Drip Dosing?

i<3reefs

i<3reefs

Member
Who drip doses their aquarium here? I'm not ready to buy a calcium reactor, so drip dosing is my first option. I'm looking to DIY my own dosing unit, so suggestions would be appreciated. I have my own ideas of what will work, but I am not above copying someone's previous success.
Thanks
 
i<3reefs

i<3reefs

Member
I have a room devoted to my refuge and sump, space is not an issue. This is a photo of my fuge 110 gallon (fuge has a 6 inch sand bed & 60-80 lbs of liverock) and sump 40 gallon, but now I have water and macro algae. They still rest in the same location as the photo except now on the right side of the sump, I have 2 media filters, and a chiller I still need to plumb. Display tank is 120 gallons, and I'm guessing I have 70-85 gallons of water between the fuge and sump.
Appreciate your help. I can upload new photos if needed.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Nice setup!
My first thought would be a mostly automated auto topoff but it would probably be safer to automate it less.
1 - Automated.
Connect the RO/DI to a container using a float valve. The top of the container should be even with the rim of your sump to discourage overflows. The float valve will dictate the water level in the sump but the sump water level will be a few inches lower that what the float is set at. This first container will only hold RO/DI water. A 7 gallon salt bucket could work.
Connect the RO/DI container to a second container using 1/4" line (Filter water like sized). Airline can also be used but I prefer the stiffer waterline tubing. Drill a hole in both containers below where the waterline will be to connect them. This will introduce leak points that need to be glued but I have found it to be more reliable than a siphon. The waterline should stick out a little into the RO/DI container and about halfway into the second container. Use a float to keep the end of the waterline slightly above the water level of the second container. This will prevent backflows for when you want to use some of the RO/DI water for some other purpose. Styrofoam works perfect. This second container needs an airtight lid, again a 7 gallon salt bucket would work well. This container will hold limewater.
Connect the limewater container to the sump exactly like you connected the RO/DI to the limewater including the float to keep the end of the line out of the saltwater.
To add the lime all you have to do is open the second container, add a cup of lime and close the container. There is no need to stir it or shake it or anything else. Just make sure to lid is sealed tight to avoid CO2 exposure.
When first starting don't add lime until the sump water level is stable so the tank doesn't get too large a dose of lime. As evap causes the water level in the sump to lower limewater is dripped in from the second container. As the level of the second container drops it will pull water from the RO/DI container and then be refilled from the float valve.
When I did this I cleaned out the second bucket about once a month. I did this to remove the heavy metals left over from the farm grade lime I used. This would be a lot less often with aquarium or food grade lime.
Less automated (safer):
Connect a limewater container to the sump using a float valve. This container should be above the sump. As the sump water level drops the float valve will drip in limewater.
 
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