2 Part Dosing Line Clogs Fixed for Good!

[rynosreef]

Hey all,

I'm sure I'm not the first to figure this out, but was pretty stoked to see that this worked, so I figured I'd share.

My alk dosing line constantly gets blocked at the end of the dosing tube, pretty much daily. I had researched diluting the solution with RO water, but wanted to find another way.

This fix has been working for the past week or so without issue. I connected some vinyl tubing to the end of the mur-lok elbow I use on the ends of my dosing lines. I actually used 2 different sizes, a smaller 3/8" piece to act as a sleeve on the end of the mur-lok fitting, and a 1/4" piece to slide over the sleeve. The 2nd piece is just long enough for the tip to be submerged in the water, and just wide enough for the alk solution to still drip freely from the tip of the murlok fitting.

What this does is allows the alkalinity solution to drip out of the dosing line and directly into the water without contacting any air besides what's in the tube. So no more dried out alk solution clogs. Submerging the dosing line itself under water is a no no due to precipitation risks.

So far it's been working like a charm!

 

[Larry L]

I see what you did but I'm curious - how is this different from just running the end of your dosing tube below water level? Does the bigger diameter tubing somehow help with it not clogging?

 

[rynosreef]

From my experience when the dosing line is in the water it'll still form precipitate in the end of the line. It'll usually start forming in the tip and then start wicking it's way up further.

One issue I just realized with what I'm doing is the potential for back siphoning... Although I'm not quite sure how much of a concern it is? Peristaltic pumps like I'm using use rollers on the lines, I can't recall ever hearing of them back siphoning. I could be wrong though.

 

[jd371]

For my 75g mixed reef, I aimed the ATO tube at the dosing lines so when the ATO kicks on it also cleans off the dosing lines from build up.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I am not sure if I am understanding exactly the whole method here. The comment on back siphoning has me confused. I did something similar in my thread DIY Dosing Tips (for drop by drop dosing), though your execution looks a lot neater than mine :p

 

[kyleinpdx]

I am not sure if I am understanding exactly the whole method here. The comment on back siphoning has me confused. I did something similar in my thread DIY Dosing Tips (for drop by drop dosing), though your execution looks a lot neater than mine :p

Use of the syringes is genius!

 

[rynosreef]

I am not sure if I am understanding exactly the whole method here. The comment on back siphoning has me confused. I did something similar in my thread DIY Dosing Tips (for drop by drop dosing), though your execution looks a lot neater than mine :p

Very cool! Yeah on second thought I don't think back siphoning is a concern at all when using a dosing pump.