Apex Programming for BRS dosing pump?

[daikaijureefer]

I searched the forums but couldn't find come up with an answer for my exact query.

I should start my stating that I'm currently dosing relatively small amounts of two part due to the size and age of my aquarium. The current demand is approximately .6 dKh per day.

I'm using BRS dosing pumps for dosing 2 part with automation programmed by an apex. Using the very handy Program Generator I have created a dosing program for dosing 2 part.

The problem for me is that I can either set the program for 6.44 ml per day OR 7.36 ml per day (a difference of one second per hour). If I set it for 6.44 ml dosing per day, I LOSE .1 dKh per day and if I set it to 7.36 ml per day I GAIN .1dKh per day based on the demand in my aquarium. This means that every 5 days I gain or lose half a dKh which is not ideal.

My inclination is to set the program up to dose the lower 6.44ml per day until my consumption rate goes up and make up the difference in the .1dKh loss by using a second program. Since I'm new to programming the apex, I don't want to create a conflict in the programming for this.

Can someone suggest a program for me to offset the difference in consumption between a 6.44ml dose and 7.36ml dose? my target is 7ml per day.

Also, maybe I am overthinking this? lol

photo of my tech setup for funsies:

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm going to guess that you have the BRS 50ml/minute pumps??? I say that because of your 1 second comment. If that is the case, ideally you should have purchased the 1.1ml/min pumps. They look the same, but are geared differently to deliver their respective volumes.

If that is the case, other than buying the 1.1 pumps, you can dilute your "parts" to increase the volumes, and thereby the accuracy of the delivery. I'd consider 25% alk or calc with 75% RO/DI. This way you'll have to deliver approximately 4 times the volume with greater leeway in fine adjustments. I hope this makes sense.

 

[daikaijureefer]

I'm going to guess that you have the BRS 50ml/minute pumps??? I say that because of your 1 second comment. If that is the case, ideally you should have purchased the 1.1ml/min pumps. They look the same, but are geared differently to deliver their respective volumes.

If that is the case, other than buying the 1.1 pumps, you can dilute your "parts" to increase the volumes, and thereby the accuracy of the delivery. I'd consider 25% alk or calc with 75% RO/DI. This way you'll have to deliver approximately 4 times the volume with greater leeway in fine adjustments. I hope this makes sense.

I'm not sure what made you guess that. But no, these are the BRS 1.1ml/ minute pumps. It actually calibrated (with their respective solutions mind you) to 2.3 for my Alk pump. I've read that the BRS 1.1 pumps are closer to 2ml these days. 1 second of pumping at the top of the hour x 24 hours per day equals .92 ml in my system. so the difference is exactly as I stated above.

I don't like the idea of diluting the solutions I'm using, which is currently Brightwell Reef Code A+B. I don't like the idea because ideally, I would keep the solutions in the ratio they come in to make maintenance less difficult and easier for someone to maintain if I am out of town, which is a possibility with my work. But that is a novel idea, and one that could work.

I'd really like to come up with a solution that involves programming the APEX.

 

[Slack Tide Reef]

I think your best bet would be to shorten the amount of hours you dose until your demand is higher.

 

[daikaijureefer]

I think your best bet would be to shorten the amount of hours you dose until your demand is higher.

Ah that makes sense. I could run the higher dose rate and adjust by reducing the number of hours til it matches my dosage amount. Cool, I’ll try that, thanks for the suggestion!