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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/4/2008 5:34:04 PM
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| Can anyone provide any advice on the GroTech Dosing Pump TEC III or similar product? Is it necessary to provide daily dosing on a SPS tank?. I am setting up a SPS 90 gallon tank and I am interested in automating as much of the daily chores as possible and thought a dosing pump system might make my daily chores easier. I've automated may of the other processes so I can enjoy the reef. I enjoy the challenge of creating something I can enjoy for years to come and I enjoy the technology to support it. Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated.
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Group: Administrators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 4:39:19 PM
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| What are your main thoughts on what the dosing pump will take care of? Calcium/alkalinity (like a 2 part supplement), top off, kalkwasser, etc...? Will you have a calcium reactor on the tank? Many people find a good quality calcium reactor can handle most of the needs of an SPS tank (especially for the first year or two) but some find they eventually need to start dosing kalkwasser also to keep up with the demands of the tank. I am not familiar with the GroTech pumps, so I can't comment on them. I personally like the SpectraPure LiterMeter III since you can add on to it (comes with one internal pump and you can add on two more).
________________________________________________ Keith "Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy." Wayne Dyer
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/4/2008 5:34:04 PM
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| I have a Ca reactor so my main focus was for supplements. I'm set up with and auto top off, Korallin Ca Reactor w/ extra effluent chamber, Korallin Bio denitrator (just starting), two flow chambers, (phosban & charcoal), 25 watt UV w/ mag 1800 return pump, 1/4 hp chiller with a mag 500 circulating back to the sump, 90 gallon corner tank w/ live rock, 3 fish, three shrimp, lots of snails and cleanup crew, LPS & SPS frags, all glass sump#3. Sunpod 36" with two 250w MH + 9moon & 9white LED's for lighting. I think I've got the main display set up pretty well I just don't know about the supplemental needs. Any help or direction would be appreciated.
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Group: Administrators
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| IMO unless you are testing for it you shouldn't add it. Your basic tests should be (I am not including ammonia and nitrite as the tank more than likely isn't going to have issues with them): pH, alkalinity, calcium, nitrates and phosphate. Magnesium and strontium are two others that should be considered to. Generally speaking their levels don't drop a whole bunch, so putting them on a dosing pump isn't worth the money invested in the dosing pump (but every tank is different so your levels may drop faster and it could be worth the investment). If you are into feeding live phyto plankton, you could set up a dosing pump to automate that. I never have done this so I can't go into details about it. Was there any particular supplement you are looking to dose? Usually you are adding so little of them a dosing pump isn't needed. Calcium levels can drop fairly quickly so a dosing pump to keep up with them can be handy (especially if using kalkwasser and no calcium reactor). On the other hand, using a dosing pump can help avoid the ups and downs between manual dosings. Again I am a fan of the LiterMeter and if you are adding 2-3 different supplements you want to automate, it will do the trick for you. But for a single supplement unless you can find a great deal on a dosing pump I personally don't feel it is worth it.
________________________________________________ Keith "Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy." Wayne Dyer
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/4/2008 5:34:04 PM
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| I appreciate the advice, Magnesium and strontium are two that I have not considered, everything else you suggested I am testing and they are doing very well. So as I progress I will keep this in mind. I hope someday to post my tank in the members tanks section. I appreciate the assistance MD has provided to date in this developing hobby! Your forum is friendly and informative as has created a fan out of me early on. Thanks
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Group: Administrators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 4:39:19 PM
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No problem at all. Feel free to share pictures as the tank progresses. It is always neat to see pictures of the tank in the beginning and then updates throught out the months ahead.
________________________________________________Keith "Simply put, you believe that things or people make you unhappy, but this is not accurate. You make yourself unhappy." Wayne Dyer
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