setting up automated fertilizer doser

[breakspirit]

Hey guys, I've decided I'm way too lazy to dose liquid ferts into my 125 gallon daily, so I'm going to set up an automated system.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
That is the pump I'm going to use. Basically, run a line into a bottle of fert and the outlet line into my sump. I'll put the pump on a timer so it only runs like a minute a day or something.

However, I need a way to control the flow of the pump in a more accurate way. I could put some sort of valve on the inlet line that I could use to manually control the inlet flow. Is this the best/cheapest way?

I know a peristaltic pump would likely be the superior solution, but that gets very expensive.

Obviously, I only vaguely know what I'm doing, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. I looked for a long time online for other people who have done this, and it's apparently pretty uncommon. Thanks guys.

 

[BadOleRoss]

Why not drip the fertilizer into the tank using a kalkwasser drip system. You could premix the fertilizer in water, set up the drip, and let it go. No real chance of overdosing with a kalkwasser drip set up. If you are not familiar with kalwasser, think of a 2.5 gallon IV bottle like in a hospital.

 

[breakspirit]

That system requires that the fertilizers be in a location above the tank into which they'll be dripped, right? I had planned on setting up the system in my stand, right next to the sump. I may be able to figure out a way to set it up in an elevated fashion somehow, if that's the superior method.

 

[BadOleRoss]

I dont know if it's a superior method but it is easier and fool proof. What if you placed the container under your stand and had it drip into the sump? Is there room above the sump for some kind of container?

 

[breakspirit]

I dont know if it's a superior method but it is easier and fool proof. What if you placed the container under your stand and had it drip into the sump? Is there room above the sump for some kind of container?

I could probably get a decent lid for the sump and put the set up right on top of it.
I imagine that you're suggesting I set it up basically like this?
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/skip/agu/kalkdripper.htm

If so, I fail to see how you can make that accurate or adjust the flow rate. I'm a total noob though, so please enlighten me =)
I suppose you could mix water to the fertilizer in such a way to match the flow rate and dosing requirements.

Thanks for the help btw

 

[carsona246]

I've been very interested in this subject, but because I only have a ten gallon tank its too much trouble for me to actually make the effort and make one. I have read people making automatic fertalizer's with these kinds of pumps
http://www.marinedepot.com/Tom_Aquatics_Aqua_Lifter_Dosing_Pump_Accessories_for_Aquarium_Overflow_Boxes-Tom%60s_Aquatics-OE1137-FIOFOA-vi.html
they're pretty cheap relatively speaking

 

[breakspirit]

I've been very interested in this subject, but because I only have a ten gallon tank its too much trouble for me to actually make the effort and make one. I have read people making automatic fertalizer's with these kinds of pumps
http://www.marinedepot.com/Tom_Aqua...ow_Boxes-Tom`s_Aquatics-OE1137-FIOFOA-vi.html
they're pretty cheap relatively speaking

Yeah, that's exactly the same pump I linked to in the first post. I think I'll try BadOleRoss' idea first though because it seems so dirt cheap and easy. If it doesn't work out for me, I won't really be out any significant money and then I'll try that pump. I'll update when I get around to setting that system up.

 

[BadOleRoss]

Okay, I am thinking more along the lines of a container like the one pictured below. Picture that container filled with tank water and a measured amount of fertilizer. The hose coming from the container into your sump. You can control the flow rate or drip rate on the container with the same style clamp hospitals use on IV bottles. You set it so the container drips out the same amount of water that you lose to evaportation. Lets say you lose 1 gallon a day.....you drip that gallon a day back into the tank with a small amount of fertilizer mixed into the gallon.

 

[breakspirit]

I ordered that exact jug in the 2.5gallon size. I'll let you know how it works out for my purposes once its been running for awhile.

 

[BadOleRoss]

That's the size I used for kalkwasser back in the day. Have it sitting on a shelf someplace.