Question about Dosing Pumps

[ReefFan]

I was starting to think about implementing one of these to maintain supplement levels that I seem to be using alot of. Like Coral Vital, Purple up or any other recommended supplement that might be used up on a daily/weekly basis. But with most of the stuff ive used, I dont see how a dosing pump could be operated effectively cuz most of this stuff requires shaking up or mixing the liquid before it is added. Are there any inexpensive dosers that can agitate the supplements before adding it?

Also Im particularly interested in constant and gradual adding of phytoplankton or maybe even coral vital. Again though both really need to be shaken before use. The real plan is to order a box of slightly cured, almost raw ocean rock and feeding it live phytoplankton and rotifers to keep everything alive on it as possible. I thought a slow dose type drip of the food would probably work really well as long as this massive skimmer is up and running. I dunno, any thoughts on this would be welcome

 

[James]

The real plan is to order a box of slightly cured, almost raw ocean rock and feeding it live phytoplankton and rotifers to keep everything alive on it as possible. I thought a slow dose type drip of the food would probably work really well as long as this massive skimmer is up and running. I dunno, any thoughts on this would be welcome

I can't help you with the doser question but I can tell you that unless you are going to ship the LR in water you will have massive die off, sure some things will live, but curing uncured ocean rock yourself will get very smelly and many things will die. Trust me on this one, make sure you have a room dedicated to curing that rock or make sure you live alone. Good luck,

James

 

[jrobbins]

also, i would ditch the purple up. there are much better ways to maintain your Ca levels. as for the rest of it i am with the teach. curing really fresh rock will stink like hell, and i dont think adding phyto will help that much. not everything eats phyto.

 

[James]

Reading what I wrote I don't think I was clear enough, even if you somehow shipped it in water, you would still have massive die off. And I agree with Jrobbins, the phyto would be close to useless, if nothing I would see it adding to the giant ammonia, nitrite, nitrate spike that will eventually come with your uncured LR. I have some SPS that is still alive from my Tampa bay aquacultured rock, it is not colorful but the thing is as hardy as I have ever seen, it survived a 1.5-2 month cycle process. The ammonia and die off would not stop.

 

[ReefFan]

k thanks guys. That is true, there is unavoidable die off esp with anything taken out of water. But I have gotten rock pieces that were fresh shipments to one of my lfs's. I bought a couple chunks first day in the middle of phyto/other planktonic feeds and there were lots of things that continued to live. Sponges, lil softies, acropora, inverts n things. I only kno because it was only after i ran out of phyto n rotis that they vanished. So what im really lookin for is freshly cured or semi cured, somethin like that. Suppose id have to keep an ear out for newly transhipped premium rock at lfs's. I dont mind paying premium rock costs if its just a few choice pieces.

BTW i really dont use the Purple up anymore, have a Ca reactor up and running and its finally dialed in. So i guess in the end theres no supplementation that really needs to be steadily added. See little need for a doser if you are able to feed and dose your tank once or twice a day.