BRS 1.1 ml DIY Tubing Replacement

redfishbluefish · Mar 22, 2017

Between my son and I, we own six BRS 1.1 ml dosing pumps....great pumps. I also love BRS....spend more money there than I want to. Now I recently needed to replace two dosing pump rubber hoses. BRS has them for $12.99 each.

202320-BRS-2-Part-Auto-Top-Replacement-Tube-Set-a_1.jpg

I come from the chemical industry where we used rubber hose like crazy and I know that I'm not looking at $26 in tubing for two pumps.....but pennies!!!! So I pull the pumps apart and check them out.

The tubing easily comes off by first using a knife between the tubing collar and attachment piece. Carefully begin to pry the collar away by moving around the piece.

Once you have enough room, move on to using a screw driver and continue to move around the piece while you pry it apart.

Eventually the tubing releases from the fitting.

It's actually very easy to do these steps.....it took me longer to type out the above words than actually taking off the tubing.

So now I've spect'ed this tubing and appears to be Santoprene tubing, 5 1/8 inches long, and 1/4 ID and 3/8 OD. I quickly found it for 0.99/foot, but believe I could do better.

I've found it....but longer lengths........Do I buy longer lengths?

My reasoning....Two BRS replacements tubing pieces cost $25.98 plus shipping. I've found 50 feet for a little less than two replacement sets from BRS.....including shipping. I have a total of six pumps and this would be a cost savings. If I were to order six replacement tubings for all my pumps from BRS, it would be $77.94!!!

My wife's reasoning....You're an idiot....a blithering idiot!!! What are you going to do with the additional 47 feet after you replace all six pumps? A hangman's noose came to mind!

But you don't understand, I could throw it away and still be ahead of the game....but instead I'll sell it to other reefers and make........

ONE Million Dollars!

So now with the cost very reasonable, I think I'll just replace this tubing piece maybe every two years. The pumps I've been running since, maybe 2009/2010, for alk and calc still have the original tubing in them.

I'll update this post when the tubing arrives and let you know how it fits and any tips on putting it back together.

AdamNC · Mar 22, 2017

Following this. My pumps are coming up on 2 years themselves

redfishbluefish · Mar 24, 2017

Wow! I'm surprised...only one response. I thought I had a million dollar DIY here. Where are the BRS 1.1 dosing pump people?

Anyway, Tubing has arrived!

It is slighlty lighter in color than the original and also feels a little stiffer than original (new on top, old on the bottom).

That could very well be the wear on the original, making it feel softer. A piece of tubing was cut to exactly 5 1/8 inches. Collars were placed on the tubing and the tubing slid onto the fitting. To run the collars home, a pair of channel locks was opened to fit around the lower part of the collar, and a considerable amount of pressure was applied, while twisting, to set the collar all the way down.

After both collars were set, the ends were twisted so that they were aligned.

Now before putting it in the pump, I applied a very thin coat of lube on the outside of the tubing. You can not use a petroleum base lube on this, so what I use is Leslie's Pool and Spa Lube. (You can find this at Leslie's Pool Company.....all over NJ....for about $7.00 for a life time supply).

As an aside, I have used this for years on all my freshwater and saltwater tanks and never had to replace a single rubber part. I'd highly recommend it and use it on anything rubber. Buy this stuff if you own rubber!

The tubing was installed in the pump, lines attached, and without priming (simply put the one tubing in a glass of water), turned the pump on and watched the water slowly move up the tubing and into the pump head. While this was happening, I also checked the seal on the pump rollers by sucking and blowing on the exit tube.....nothing happened, so the rollers completely seal the tubing while rolling around. It works!

AdamNC · Mar 24, 2017

I'll have to remember this when the time comes to replace mine. You think pure silicone spray would work? It's easier to get at any auto parts store.

trinisteve · Jun 16, 2017

Nice! Now, how do I DIY the rest of the 1.1ml doser?

Billdogg · Jun 18, 2017

Would you share your source for the tubing please? I have 4 of the dosers that need the same. They've been going strong for about 3 years now, but........

GillsGoneWild · Jun 19, 2017

Billdogg said:
Would you share your source for the tubing please? I have 4 of the dosers that need the same. They've been going strong for about 3 years now, but........

I might be off base on this, but I believe that the OP is going to be the best source for the tubing...being that he has 47 extra feet of this stuff lying about and a wife who is keen on him getting rid of it.

redfishbluefish · Mar 7, 2018

I've been asked via PM for the source of the tubing I used.....it was a Santoprene tubing, 1/4 ID by 3/8 OD, that I purchased from HERE. With shipping, I believe it was around $26. Hope this helps.

gig 'em · Jul 25, 2018

Thanks!

HuskerTank · Mar 22, 2020

I tried this with the same santoprene tubing but am having leaks at certain positions of the pump... any tips?

Dxpert · Apr 4, 2020

@redfishbluefish are you still willing to sell this? I’d like a few feet of it, shipped to Canada.

@HuskerTank what pump did you try it on?

Has anyone tried it with the Neptune DOS?

redfishbluefish · Apr 4, 2020

I actually was selling off the extra tubing.....at cost.....HERE. Shipping cost more than the six foot piece of tubing that went into the box. No more to sell....all gone. However, I have the info above on where I purchased. I notice that the price has more than doubled. Consider buying the 10 foot length instead.

As far as fitting a Neptune DOS, which I believe has the small pump heads, I would guess that this tubing size would not fit. To be sure, take the tubing off the ends, and using calipers, measure the tubing thickness and ID/OD.

Sorry I couldn't help out.

Greg P · Jun 24, 2020

@redfishbluefish
Did this DIY work well for you? I've sourced the tubing locally and will purchase if you say it's a good fix
Thanks !!

redfishbluefish · Jun 24, 2020

Greg P said:
@redfishbluefish
Did this DIY work well for you? I've sourced the tubing locally and will purchase if you say it's a good fix
Thanks !!

The Santoprene tubing I linked above works perfectly. Not a single issue at all. Works just like the original!

HuskerTank · Jun 27, 2020

redfishbluefish said:
The Santoprene tubing I linked above works perfectly. Not a single issue at all. Works just like the original!

I purchased from your link, have tried in 3 different BRS pumps with no luck. Same issue with losing the pressure seal. I wonder if I got a bad batch... it’s quite rigid

redfishbluefish · Jun 28, 2020

I'm at a loss why yours isn't working out.... You cut the tubing exactly at 5 1/8 inches and reinstalled the locking collars? Could you be losing the seal at some other location....maybe the threaded connection or at some other location with the "outside" tubing? I think I've now done three or four of my pumps and all worked just fine first time through.

Maybe they have changed the tubing...the softness number...I don't know.

swiss1939 · Jun 28, 2020

Does it have to be santoprene? McMaster and Carr sells similar polyurethane or silicone rubber tubing same dimensions for around $1/ft but you can get it in smaller increments at 1, 5, 10 ft.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

I ordered some 25mm ID tubing from them to replace my return pump line on my new Red Sea Reefer 170 when I went to set it up and cut the included line too short and couldn't find affordable original replacement online. Their food grade tubing worked fine and gave me an extra 8 ft to use for faster water changes!

redfishbluefish · Jun 30, 2020

@HuskerTank as luck would have it, I just had to do the tubing on another pump today. I found an easier way to drive the collars all the way "home." Above I talked about twisting and pushing to get them on, well I think this new way I tried today was easier.

First line up the collar with the end of the tubing:

Now holding the tubing and the collar, push them on until it's all the way to the end. You have to push both the tubing and the collar to get it to go together.

Repeat on the other end and align the end pieces in the proper orientation.

redfishbluefish · Jun 30, 2020

swiss1939 said:
Does it have to be santoprene? McMaster and Carr sells similar polyurethane or silicone rubber tubing same dimensions for around $1/ft but you can get it in smaller increments at 1, 5, 10 ft.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

I ordered some 25mm ID tubing from them to replace my return pump line on my new Red Sea Reefer 170 when I went to set it up and cut the included line too short and couldn't find affordable original replacement online. Their food grade tubing worked fine and gave me an extra 8 ft to use for faster water changes!

I'm not sure if it has to be Santoprene, but that is the tubing type typically used on peristaltic pumps, and is chemical resistant.

If I were to guess, the other tubing might work, but not last as long. Those roller bearing beat the crap out of the tubing.

I also had sourced other suppliers of the correct Santoprene that sold shorter lengths....but at higher costs per foot. Now even though the tubing I purchased has about doubled in cost.....I paid 26 bucks for 50 feet, and that is what they are now selling 25 feet for......realize two replacement sets from BRS will cost you 26 bucks. I don't know how many pumps you have, but I now have eight of these pumps. I'd go broke buying replacement tubing from BRS. I say spend the money for the 25 feet and keep 6-7 feet for yourself, and sell the rest, just like I did HERE.

swiss1939 · Jun 30, 2020

I searched McMaster website for something similar. This is stated for suitable use with peristaltic pumps and is food grade. Sold in 10 or 25 foot lengths for $1.28/ft. So you can get smaller order for $12.80 plus shipping. I ordered some of this and normal plastic food grade tubing that is 50 cents a foot to try out on my dosing pump.