Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[rtparty]

Dosing Pumps

I’ve ordered a couple of BRS 50 mL per min doses since they are on sale. I plan to use two on a single timer for my AWC. I’ll detail that more when they come in.

I have a few old BRS 1.1 mL per min pumps that I’ll use for various things, such as AFR dosing, phyto dosing, and liquid food dosing. But I think I’d like to get new tubing for the inside of some of these pumps, and BRS is out of stock of these.

Anyone ever buy their own Santoprene tubing (or other material) to make diy replacements? If so, was it hard to attach the end connections?

@Sisterlimonpot may know which tubing to use. I followed his advice to use different tubing for my old Versa pumps. Got it from US Plastic for cheap

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

From beginning to end. It would really help me as I am starting , or want to my third. However my end goal is minimalist . Low flow small schooling fish which seem hard to find, and flowing soft Coral hence my post about the power heads. I guess I have to be blunt. I cannot afford an electrical shock because I had a Pace maker put in. I was even warned about power tools.

That’s a lot of work to price out everything I already have, some of which (tank, stand, canopy, brute cans, etc) I don’t even recall what I paid.

The Tunze 6105 eco powerheads are $360 each right now.

I understand the shock concern. I’d use low voltage DC for everything possible in the water, though I don’t think that can be done for heaters. Make sure the water is grounded, and everything on GFCI, even if not in the water.

I’ve had lights fall into the water. I don’t know what the shock risks might be from led lights with remote power supplies since I’m not sure what voltages they send to the lights, but I’m sure folks in the lighting sub forum do.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

@Sisterlimonpot may know which tubing to use. I followed his advice to use different tubing for my old Versa pumps. Got it from US Plastic for cheap

Thanks. I saw a thread on that topic, and noted it when I was considering versa, but could not convince myself they were worth the cost over a BRS doser.

 

[Freenow54]

That's fine just a list of equipment is good enough since my price point is way different here. Just trying to get a handle. Thank You

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do agree that a list of significant equipment is a good idea. I’ll work on it but it will take a while. Then I’ll keep it updated in real time as I add or change things in the future. :)

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Thanks. I saw a thread on that topic, and noted it when I was considering versa, but could not convince myself they were worth the cost over a BRS doser.

I just so happen to have "new" old stock replacement of that tubing assembly.

It appears to be 1/4" ID x 3/8" OD.





The BRS brand doesn't have any markings. The one I'm comparing to is 1/4 X 3/8 PharMed BPT brand, which is well suited for just about anything our hobby uses.

Just based on the squish test with 2 fingers, the elasticity feels the same.

As for replacing them, it's pretty straight forward for most hobbyists.

They use a coupler that slides over the tube and barb to create the tight seal. I used a flat head to slide the coupler back without damaging it and the tube pops right off.



And the length to cut new tube would be roughly 13.1cm



Or in inches:



The biggest concern when choosing a tube that isn't exactly the same is preventing a siphon. Guessing that the occlusion is slightly under 1/8", I would venture to say that any peristaltic tube with a 1/16" Wall thickness and close to a 3/8" OD will work.

Another concern might be the tube selected would be too stiff to be pinched by the rollers. The BRS brand pumps seem like they're geared with plenty of torque. So that shouldn't be an issues.

 

[Freenow54]

I just so happen to have "new" old stock replacement of that tubing assembly.

It appears to be 1/4" ID x 3/8" OD.





The BRS brand doesn't have any markings. The one I'm comparing to is 1/4 X 3/8 PharMed BPT brand, which is well suited for just about anything our hobby uses.

Just based on the squish test with 2 fingers, the elasticity feels the same.

As for replacing them, it's pretty straight forward for most hobbyists.

They use a coupler that slides over the tube and barb to create the tight seal. I used a flat head to slide the coupler back without damaging it and the tube pops right off.



And the length to cut new tube would be roughly 13.1cm



Or in inches:



The biggest concern when choosing a tube that isn't exact is preventing a siphon. Guessing that the occlusion is slightly under 1/8", I would venture to say that any peristaltic tube with a 1/16" Wall thickness and close to a 3/8" OD will work.

Another concern might be the tube selected would be too stiff to be pinched by the rollers. The BRS brand pumps seem like they're geared with plenty of torque. So that shouldn't be an issues.

Looks Like Surgical tubing wonder if you can buy it? super flexible in all aspects and definitions

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I just so happen to have "new" old stock replacement of that tubing assembly.

It appears to be 1/4" ID x 3/8" OD.





The BRS brand doesn't have any markings. The one I'm comparing to is 1/4 X 3/8 PharMed BPT brand, which is well suited for just about anything our hobby uses.

Just based on the squish test with 2 fingers, the elasticity feels the same.

As for replacing them, it's pretty straight forward for most hobbyists.

They use a coupler that slides over the tube and barb to create the tight seal. I used a flat head to slide the coupler back without damaging it and the tube pops right off.



And the length to cut new tube would be roughly 13.1cm



Or in inches:



The biggest concern when choosing a tube that isn't exactly the same is preventing a siphon. Guessing that the occlusion is slightly under 1/8", I would venture to say that any peristaltic tube with a 1/16" Wall thickness and close to a 3/8" OD will work.

Another concern might be the tube selected would be too stiff to be pinched by the rollers. The BRS brand pumps seem like they're geared with plenty of torque. So that shouldn't be an issues.

Excellent, thanks. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Wow, Amazon wants you to have a health care license to buy that tubing. Must be used by illicit drug makers for something. lol

 

[Freenow54]

Wow, Amazon wants you to have a health care license to buy that tubing. Must be used by illicit drug makers for something. lol

Did not know Just recognised:smiling-face-with-smiling-eyes: it. Will have to ask my GP maybe can start a new supply chain

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Wow, Amazon wants you to have a health care license to buy that tubing. Must be used by illicit drug makers for something. lol

That's weird! I have 10' of this peristaltic tube that I bought years ago for a project and never used it.

https://www.ics.saint-gobain.com/products/tygon-tubing-accessories/thermoplastic-elastomer-flexible-tubing/tygon-e-65-f

Take a look at the specs, if you think it will work, I can send you 21" (enough to make 4) of it. Otherwise it will sit and probably never get used.

 

[rtparty]

Wow, Amazon wants you to have a health care license to buy that tubing. Must be used by illicit drug makers for something. lol

Just tell them you’re a legal drug dealer

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That's weird! I have 10' of this peristaltic tube that I bought years ago for a project and never used it.

https://www.ics.saint-gobain.com/products/tygon-tubing-accessories/thermoplastic-elastomer-flexible-tubing/tygon-e-65-f

Take a look at the specs, if you think it will work, I can send you 21" (enough to make 4) of it. Otherwise it will sit and probably never get used.

Thanks very much for the offer and I’ll keep it in mind, but I think I can get what I need. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just tell them you’re a legal drug dealer

Yes, I’ll tell them I make my own drugs and need the tubing to make more. lol

In the distant past, I did buy a few things through work that I couldn’t get any other way (such as my old under-stand sump made from a Nalgene container with a lid) and also “borrowed” some things they no longer used. lol

 

[Reefer1978]

I bought PharMed from US Plastic years ago... no weird drug related questions :-)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Off topic bee update.

Today was the day to check if the queen bee had escaped her cage. The little plastic cage was strapped in place to a hive frame (inside the hive) with 3 rubber bands. On opening the hive, the rubber bands were gone. Maybe the bees chewed through them in trying to release the queen, or maybe they just snapped, but none were visible.

I did not see the cage, and the bees were rather unhappy with me messing about in their new hive. I nearly decided to just close it back up and hope she got out, but decided that could be a very poor decision. So I began lifting out frames and figured I might have to dig through a horde of bees looking for the cage on the hive bottom, where I figured it fell to.

That would have been unpleasant all around, and luckily I saw the cage stuck in place on the second frame I lifted. While rubber banded in place, the bees had apparently glued it to the frame. Luckily, it was empty, and presumably the queen was off doing her royal chores elsewhere in the hive.

I didn’t use smoke, and the bees did not like what I was doing to them, and a bunch of them continued to buzz around me landing on the bees suit as I walked around the yard trying to lose them. Never had that happen before.

But after a few minutes, they gave up, no stings, and everyone is now happy. :)

Now back to regularly scheduled programming…

 

[Miami Reef]

I recently watched bee videos to learn about how to keep them.

It’s fascinating. Those bees are so social with a hierarchy. Sometimes the workers can reject a queen and just kill her.

Sometimes when multiple queens are born, they have to fight it to the death to be the last ones remaining.

I think I heard about a drone bee which is like a faux queen? I probably misheard that.

Ooh. And I saw a video where the bees were able to get inside a man’s suit. He had 3 bees in his mask, but then he opened the mask to get them out, but a swarm was there and they just attacked him. I’ll get the video.

Edit:
Go to 7:50. That’s my worst nightmare.

 

[Garf]

I recently watched bee videos to learn about how to keep them.

It’s fascinating. Those bees are so social with a hierarchy. Sometimes the workers can reject a queen and just kill her.

Sometimes when multiple queens are born, they have to fight it to the death to be the last ones remaining.

I think I heard about a drone bee which is like a faux queen? I probably misheard that.

Ooh. And I saw a video where the bees were able to get inside a man’s suit. He had 3 bees in his mask, but then he opened the mask to get them out, but a swarm was there and they just attacked him. I’ll get the video.

My biology teacher kept hives at school. One year they swarmed and scared the crap out of us. I'll never forgive him. "Keep the windows shut", they said.

 

[Miami Reef]

My biology teacher kept hives at school. One year they swarmed and scared the crap out of us. I'll never forgive him. "Keep the windows shut", they said.

Please tell me you at least got some honey out of it.

 

[Garf]

Please tell me you at least got some honey out of it.

Oddly I don't like honey, perhaps it's done some psychological damage. I may be able to make a claim. Do you think it would be a good carbon dosing material?, lol.