Full Automation: How man dosing pumps

CoralFrida · 05/22/2017, 12:28 PM

Hi Everyone,
I am new to the salt water tank world and I want to start a fully automated system. How many dosing pumps do I need? Here is my list so far, am I missing anything or is something not needed as a programmed dose. This is based on the Red Sea Mixed Reef recipe.

1. Automatic water changes: clean water source and empty vessel
2. Calcium
2. Magnesium
4. KH/Alkalinity
5. NO3:PO4
6. Trace elements
7. Reef Energy A
8. Reef Energy B

Thanks!

ktownhero · 05/22/2017, 12:42 PM

The only thing "needed" are the first 4, and those should really be 3 because I believe Mag gets mixed in with one of the other two.

jayball · 05/22/2017, 01:37 PM

You'll need 2 heads for the auto water change. 6, 7, and 8 can go. 5 is really not needed, especially in the beginning.

The CA, ALK, and MG should be on 3 pumps so you can use generic stuff instead of expensive premix but if I were to start over I would have bit the bullet early on and gone with a CA reactor instead of dosing salts and Kalk.

hkgar · 05/22/2017, 01:39 PM

You don't want to dose Nitrates or Phosphates. They need to be removed.

I dose vinegar only. Calcium reactor for Alk and calcium, I have pumps for auto water change and auto top off. I have an Apex controller to monitor all of them and turn on/off based on my established parameters. Trace elements com from water changes and help with what Ree Energy A & B are? Probably not needed and some sort of snake oil. There is a lot of it, sadly, in this industry. Probably more than in arthritis cures.

bxbe888 · 05/23/2017, 01:16 AM

how big is your tank?

A sea K · 05/23/2017, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

You don't want to dose Nitrates or Phosphates. They need to be removed.

Not 100% true. After reading multiple threads on the benefits of dosing nitrate I just started doing this. Starting my dose off at 5ml per day of solution which gives the tank .50ppm of NO3. Will likely have to increase it somewhat and I was thinking an extra doser would not hurt for this purpose.

So then, 5 would be the most probable. IMO dosing pumps are usually too low flow for ATO use so I rule that use out.
Alk
Cal
Mag
Carbon(vodka, vinegar, sugar)
NO3

hkgar · 05/23/2017, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bxbe888

how big is your tank?

My tank is a 180.

For ATO I use a Cole Parmer Masterflex pump and I also have one for my Calcium reactor.

jayball · 05/24/2017, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

You don't want to dose Nitrates or Phosphates. They need to be removed.

I dose vinegar only. Calcium reactor for Alk and calcium, I have pumps for auto water change and auto top off. I have an Apex controller to monitor all of them and turn on/off based on my established parameters. Trace elements com from water changes and help with what Ree Energy A & B are? Probably not needed and some sort of snake oil. There is a lot of it, sadly, in this industry. Probably more than in arthritis cures.

That is just the name of red sea's overpriced vinegar/ethanol carbon dosing mix. Not the actual nutrients.

hkgar · 05/26/2017, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayball

That is just the name of red sea's overpriced vinegar/ethanol carbon dosing mix. Not the actual nutrients.

Not per the Redsea site. Amino acids and such - snake oil. http://www.redseafish.com/coral-nutr...-complite-kit/

jayball · 05/26/2017, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkgar

Not per the Redsea site. Amino acids and such - snake oil. http://www.redseafish.com/coral-nutr...-complite-kit/

I thought you were talking about the NO3PO4-x.

hkgar · 05/26/2017, 02:32 PM

Reef Energy A & B

bxbe888 · 05/27/2017, 03:22 PM

I dose E.S.V. B-Ionic 2-Part, which works perfectly

Stolireef · 05/27/2017, 04:07 PM

It would take quite a bit of convincing to get me to dose either nitrates or phosphates. Just feed more frequently. Maybe turn off the skimmer for a few hours per day.

A sea K · 05/28/2017, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stolireef

It would take quite a bit of convincing to get me to dose either nitrates or phosphates. Just feed more frequently. Maybe turn off the skimmer for a few hours per day.

I really ramped up my feeding in both quantity and frequency to no avail. It's been less than a week so far but what I see is encouraging.

05/22/2017, 12:28 PM	#1
CoralFrida Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 3	Full Automation: How man dosing pumps Hi Everyone, I am new to the salt water tank world and I want to start a fully automated system. How many dosing pumps do I need? Here is my list so far, am I missing anything or is something not needed as a programmed dose. This is based on the Red Sea Mixed Reef recipe. 1. Automatic water changes: clean water source and empty vessel 2. Calcium 2. Magnesium 4. KH/Alkalinity 5. NO3:PO4 6. Trace elements 7. Reef Energy A 8. Reef Energy B Thanks!

05/22/2017, 01:39 PM	#4
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	You don't want to dose Nitrates or Phosphates. They need to be removed. I dose vinegar only. Calcium reactor for Alk and calcium, I have pumps for auto water change and auto top off. I have an Apex controller to monitor all of them and turn on/off based on my established parameters. Trace elements com from water changes and help with what Ree Energy A & B are? Probably not needed and some sort of snake oil. There is a lot of it, sadly, in this industry. Probably more than in arthritis cures. __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

05/26/2017, 02:32 PM	#11
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	Reef Energy A & B __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

05/27/2017, 04:07 PM	#13
Stolireef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scottsdale AZ Posts: 3,180 Blog Entries: 5	It would take quite a bit of convincing to get me to dose either nitrates or phosphates. Just feed more frequently. Maybe turn off the skimmer for a few hours per day. __________________ I want to burn twice as bright and half as long. Oh, and a full tank crash is just an excuse for a new build. Current Tank Info: 125 Rimless Leemar, Apex, Trigger 30 Elite Sump, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 X Gen4 Radion XR30W, BM Doser, 2xMP40WES, 2xTunze 6095, Sicce Syncra 4.0.

05/22/2017, 12:42 PM	#2
ktownhero Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 1,426	The only thing "needed" are the first 4, and those should really be 3 because I believe Mag gets mixed in with one of the other two.

05/22/2017, 01:37 PM	#3
jayball Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,671	You'll need 2 heads for the auto water change. 6, 7, and 8 can go. 5 is really not needed, especially in the beginning. The CA, ALK, and MG should be on 3 pumps so you can use generic stuff instead of expensive premix but if I were to start over I would have bit the bullet early on and gone with a CA reactor instead of dosing salts and Kalk.

05/23/2017, 01:16 AM	#5
bxbe888 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Jupiter FL Posts: 108	how big is your tank?

05/27/2017, 03:22 PM	#12
bxbe888 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Jupiter FL Posts: 108	I dose E.S.V. B-Ionic 2-Part, which works perfectly