Simplicity Dosing (4-Head); any reviews?

[IKD]

Wondering if anyone has tried this and have any reviews to share. Looks like a great price compared to others on the market like DOS and Versas

Simplicity 4-Head Dosing Pump

Find premium aquarium supplies at Aquacave. we offer top brands like Tunze, Ecotech, and more. Free Shipping available!

www.aquacave.com

 

[erichatesmice]

I am interested as well! I generally like simplicity’s other products, they carry the brand at my local lfs, and they are priced right!

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I wonder if it keeps its memory if there is a power outage?

 

[IKD]

I wonder if it keeps its memory if there is a power outage?

Not sure either. I see it’s marked as a new release on some sites, so maybe it’s not in many hands at the moment.

 

[Simplicity Aquatics]

I wonder if it keeps its memory if there is a power outage?

It will retain its programming for sure, however I am unsure if it keeps time. I am checking.

Wondering if anyone has tried this and have any reviews to share. Looks like a great price compared to others on the market like DOS and Versas

Simplicity 4-Head Dosing Pump

Find premium aquarium supplies at Aquacave. we offer top brands like Tunze, Ecotech, and more. Free Shipping available!

www.aquacave.com

We really aren't competing in the DOS and Versa space. Our pump is a solid basic dosing pump, it requires programming on the built in controller and does not have bluetooth/Wifi etc. There are no fancy bells and whistles and controlling it from your phone, but what it will do get is quality, dependable, fair priced and backed by amazing support

 

[Simplicity Aquatics]

I can confirm time is kept as well when power is interrupted, so while you may miss some doses during the power outage, outside that it will continue as expected.

 

[JoJosReef]

I can confirm time is kept as well when power is interrupted, so while you may miss some doses during the power outage, outside that it will continue as expected.

How precise is the schedule for each dosing head? To the minute? For instance, could I set head 1 to dose 2mL at 8:00am, head 2 at 8:01am, and head 3 at 8:02am?

Also, what size tubing? I don't see that written on the webpage or BRS page. Thanks!

 

[Simplicity Aquatics]

How precise is the schedule for each dosing head? To the minute? For instance, could I set head 1 to dose 2mL at 8:00am, head 2 at 8:01am, and head 3 at 8:02am?

Also, what size tubing? I don't see that written on the webpage or BRS page. Thanks!

Short answer is yes you can program in the way you mentioned, however I wouldn't recommend it unless those are products you can mix. Having enough time between doses for chemicals and additives to be diluted is important to prevent precipitation.

Our fittings are stepped for both the standard and the tiny tubing. Our Simplicity tubing is 4mm ID/6mm OD silicone. If you wish to use the tiny tubing some manufactures use you should be all set with the included fittings. Our dosing containers however do NOT yet have adapters, we are working on this.

 

[JoJosReef]

Short answer is yes you can program in the way you mentioned, however I wouldn't recommend it unless those are products you can mix. Having enough time between doses for chemicals and additives to be diluted is important to prevent precipitation.

Our fittings are stepped for both the standard and the tiny tubing. Our Simplicity tubing is 4mm ID/6mm OD silicone. If you wish to use the tiny tubing some manufactures use you should be all set with the included fittings. Our dosing containers however do NOT yet have adapters, we are working on this.

precipitation isn't an issue. This is for liquid food dispensing, and the larger diameter tubing is totally optimal!

Follow the blue tube

The liquid food gets first pushed by doser #3 (~2mLs) through a T barb fitting. Doser head #2 connects to the other end of the T barb and pushes 15mLs of RODI one minute after Doser #3, which pushes everything through the blue tube into the tank. Doser #1 is All For Reef and runs on an independent line/schedule.

The current doser has been giving me headaches with connectivity. Just want something that works. I think it runs 2mm ID, and I also worry about clogging. I will take a closer look at Simplicity, now.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

precipitation isn't an issue. This is for liquid food dispensing, and the larger diameter tubing is totally optimal!

Follow the blue tube

The liquid food gets first pushed by doser #3 (~2mLs) through a T barb fitting. Doser head #2 connects to the other end of the T barb and pushes 15mLs of RODI one minute after Doser #3, which pushes everything through the blue tube into the tank. Doser #1 is All For Reef and runs on an independent line/schedule.

The current doser has been giving me headaches with connectivity. Just want something that works. I think it runs 2mm ID, and I also worry about clogging. I will take a closer look at Simplicity, now.

sorry quick hijack!

is that T barb a check valve?
why do you refrigerate the all for reef?
do you think the connectivity issues are due to being in the fridge?
what temperature do you keep the fridge at?

looks cool I'd be interested in doing something like this!

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Short answer is yes you can program in the way you mentioned, however I wouldn't recommend it unless those are products you can mix. Having enough time between doses for chemicals and additives to be diluted is important to prevent precipitation.

Our fittings are stepped for both the standard and the tiny tubing. Our Simplicity tubing is 4mm ID/6mm OD silicone. If you wish to use the tiny tubing some manufactures use you should be all set with the included fittings. Our dosing containers however do NOT yet have adapters, we are working on this.

can your dosers be refrigerated for an extended amount of time?

are the gears plastic or metal?

they look interesting and I'm looking for some simple pumps, and they would go good with my dosing containers

 

[JoJosReef]

sorry quick hijack!

is that T barb a check valve?
why do you refrigerate the all for reef?
do you think the connectivity issues are due to being in the fridge?
what temperature do you keep the fridge at?

looks cool I'd be interested in doing something like this!

Just a regular T barb. The dosing heads prevent any of the food from going backwards in the tube or the RODI pushing its way into the food tube (green).

AFR is in the fridge because I only have one doser. So far I haven't experienced any precipitation of the AFR, but I make it up at 1/2 concentration as well. Fridge is a full on mini fridge, not a wine chiller, so it's keeping everything at 4C/39F.

I think the connectivity issues are independent. That unit wasn't connecting well to the office wifi from the get-go and it just recently stopped broadcasting its own wifi. In terms of moisture, so far I'm not seeing any moisture buildup. If I do, I might start getting dessicant to add in there. Fridge cost me $100 from home depot or lowes, can't remember.

 

[IKD]

can your dosers be refrigerated for an extended amount of time?

are the gears plastic or metal?

they look interesting and I'm looking for some simple pumps, and they would go good with my dosing containers

And to add, do you have a video or step-by-step on how you modified the fridge?

 

[JoJosReef]

And to add, do you have a video or step-by-step on how you modified the fridge?

I don't have a video but it's in my build thread. I'll also give an overview here:

Objective: to autodose liquid Reef Nutrition food 4-5x per day for wrasses and also to ensure fish are fed over the weekend (office tank).

Food: Mixture of Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, ROE, Tigger Pods, Arcti Pods (retired), Pac Pods (retired), Roti Feast (retired), Phyto Feast, and Mysis Feast (switched to manual due to clogging issues)

Concept: Pump liquid food inside of refrigerator and flush out of tube with RODI into the tank.

Initial tank setup with mini fridge in cabinet:

Set up shelf and wire nest above fridge:

Drill 3 holes in top of refrigerator: (1) power supply hole, (2) AFR tube hole, (3) Food tube hole. Pass tubes/wires through holes. Seal holes with silicone glue.

* This is a bit messy, because there is foam insulation that you pass through that disintegrates. I also was a bit too zealous in the drilling and made the holes a bit too wide on the underside and had to use a massive amount of silicone on the inside.

Everything back in the cabinet. ATO goes next to the fridge.

Hook up the tubes for the doser. There are three heads on this one. Head #1 is AFR, which I mix and place in a small tub with lid, hold drilled through lid to let tube through and allow air to vent. Head #3 pulls liquid food mixture from the 50mL conical tube in the green tube stand. It push the food through the T barb and stops after 2mL pumped. Then Head #2, which is connected to the lower opening of the T barb and pulls from a tub of RODI water, flushes 15 mL of RODI through the blue tube (which has 2mL of liquid food sitting in it now ).

Up the back of my 40gal AIO tank, over the back chambers, and into the display:

There is space between the mesh lid and the acrylic back panel of the display, which acts as an emergency overflow. I added some plastic mesh used for cross-stitching that I glued with silicone to the overflow to guard from wrasses jumping in the AIO chamber--I also cut out space for the blue tube:

I have a WIFI power strip that turns the return pumps off 2 minutes before the doser starts pumping food, but keeps the gyre in the display going to blow the liquid food throughout the display. The concept works really well and the fish have learned to wait for the food to drop into the tank when the return pumps turn off.

long video, but you get the idea here:

New video by Joseph Campo

photos.app.goo.gl

I also have an Eheim autofeeder that drops TDO pellets 3x per day about 3 minutes after the liquid food goes in. It sits on a platform dumping over the mesh lid:

(orange tube is the AFR dropping into the return chamber, and large clear tube is ATO dumping into return)

Anyway, happy to answer more specific questions if you've got any! Hope that helps!

 

[Kodock]

precipitation isn't an issue. This is for liquid food dispensing, and the larger diameter tubing is totally optimal!

Follow the blue tube

The liquid food gets first pushed by doser #3 (~2mLs) through a T barb fitting. Doser head #2 connects to the other end of the T barb and pushes 15mLs of RODI one minute after Doser #3, which pushes everything through the blue tube into the tank. Doser #1 is All For Reef and runs on an independent line/schedule.

The current doser has been giving me headaches with connectivity. Just want something that works. I think it runs 2mm ID, and I also worry about clogging. I will take a closer look at Simplicity, now.

What kind of liquid food is this? Could you run melted brine cubes through it?