Dosing next to carbon reactor, and soda ash precipitating

deluxe247 · Jan 12, 2021

A couple of questions about 2-part dosing.

First, I just reconfigured my sump which lives in the basement below the display tank, and currently the 2-part dosing tubes drop into the return pump chamber, which is also where my carbon reactor pulls from. It occurred to me that perhaps this may be counterproductive, and maybe I should move the carbon reactor upstream of the dosing tubes. What do y'all think?

Second, I dose BRS Ca and Alk (soda ash). Normally when the pump doses the soda ash it makes the water cloudy in the immediate vicinity for a little bit, then dissipates (nothing wrong with that). But recently I've noticed the solution seems to be precipitating out so that it looks like tiny white flakes that don't dissolve. Over the past several months I have been fighting to get my alkalinity levels and pH up and I'm guessing this is part of the problem. What could be causing this? My Mg levels consistently read over 1600 even though I've stopped dosing that altogether. Could that be a factor? Any help is appreciated!

ZoixDark · Jan 12, 2021

Moving the carbon intake upstream is probably a good call.

How fast is the dose happening? Also maybe adding in a cheap powerhead like a koralia to dose right into so it mixes quickly.

deluxe247 · Jan 15, 2021

I have a dosing pump set to deliver 5ml each 6 times per day. I could spread the dose out a little more with more frequent, smaller doses if the single dose amount it an issue.

ZoixDark · Jan 16, 2021

Like 5ml in 5 seconds or 5ml over the course of 5 minutes?

deluxe247 · Jan 17, 2021

ZoixDark said:
Like 5ml in 5 seconds or 5ml over the course of 5 minutes?

The individual doses are fairly quick. I would say it takes 5-10 seconds.

I did add a powerhead to the chamber and tested with a manual dose and it does seam to be working much better. I'll keep testing over the next week or so and keep an eye on Alk levels to see how well it works.

ZoixDark · Jan 17, 2021

deluxe247 said:
The individual doses are fairly quick. I would say it takes 5-10 seconds.

I did add a powerhead to the chamber and tested with a manual dose and it does seam to be working much better. I'll keep testing over the next week or so and keep an eye on Alk levels to see how well it works.

And if your doser can change the speed it dispenses probably would help too.