or making skimmer level go crazy.

3) Lastly, does it matter where the two hoses are located in the different sump sections? My sump has 4 sections - overflow/filter socks, refugium, skimmer and then final is return pump where Tunze ATO sensor is also located.

Received the DOS this week so hoping to learn from you all before setting it up.

I don’t use a dos, but a liter meter 3. A 1% daily water change is a good place to start.

 

[Dhoggs]

DOS heads run simultaneously. It rarely triggers my ATO. I have a 4 chamber sump and i drip the new saltwater to the first chamber and remove old salt water from the 3rd chamber.

Word of caution though...If you are going to use DOS to do AWC, check the heads every week. My tank crashed 2mos ago and lost almost all my sps colonies(nothing expensive) due to MY NEGLIGENCE. I have an older version of DOS which came with a weaker head frame and I did not notice that the frame for the head which puts new saltwater to the tank was cracked therefore not putting new salt water to the tank so the ATO was turning on as the old saltwater head was on. So the salinity was dropping each day for weeks. It was already too late when I noticed it. When i checked, salinity was at 1.020. Dont get me wrong, I am still using DOS for AWC but now I check the heads each week.

My tank before the crash

After the crash

 

[BestMomEver]

If you guys don’t mind sharing, I have 3 questions for the folks already using DOS for AWC:

1) What is a good targeted amount (% or gallons) to change daily with total water volume of 130 gallons?

2) Do the 2 DOS heads run simultaneously (emptying and refilling) or does it empty first then refill? I thought the later so was concerned with tripping my ATO sensor and dumping in too much kalk that I use for ATO or making skimmer level go crazy.

3) Lastly, does it matter where the two hoses are located in the different sump sections? My sump has 4 sections - overflow/filter socks, refugium, skimmer and then final is return pump where Tunze ATO sensor is also located.

Received the DOS this week so hoping to learn from you all before setting it up.

Don’t know % recommended but someone mentioned for me that if I did a half gallon water change on my 60 everyday, it would be sufficient.

The DOS heads run simultaneously. Shouldn’t effect ATO or skimmer.

In my mind, I would remove water from the sump and put water back into the DT. But that’s a great question.

 

[BestMomEver]

By chance, do you live in home built within the last 5 years, maybe 10? Homes are tighter now, allowing less air exchange and causing internal air to have higher levels of CO2. This is why some people, me included, run an external air line to their skimmer. Mine helps, but only a little. I crack my office window open almost all the time now as that helps the most. When we have a large number of people come over to the house, I can see my ph drop

Yea... our house is not quite two years old. We have three adults, a toddler, and three dogs all in the family room with the tank. Unfortunately, there’s no way to run a line outside unless I want to drill holes in the roof or run a hose across the living room floor. I see you live in Florida... how can you keep your windows/doors open? I would either have the highest power in bill in the world due to my AC being on all the time, or I would have all the neighborhood bugs inside.... more likely it would be both! The only solution I’ve found is a CO2 scrubber. It works better in the warmer months than in the winter.

 

[BestMomEver]

DOS heads run simultaneously. It rarely triggers my ATO. I have a 4 chamber sump and i drip the new saltwater to the first chamber and remove old salt water from the 3rd chamber.

Word of caution though...If you are going to use DOS to do AWC, check the heads every week. My tank crashed 2mos ago and lost almost all my sps colonies(nothing expensive) due to MY NEGLIGENCE. I have an older version of DOS which came with a weaker head frame and I did not notice that the frame for the head which puts new saltwater to the tank was cracked therefore not putting new salt water to the tank so the ATO was turning on as the old saltwater head was on. So the salinity was dropping each day for weeks. It was already too late when I noticed it. When i checked, salinity was at 1.020. Dont get me wrong, I am still using DOS for AWC but now I check the heads each week.

My tank before the crash

After the crash

Gah-Lee! That’s awful! But, your tank is beautiful, nonetheless. I’m jealous.

 

[Dhoggs]

Gah-Lee! That’s awful! But, your tank is beautiful, nonetheless. I’m jealous.

Thanks. I feel bad coz I grew those colonies from small frags. But I guess it ls the price I pay for neglecting my tank. The sps which survived are recovering now. Im going to wait another month or so before I restock my tank. Luckily none of the fishes died. Learned my lesson

 

[Greybeard]

If you guys don’t mind sharing, I have 3 questions for the folks already using DOS for AWC:

1) What is a good targeted amount (% or gallons) to change daily with total water volume of 130 gallons?

2) Do the 2 DOS heads run simultaneously (emptying and refilling) or does it empty first then refill? I thought the later so was concerned with tripping my ATO sensor and dumping in too much kalk that I use for ATO or making skimmer level go crazy.

3) Lastly, does it matter where the two hoses are located in the different sump sections? My sump has 4 sections - overflow/filter socks, refugium, skimmer and then final is return pump where Tunze ATO sensor is also located.

Received the DOS this week so hoping to learn from you all before setting it up.

When I was researching, it seemed most folks were targeting 1%/day. My system is about 150 gallons, I set it up to change out 1.5 gpd. So far so good!

Both pumps at the same time. No change in sump level, no need to worry about ATO or whatever... One of the biggest advantages to this type of AWC system.

No... but most of us try to remove water somewhat earlier than we put it back. The idea is to limit the new salt water you're removing... I don't really think it makes much difference, but some space between the in and out tubes is probably a good idea. I pull from my ref, return to my pump compartment.

Enjoy!!!

 

[biecacka]

I also use my DOS to do daily water changes. About 2 gallons a day broken up over small increments and I love it. I would recommend it without a doubt.


Corey

 

[DangerDave]

Yea... our house is not quite two years old. We have three adults, a toddler, and three dogs all in the family room with the tank. Unfortunately, there’s no way to run a line outside unless I want to drill holes in the roof or run a hose across the living room floor. I see you live in Florida... how can you keep your windows/doors open? I would either have the highest power in bill in the world due to my AC being on all the time, or I would have all the neighborhood bugs inside.... more likely it would be both! The only solution I’ve found is a CO2 scrubber. It works better in the warmer months than in the winter.

I also have a PH issue due to elevated CO2 in my fish room due to a gas water heater, and a ventless heater. In the spring, summer, and fall the issue is solved with an outside line run to a water/C02 scrubber media reactor. The winter is a different story. To overcome the ventless heater, I use a kalk stirrer to supplement my 2 part dosing. It keeps the C02 low and the PH where I need it to be.

Dave

 

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https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/neptune-ato-pump-running-dry.547681/