Stupid dosing pump questions
 

Ok, so Ive been thinking of picking up a profilux 4 pump dosing unit. I have this lingering question in my head that I thought I would run by you all. I was thinking about dosing two part Ca and mg (not sure about the 4th pump?) with the unit. My question is this....every bottle of stuff I manually dose says to "shake well before using"....how do you get around this? Do you have to shake your containers of additives every day or something? Because if thats the case, and I have the bottles of stuff in my hand to shake them then I might as well do the dosing myself....no?

I'm jumping in on this because I'm curious too.

I was thinking or guessing though, that maybe folks either use air pumps and bubblers in the mix, or maybe powerheads to keep it all mixed up?

One could get something like a test-tube rocker... or make stirrers, and have them draw from there? I mean it wouldnt be hard at all to make a rocker. I think this could work? Im going to be making my own stirrers for the phyto/zooplankton/rotifer reactors im going to set up eventually.

Chris

i use the Randy's 2 part recipe. There is no need to mix any of the solutions again. Once it is dissolved, it wont percipitate out. I don't know about the commercial mixes, seems like a waste of money when you compare costs to getting the chemicals from chem master or bulkreef and mixing your own.

^ get the the same idea from Aqua-Digitals write ups on the Balling Method, the salts stay in solution. Also as Ephraim says, get your dry chemicals in bulk to make your own DIY solutions.

Not trying to be ignorant or start something but, sodium bicarbonate is sodium bicarbonate....whether I buy it in a bottle or in a bag, it will still settle out and need to be mixed....correct me if I am wrong. I dont get why something I make myself from the same chemicals would behave any differently from something that is pre-made.

I use Randy's 2 part as well. I would guess that the majority of people running dosing pumps do not use commercial prepared CA or ALK products

J

Once it's mixed it stays in solution, unless you try to mix it too strong, then it won't all dissolve. Don't worry, and keep it simple!

what is this Randys 2 part?

While premade solutions may be the same chemicals I doubt that they are in the same concentrations. The amount of solution made by a two part recipe is quite large for a given amount of chemical (solute), thus making it not viable for companies to package and ship this amount of liquid. The companies will increase the amount of chemical in the solution to make it more economical, ie prepaired solutions are concentrated.

In the same way that the salt you add to your tank stays dissolved because it is a low amount of chemical per a large amout of solution.

Hey Doug

I agree Bicarbonate will settle out unless you keep it warm. I use Randys 2 part and make 2 gallons at a time i put a small 25 watt heater in my mixxing container and just keep it warm and it does not settle out. Before i added the heater i would have to stir it up to keep it from settling. I use a profilux doser and have for the past year. I love the fact that its so easy to adjust. And that it never needs to be upgraded when you get a bigger system just dose more. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any other questions.

Keith

I think you just sold me on a dosing pump... (plus what you said in the PM helped me out too) :mrgreen:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Works well and saves lots of money. Check out the ChemMaster aka littlesilvermax who is a vendor sponsor on here if you are looking for calcium or magnesium.

I use Randys 2 part and I mix 4 litres at a time, then use it till its all done ( I manually dose) and have not had any settling out.

You will be very happy with it Josh. Its an awesome investment.

You can also spread your dosing out with it. I dose about 300 ml of 2 part each day but its done 8 times in 24 hours so there are no spikes.

Like i said before if you have any questions just let me know.

Keith