High Tide Aquatics

Dosing

So I'm setting up my Jebao dosing pump and have a dumb question...is it ok to send the B-ionic into the return pump chamber, or before it in the refugium, or does it matter? I remember reading something about in a high flow area, so that would suggest the overflow area.

Thanks
 
I have my dosing going into the return chamber for maximum mixing before it touches something alive, my probes, or the skimmer. And because it is an easy place to run tubing. You could put in anywhere with high flow though since it doses only tiny amounts at a time.
 
Mike’s point is right.
That’s a real pump killer. Calcium deposits on the shaft, bearings and pump goes out; if lucky, you can clean the impeller parts and good to go.
You could dose alternating the time between A and B.
Some dossing brackets/holders are just plain too close together in my opinion but alternating the time takes care of that.
 
Mike’s point is right.
That’s a real pump killer. Calcium deposits on the shaft, bearings and pump goes out; if lucky, you can clean the impeller parts and good to go.
You could dose alternating the time between A and B.
Some dossing brackets/holders are just plain too close together in my opinion but alternating the time takes care of that.

I'm planning on putting the doser on a shelf well outside the sump area.
 
It’s a non-issue if you are using a doser that just puts in a few drops every few minutes, separating each part added by a minute or so, in a high flow area. I use the Neptune DOS, and it makes it easy to do it this way. I doubt I could ever measure an elevated level of calcium or alkalinity or other additives at the return pump propeller blades at any time.

If your doser squirts in a bunch of both 2-part solutions at once just a few times a day, then all of these considerations become important.
 
It’s a non-issue if you are using a doser that just puts in a few drops every few minutes, separating each part added by a minute or so, in a high flow area. I use the Neptune DOS, and it makes it easy to do it this way. I doubt I could ever measure an elevated level of calcium or alkalinity or other additives at the return pump propeller blades at any time.

If your doser squirts in a bunch of both 2-part solutions at once just a few times a day, then all of these considerations become important.
I disagree.
 
The flow through most of the sump is going to be at about the same rate. Mine has connectors right above the bubble trap before the return chamber.

I dose it there. When I switch to a CaRx, that is where I will be sending the effluent as well.

Been doing it for over 2 years and there is no appreciable buildup in my return pump. I dose about 150ml/day of 2 part right now.


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It Is my theory that the hotter the pump runs the more precipitation/deposits you will see on it. Also the material(s) the impeller shaft is made of tend to make a BIG difference imo.
 
Someone said it was best to does to the skimmer body (not skimmer pump inlet though).
Not sure I entirely agree, but the idea:

Partly for flow.
Partly that any precipitate would get skimmed out. (Not sure the science works on that)
Partly so that CO2 gas exchange would eliminate PH changes.
 
I've cleaned a few pumps that had Calcium build up on the impeller shaft and/or bearings; although some might have seized due to neglect, others were close to the effluents.
I think the ceramic shafts are more prone to have the build up or at least, the color being white, might prevent the spotting of the calcium building up on the shaft.
 
It Is my theory that the hotter the pump runs the more precipitation/deposits you will see on it. Also the material(s) the impeller shaft is made of tend to make a BIG difference imo.
That makes sense. I am running my alk doser output directly into my return pump intake and am getting nervous now...
 
Ah. That explains my seized up Mag drive return pump. Thought it was swollen and bursting from inside rust but turns out it has removable side like @xcaret mentioned in another thread, and I think it was clogged with Ca. My Ca and Alk input is a few inches away from the pump. Also, I used the pump-changing opportunity to clean the sump. Yikes - it was so nasty. Also had a precipitate line near dosing input. Might need to adjust dosing amount because I haven't tested in awhile and was just enjoying the nice coral growth and coralline algae outcompeting urchins.
 
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