Neptune dos tubing question

[OrlandoReef]

Couldn’t google an answer so was wondering if someone has done something similar to what I’m thinking. I have my Ato set up in garage with rodi tubing running to tank. Im finally getting around to installing my dos and would prefer to just have one line going to tank. Can I use check valves and tees for the output of cal, alk, and ato into one line? Pic for reference of what I’m thinking(excuse the child like drawing )

Check mark=check valve

 

[edsbeaker]

I would think with calcium and alkalinity coming out of the same tube it might clog up with precipitation. The ATO may clear it, but you would not have any control to make sure you always rinsed out between the two being dosed.

 

[OrlandoReef]

I would think with calcium and alkalinity coming out of the same tube it might clog up with precipitation. The ATO may clear it, but you would not have any control to make sure you always rinsed out between the two being dosed.

Well I actually use all for reef so I’ll likely just be dosing that. I just kinda drew that up a example

 

[edsbeaker]

Well I actually use all for reef so I’ll likely just be dosing that. I just kinda drew that up a example.

In that case, it will work. You can only combine the two hoses at the very end, though, since you don’t want to wash away the next dose of AFR that will always retain the liquid in the full length of the hose. In fact, some people already do this because of problems with the exposed end of AFR hoses clogging up.

 

[OrlandoReef]

In that case, it will work. You can only combine the two hoses at the very end, though, since you don’t want to wash away the next dose of AFR that will always retain the liquid in the full length of the hose. In fact, some people already do this because of problems with the exposed end of AFR hoses clogging up.

Well it’s about 30’ to tank and was trying to avoid another 30’ so if the afr is in line wouldn’t the ato just push it in when it fills? Thanks for the help btw

 

[edsbeaker]

Glad to try and help. Hopefully I’m explaining this well enough that it makes sense to you.

You are trying to combine two types of pumps, that work differently, into one line. That won’t work.

A peristaltic pump doesn’t clear the tube out when it doses, it just stops dosing leaving the tubing completely full. It needs to always retain liquid in the full length of tubing to be able to make the subsequent dosing amounts correctly.

So now the ATO turns on. Its pump works with a lot more force and will totally clear out the tube. If that ATO pump is sharing that same line, what will happen is as soon as it turns on, it will dump 30 feet of AFR left in the line to the tank as your top off water pushes everything in front of it out, clearing the line, and adding AFR that shouldn’t have been dosed. That could be ten doses worth of AFR.

Then, when it comes time for the next dose of AFR, the line is now empty, and nothing will be dosed. You will have absolutely no control over your AFR dosing. Every time your ATO turns on it will wash away any AFR in the tubing and you will have no idea how is being dosed.

You really can’t combine the lines from a peristaltic pump and an ATO pump at the source. They work differently.

 

[OrlandoReef]

Glad to try and help. Hopefully I’m explaining this well enough that it makes sense to you.

You are trying to combine two types of pumps, that work differently, into one line. That won’t work.

A peristaltic pump doesn’t clear the tube out when it doses, it just stops dosing leaving the tubing completely full. It needs to always retain liquid in the full length of tubing to be able to make the subsequent dosing amounts correctly.

So now the ATO turns on. Its pump works with a lot more force and will totally clear out the tube. If that ATO pump is sharing that same line, what will happen is as soon as it turns on, it will dump 30 feet of AFR left in the line to the tank as your top off water pushes everything in front of it out, clearing the line, and adding AFR that shouldn’t have been dosed. That could be ten doses worth of AFR.

Then, when it comes time for the next dose of AFR, the line is now empty, and nothing will be dosed. You will have absolutely no control over your AFR dosing. Every time your ATO turns on it will wash away any AFR in the tubing and you will have no idea how is being dosed.

You really can’t combine the lines from a peristaltic pump and an ATO pump at the source. They work differently.

Thank you for the clarification, I will figure out another solution

 

[Poseidon03]

Why not just have all for reef and the DOS behind or under the stand? It does not take up a lot of space.