Help with dumb dosing problem, I'm sure there's an simple answer

[nim6us]

I bought these great dosing containers that match my blue and white setup. They have a rigid tube that gets right to the bottom and then connects to a push connect fitting. The problem is when I put my soft dosing tube into the push connect fitting it's just butted up to the rigid tubing, the push connect doesn't make an actual seal.

This means when the doser kicks on you get a steady bead of air bubbles in the line. I solved this problem before by completely ripping out the rigid tubing and pushing my dosing line all the way down. However the problem, as you can imagine, is that the dosing line curves a bit as it get closer to the bottom. This means the end of the line hooks up about 1 inch off the bottom wasting dosing solution, and needing topped up more often.

Aside from getting the extra solution near the bottom, the rigid line just looks nicer as well. I feel like I'm missing something really obvious here. That if there was an extra part needed it would ship with the dosing containers or there would be some clear instruction on how to join the rigid end to the soft via the push connect.

Can anyone help?

 

[Gtinnel]

You’ll need to use a piece of 1/4” rodi tubing going into the top of the bulkhead and then find a fitting to adapt from the 1/4 down to whatever size your current tubing is. I’ve had to do this for several of my dosing pumps.

 

[Gtinnel]

Or an even cleaner approach is to find a connector that goes from a barbed fitting to match your tubing and the other side is the 1/4 fitting that goes into the bulkhead

 

[dschuffert]

This kit is for something else but has the parts you need to replace the push adapter bulkhead and the rigid tubing in the dosing tank. You can then use the 1/4" flexible outside of the dosing tank. It is also affordable. I have rigid tubing in all four of my dosing tanks and 1/4" flexible tubing going from the tanks to my pumps. I have no issues.

BRS DIY Kalkwasser Dripper Kit

Build your own kalkwasser dripper with the DIY Kalk Dripper Kit from Bulk Reef Supply. Just choose the storage container with lid that works best for you. Kit Contains: 16” Long - 1/4” Clear Acrylic Tube 1/4” Mur-lok Inline Ball Valve 2 - 1/4” Mur-lok Push Connect Bulkhead Tank Adapter 2 -...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Do you have any RO tubing?

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

This little barb would be perfect for it. Comes with my Versa dosing pump.

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

I bought these great dosing containers that match my blue and white setup. They have a rigid tube that gets right to the bottom and then connects to a push connect fitting. The problem is when I put my soft dosing tube into the push connect fitting it's just butted up to the rigid tubing, the push connect doesn't make an actual seal.

This means when the doser kicks on you get a steady bead of air bubbles in the line. I solved this problem before by completely ripping out the rigid tubing and pushing my dosing line all the way down. However the problem, as you can imagine, is that the dosing line curves a bit as it get closer to the bottom. This means the end of the line hooks up about 1 inch off the bottom wasting dosing solution, and needing topped up more often.

Aside from getting the extra solution near the bottom, the rigid line just looks nicer as well. I feel like I'm missing something really obvious here. That if there was an extra part needed it would ship with the dosing containers or there would be some clear instruction on how to join the rigid end to the soft via the push connect.

Can anyone help?

Just remove the fitting from the container and run the line down the hole to the bottom of the reservoir. Remove those points of failure.

 

[nim6us]

Yeah I've got some RO tubing so may try and use that as a temp fix. However that straight fit to barb adapter is a good idea! Even better is in that BRS kit a push connect that takes rigid on one end and then is barb connect at the other. Some really good ideas guys, thanks!

 

[Steve2020]

A lot of the generic brand push fittings have been known not to make an air tight connection. I have had excellent luck with both Mur-Lok and John Guest push connect fittings. Looking at the photo I am not sure what type of push connect that is. Also there is a more ridgid but still very flexible tubing that works great for dosing that I got from BRS called Drew's Dosing Tubing. Have never had any issue with air bubbles using the above mentioned fittings and tubing.
A real cheap way to correct your issue with what you are using is to take a foot long piece of RO tubing and heat up a 2-3" section near the middle and pull on both ends and slightly stretch the RO tubing then cut a 1" piece of the stretched RO tubing and stick it the clear tubing you are using. If this does not work that means the air is getting in at the fitting where the ridgid tubing is. I saw this trick on a video somewhere.

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

A lot of the generic brand push fittings have been known not to make an air tight connection. I have had excellent luck with both Mur-Lok and John Guest push connect fittings. Looking at the photo I am not sure what type of push connect that is. Also there is a more ridgid but still very flexible tubing that works great for dosing that I got from BRS called Drew's Dosing Tubing. Have never had any issue with air bubbles using the above mentioned fittings and tubing.
A real cheap way to correct your issue with what you are using is to take a foot long piece of RO tubing and heat up a 2-3" section near the middle and pull on both ends and slightly stretch the RO tubing then cut a 1" piece of the stretched RO tubing and stick it the clear tubing you are using. If this does not work that means the air is getting in at the fitting where the ridgid tubing is. I saw this trick on a video somewhere.

 

[jimmypencil]

how did you end up fixing this? experiencing the same issue right now.

 

[Crustaceon]

Barb fitting - 1/4" John Guest - 1/4" ro/di tubing - top of dosing container push-in (john guest) fitting.

 

[nim6us]

I actually used a little bit of silicone tubing, about 1” in length, to make a sleeve. I pushed it over top of the rigid tubing at one end and over my dosing line at the other. That made a nice seal and stopped the air bubbles.

The better solution would likely have been the barb fitting someone else suggested. But I didn’t want to wait and necessity is the mother of invention! So I worked with what I had.