# Peristaltic Pump Dosing?



## Aqua sobriquet (4 May 2012)

Anyone considered a slow dosing pumped system, perhaps for when they're away? Peristaltic pumps seem to be available at reasonable prices. Would take some working out to make up a suitable strength solution as a starting point but I'm sure the more expert members on here could do it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dosing-pump-P ... 468wt_1105

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peristaltic-d ... 1617wt_872

Next up would be an automatic water change system ...


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## Tim Harrison (5 May 2012)

A very interesting concept. 
I too would also be interested to find out if someone with the know-how could make it work in reality.
Come on Clive if anyone could make it work it would be you!


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## ceg4048 (6 May 2012)

Check out Paulo's write up on the subject=> Auto Dosing EI with a dosing pump (diagram and calculations)

Cheers,


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## Tim Harrison (6 May 2012)

Thanks, should have known someone from this forum would have already done something similar.


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## Aqua sobriquet (6 May 2012)

Yes, good link. Thanks for that!


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## ian_m (29 Jun 2012)

Well I have just bought 2 off 3ml/min 15rpm 4 roller peristaltic pumps from http://www.williamson-shop.co.uk/ for £42 each to dose macro and micro ferts whilst I am away for 3 weeks later in the summer. Part number 101.015.230.030/4.

I am going to place them both on a plastic box connected to a timer and have metres of 4mm PVC tubing and two 1 litre Robinson squash bottles to hold the liquids.

Had a discussion in helping me choose a peristalitic pump model (I need 40ml every other day for my tank), which someone might find helpful in the future:

- Slow RPM will lasts longer (lots of years rather than years) but can take a long time to fill the piping. 15rpm is a good compromise.
- Larger bore piping is less prone to clogging and wear, so 3mm good choice. Ends in 4mm barbed pipe connector.
- Norprene lasts longer than silicone.
- 4 roller pump is "smoother" flow and completely immune to back flow (unlike 3 roller).

Not cheap, but then you look how much I have spent...at least £150 odd on plants and fish, so probably worth it.

I am going to half dose (with reduced CO2 and lights) @ 9ml per day, thats 3 minutes run time whilst I am away.

Anyone find the link where someone added Liquid Carbon or Excel to their EI ferts mix to help keep algae at bay whilst away. I assume it was added to macro mix rather than micro mix ?


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## Aqua sobriquet (29 Jun 2012)

Sounds good, thanks for posting the link.    Any reason for not using the all-in-one solution?


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## ian_m (29 Jun 2012)

Aqua sobriquet said:
			
		

> Any reason for not using the all-in-one solution?


Cost mainly. I have a cupboard full of dry salts ready to mix up.

Also some people have had issues pumping the very small amounts required of "all in one" accurately without killing all their sensitive plants due to overdose. Also I read somewhere someone diluted their all in one to say does 20ml per day, but the solution both settled out and went mouldy. Mind you they weren't using these small perstaltic pumps that are available in less than 1ml/minute, so you could even dose a small tank with "all in one" using one of these.


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## spill50 (29 Jun 2012)

ian_m said:
			
		

> Well I have just bought 2 off 3ml/min 15rpm 4 roller peristaltic pumps from http://www.williamson-shop.co.uk/ for £42 each to dose macro and micro ferts whilst I am away for 3 weeks later in the summer. Part number 101.015.230.030/4.



How are you powering them? I looked at the Williamson pumps a couple of weeks ago. Figured I should figure out how to power them before shelling out the cash.


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## ian_m (29 Jun 2012)

The one I have ordered are 230V ones. Going to run mains plug from box to my time switch, set for say 3 minutes once a day.

If you don't fancy boxing your own you can buy a ready made one here http://www.williamson-shop.co.uk/aquadoser-cased-230vac-pumps-5551-p.asp.


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## spill50 (29 Jun 2012)

Sorry if I'm being dim, so you just wire up the mains cable straight to the motor? No circuit required in between?

I'm doing everything else DIY on my new tank so why stop with a pump ;P


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## ian_m (29 Jun 2012)

spill50 said:
			
		

> Sorry if I'm being dim, so you just wire up the mains cable straight to the motor? No circuit required in between?


It is connected to a timer do that you only pump 10ml a day.

If I wired mine straight to mains it would pump 3ml a minute continuous, 180ml an hour, 4.3l a day....


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## spill50 (29 Jun 2012)

Yeah, I'm talking about the other end. So you've got your power cable going into the box, what happens then? Live and neutral wires soldered to connection points on the motor?


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## CeeJay (30 Jun 2012)

Hi all

Off the electrics for a minute   



			
				Aqua sobriquet said:
			
		

> Any reason for not using the all-in-one solution?





			
				ian_m said:
			
		

> Cost mainly. I have a cupboard full of dry salts ready to mix up.


So you already have most of the ingredients to make your own "all in one", if that's what you want to do.



			
				ian_m said:
			
		

> Also some people have had issues pumping the very small amounts required of "all in one" accurately without killing all their sensitive plants due to overdose.


Where did that come from?   
You will have to go some to kill any aquatic plant by overdosing, that's for sure  



			
				ian_m said:
			
		

> Also I read somewhere someone diluted their all in one to say does 20ml per day, but the solution both settled out and went mouldy.


That figures.
If they increased the volume of water in their mix but didn't increase the levels of Ascorbic acid (to keep the pH around 6, to stop the settling out) and Potassium Sorbate (to prohibit the mould), then these are the results one would expect.


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## ian_m (30 Jun 2012)

CeeJay said:
			
		

> So you already have most of the ingredients to make your own "all in one", if that's what you want to do.


You can't mix the traces and macros in one bottle as the trace iron (actually 8% odd of micro) will come out of solution as insoluable iron phosphate precipitate which will settle in bottle, clog pump and will no longer be available as nutrient for the plants. Which is why you EI dose with two bottles.



			
				CeeJay said:
			
		

> You will have to go some to kill any aquatic plant by overdosing, that's for sure


Not so,  quite a few popular plants will quite happily melt away if overdosed with Excel or All in One. Been there done that, had to replace the plants and limit the dosing. Very annoying as plants were doing really well, then I upped the dose to wipe out algea (which it did) but melted some of my plants. Elodea densa is one of the cheaper plants that melts with over dose.


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## Aqua sobriquet (30 Jun 2012)

Perhaps while you're on holiday you could use a one solution fert like TNC Complete or Tropica instead?


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## CeeJay (30 Jun 2012)

Hi all


			
				ian_m said:
			
		

> You can't mix the traces and macros in one bottle as the trace iron (actually 8% odd of micro) will come out of solution as insoluable iron phosphate precipitate which will settle in bottle, clog pump and will no longer be available as nutrient for the plants. Which is why you EI dose with two bottles.


If you keep the solution acidic the iron will not precipitate.
Perhaps you should study this. James' All in One
How do you think companies like Tropica keep iron in solution in their own brand of 'all in one'.



			
				ian_m said:
			
		

> Not so, quite a few popular plants will quite happily melt away if overdosed with Excel or All in One.


Excel Yes............'All in One' Never


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