Idea for dosing refrigerated AB+

[BobaF99]

So I have been trying to plan out a new tank setup and got to looking at different supplements and their requirements. I want to use Reef Energy AB+ once I get the tank up and running. I have seen some threads about using a mini fridge and dosing from it. I like the idea of having a line that has constant flow and dosing into that. My idea is a small pump in the sump, pumping to a "T" connection, then back to the sump. The Mini fridge would get a hole drilled into it, top or side, then the dosing pump would take suction from the refrigerated bottle and discharge into the bottom of the "T", possibly through a check valve to prevent back flow.

The idea would be to keep the lines from the fridge and dosing pump as short as possible to keep as much of the AB+ cool and not stagnant in dosing lines. Also considering a small magnetic stirring plate in the fridge as well. I know this has been done before, just wanted to see if my idea was feasible. I was looking at using dosing lines to RO lines and fittings at the "T". Not sure about the small pump in the sump though. Another question/concern is do the pumps, return and wave, need to be stopped when dosing AB+? If they do, I might have to run the line into the DT instead of the sump. Thoughts?

 

[SPS2020]

Seems viable to me.

I do turn off the return pump when I dose AB+, but I leave the gyres on for circulation.

 

[BobaF99]

Seems viable to me.

I do turn off the return pump when I dose AB+, but I leave the gyres on for circulation.

Do you use a dosing pump or pour into the tank?

 

[morkin]

I spot feed my Reef Energy twice a week with return pump off and minimal flow in the display. I also keep the skimmer of for 10 minutes after I am done.
When I was broadcast feeding with just the skimmer off for 30 minutes, I found it sent my Nitrates through the roof.

 

[theatrus]

So I have been trying to plan out a new tank setup and got to looking at different supplements and their requirements. I want to use Reef Energy AB+ once I get the tank up and running. I have seen some threads about using a mini fridge and dosing from it. I like the idea of having a line that has constant flow and dosing into that. My idea is a small pump in the sump, pumping to a "T" connection, then back to the sump. The Mini fridge would get a hole drilled into it, top or side, then the dosing pump would take suction from the refrigerated bottle and discharge into the bottom of the "T", possibly through a check valve to prevent back flow.

The idea would be to keep the lines from the fridge and dosing pump as short as possible to keep as much of the AB+ cool and not stagnant in dosing lines. Also considering a small magnetic stirring plate in the fridge as well. I know this has been done before, just wanted to see if my idea was feasible. I was looking at using dosing lines to RO lines and fittings at the "T". Not sure about the small pump in the sump though. Another question/concern is do the pumps, return and wave, need to be stopped when dosing AB+? If they do, I might have to run the line into the DT instead of the sump. Thoughts?

I do exactly this - the fridge is in the garage and feeds the amino into the continuously pumped calcium reactor line (at the output). I do also have a garage closed loop like this (made up of a parallel set of 1/2" PEX tubes) for also running the chiller, ATO, other filters, etc. It's like a "remote not-sump" .

 

[BobaF99]

I do exactly this - the fridge is in the garage and feeds the amino into the continuously pumped calcium reactor line (at the output). I do also have a garage closed loop like this (made up of a parallel set of 1/2" PEX tubes) for also running the chiller, ATO, other filters, etc. It's like a "remote not-sump" .

Nice! So do you turn off any pumps when dosing the amino? Also any pics?

 

[Troylee]

Personally don’t care for that stuff and haven’t seen any benefits of using it so I wouldn’t waste my time doing a fridge or doser with it. Plenty of other aminos out there that can be dosed and not refrigerated…

 

[Lavey29]

Why don't you just use those simple electric cup holders that keep your drink cold. The AB plus container fits perfectly inside a cold cup holder in your cabinet.

 

[theatrus]

Nice! So do you turn off any pumps when dosing the amino? Also any pics?

Don't turn off any pumps. Will post pictures of the nightmare later.

Why don't you just use those simple electric cup holders that keep your drink cold. The AB plus container fits perfectly inside a cold cup holder in your cabinet.

Nice idea. Also much smaller. The peltier junction coolers are crap in efficiency (the cheapest mini fridge is orders of magnitude better overall) however.

That said my amnio bottle sits in a one of those peltier micro-fridges. Ask me how I know abou the constant power suck

 

[theatrus]

Nice! So do you turn off any pumps when dosing the amino? Also any pics?

The dosing fridge and tubing drilled into it. Didn't end up with an inside picture.

The doser pumps sit on the shelf above and feed through the yellow line into the black line, which is the Ca reactor effluent:

The closed loop is barely visible here, but comes in from the tank, through the UV behind on the left there, and splits between the chiller and all the accessory ports. The little manifolds (bottom left) are how I take loop water and return loop water back to the system.

 

[BobaF99]

The dosing fridge and tubing drilled into it. Didn't end up with an inside picture.

The doser pumps sit on the shelf above and feed through the yellow line into the black line, which is the Ca reactor effluent:

The closed loop is barely visible here, but comes in from the tank, through the UV behind on the left there, and splits between the chiller and all the accessory ports. The little manifolds (bottom left) are how I take loop water and return loop water back to the system.

Hell yea, that's exactly what I had in mind!!

 

[Lavey29]

Personally don’t care for that stuff and haven’t seen any benefits of using it so I wouldn’t waste my time doing a fridge or doser with it. Plenty of other aminos out there that can be dosed and not refrigerated…

I'm not a fan of the supplement either.

 

[theatrus]

Hell yea, that's exactly what I had in mind!!

As a quick note: don't use push to connect fittings for the doser suction line - they're often not vacuum tight and won't self seal. I used RO tubing here for the bottle feed, but used a compression fitting to attach it to the silicone doser line.

 

[BobaF99]

As a quick note: don't use push to connect fittings for the doser suction line - they're often not vacuum tight and won't self seal. I used RO tubing here for the bottle feed, but used a compression fitting to attach it to the silicone doser line.

So, in my "drawing" below. Blue would be RO tubing, black is RO to silicone tubing adaptors, red is silicone tubing. The red bend is the dosing pump.

 

[SPS2020]

Do you use a dosing pump or pour into the tank?

I just pour into the tank after turning off the return pump...and I close the valve so it doesn't empty the return line (keeps out bubbles).