TPS RedSea Tubes and Sodium Hydroxide

[AAZ]

All-

I'm curious if the RedSea tubes are suitable for Sodium Hydroxide dosing at 77 g/L or 1.87 mol/L? Reason i'm asking is because my dosing head is losing prime but only on this solution so I wonder if the tubes can hold up to the caustic nature of the solution. Other tubes and heads are spot on. I've swapped heads and still persists so this tells me there is likely an air gap somewhere in the line. Tubes are only 3-4 months old and otherwise undamaged to the eye. Can these hold up to it over time?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you know the material?

 

[AAZ]

Do you know the material?

The site only says "air resistant TPE tubing." I assume that means that its a thermoplastic tubing, but what type it doesn't say. I put a ticket in on the same issue but haven't heard back yet.

I suppose the issue could also be the tubing in the head itself. I don't see any information on that short tube's composition.

SOOO if there are other known type of tubing that would be able to better hold-up dosing SH both in and out of the head, i'd be all ears.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

are you asking about the tubing inside the pump, or outside it?

 

[AAZ]

are you asking about the tubing inside the pump, or outside it?

At this point, both. I've found some other posts on other forums related to RedSea and dosing commercial pH supplements. That doesn't bode well seeing how the Sodium Hydroxide solution is likely stronger than what is being sold. If that is in fact the case, Randy, do you have any suggestion for the type or make of tubing that would be more appropriate for this application?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Polyethylene and polypropylene, such as ro/di tubing, will be perfect outside the pump. The rubber part inside is more complicated. Some folks do dose it that way. Miami Reef did. You might search on his name and likely key words to see what he used for my hydroxide recipe.