So awhile back after a couple of lectures by reef nutrition and @Matt_Wandell at HTA hosted by @under_water_ninja I decided to purchase a small mini fridge, put a few holes in it, throw a doser in there and call it a day. Almost.
Matt recommended the refrigerator:
cooluli.com
and I think it was a good choice as you can set the fridge temp and you can see what the current temp is. Also thanks to his wisdom of not puncturing the coolant part (blue lining).
Also note, even with the bigger fridge -there is not a lot of room in there!
After some time I found a small manifold that accepted 1/4 and 3/8 npt (I think) ports.
I ended up using a Red Sea reef doser only because I am using a lot of their other stuff including lights, reefmat, another doser and their ato. I really didn’t want to have to contend with a 3rd app (mobius) although if I known that the mxm module was to be released during the time frame I’d consider the versa pumps. Then again they are 2x as much.
That the doser fit perfectly across is a fluke. It is held there together by two sided tape. It’s not moving believe me.
Heaven forbid I need to send it back to Red Sea for repairs-they will get the fridge with it!
The initial testing proved to slightly problematic as I originally had quick connect npt ports leading into the manifold. Due to the pressure, it was pushing water up through the ports. I had thought this was going to be a potential problem but at the time it was easier to get these then trying to get 1/4 npt with 1/8 barbs. Either I needed to buy a min of 100 or shipping charges were ludicrous. Eventually I found them on eBay.
Lastly I installed some honking check valve so that none of the liquids can be pulled back into the water reservoir. In theory this should not be an issue but just in case. I’ll be checking it regularly.
I had incidentally drilled a few extra holes by accident as the placement of the fridge moved a bit. This was handled by insulation foam. It works very well and the fridge still maintains a 40 degree temp. Tip: use tape/paper around holes. Hard to get the resin off after, even with acetone.
Currently the plan to dose is:
Live phytoplankton-this was the original basis.
Rotifers-Corals and copepods digest them
ROE eggs-for corals and all the fish love them
Mysis shrimp
This is a broad overview of the project. If anyone is interested in doing something like this -be happy to discuss more in detail.
Matt recommended the refrigerator:
Cooluli Concord 20L Mini Fridge w/ Temperature Control
The Cooluli Concord 20L Mini Fridge with Temperature Control is our largest 2-in-1 warmer and cooler with 20 liters of storage for all your essentials. But large doesn’t mean bulky. Its sleek profile and recessed carry handles make it just as easy to take on the go as our smaller models.
cooluli.com
and I think it was a good choice as you can set the fridge temp and you can see what the current temp is. Also thanks to his wisdom of not puncturing the coolant part (blue lining).
Also note, even with the bigger fridge -there is not a lot of room in there!
After some time I found a small manifold that accepted 1/4 and 3/8 npt (I think) ports.
I ended up using a Red Sea reef doser only because I am using a lot of their other stuff including lights, reefmat, another doser and their ato. I really didn’t want to have to contend with a 3rd app (mobius) although if I known that the mxm module was to be released during the time frame I’d consider the versa pumps. Then again they are 2x as much.
That the doser fit perfectly across is a fluke. It is held there together by two sided tape. It’s not moving believe me.
Heaven forbid I need to send it back to Red Sea for repairs-they will get the fridge with it!
The initial testing proved to slightly problematic as I originally had quick connect npt ports leading into the manifold. Due to the pressure, it was pushing water up through the ports. I had thought this was going to be a potential problem but at the time it was easier to get these then trying to get 1/4 npt with 1/8 barbs. Either I needed to buy a min of 100 or shipping charges were ludicrous. Eventually I found them on eBay.
Lastly I installed some honking check valve so that none of the liquids can be pulled back into the water reservoir. In theory this should not be an issue but just in case. I’ll be checking it regularly.
I had incidentally drilled a few extra holes by accident as the placement of the fridge moved a bit. This was handled by insulation foam. It works very well and the fridge still maintains a 40 degree temp. Tip: use tape/paper around holes. Hard to get the resin off after, even with acetone.
Currently the plan to dose is:
Live phytoplankton-this was the original basis.
Rotifers-Corals and copepods digest them
ROE eggs-for corals and all the fish love them
Mysis shrimp
This is a broad overview of the project. If anyone is interested in doing something like this -be happy to discuss more in detail.
