Substrate Dosing Lines

[Julius]

Hi everyone,

I am in the process of setting up a 500 liter tank with CO2, high light and EI dosing vía doing pumps. My pump has 4 dosing channels and I started thinking about running an additional channel through a line that winds underneath the substrate. It would use the same macro fertilizers that I dose in the water column.

The idea is to use airline hose tubing with a plug on the end and perforated with a small needle every 10cm. The substrate would be inert, something like eco complete.

What do you all think? Worth it or a waste of time? It would be quite simple to setup.

Julius

 

[EdWiser]

I would not do this. If for chance the pump might back siphon. An cause the water to empty the tank.
I have used dosing pumps in my reef tanks and you have to keep the outlet line above water because of the chance of emptying the whole tank.

 

[Julius]

I would not do this. If for chance the pump might back siphon. An cause the water to empty the tank.
I have used dosing pumps in my reef tanks and you have to keep the outlet line above water because of the chance of emptying the whole tank.

Agreed, but I plan to put the dosing pump at a level in which this cannot occur. What do you think of the concept, would it be effective?

 

[EdWiser]

It’s like when you do a water change once the water gets to the top it flows out. [emoji3] You can try using a check valve on the line. But is not something that works well. It would be best not to do this as I have seen this happen many times. I am mod on Reef 2 Reef saltwater forum and have you see posts with this happening regularly.

 

[Phishless]

The substrate would be inert, something like eco complete.

Eco can be hard to plant in.

What do you think of the concept, would it be effective?

I would doubt that it would be very effective.
High light CO2 injected tank should be fine with water column dosing.
Root tabs for certain plants but I don't think tabs are necessary.

Have you examined any other substrate options?

 

[Julius]

Eco can be hard to plant in.



I would doubt that it would be very effective.
High light CO2 injected tank should be fine with water column dosing.
Root tabs for certain plants but I don't think tabs are necessary.

Have you examined any other substrate options?

My substrate options are somewhat more limited living in Chile. I am not too keen on doing a DIY soil substrate and things like ADA AS are not available in the local market. Importing via air would around US$100 per bag. The local stores mainly sell products brands like Aqua Forrest that don't seem to have many reviews. I have seen some Seachem Flourite products, but in the end they are similar to EcoComplete and I would need around 11 large bags for the aquarium. Its also not easy to find, when I see it stores have a couple bags. I've also thought about pool filter sand, but I've heard mixed things about using sand.

The aquarium is 130cm x 60cm x 60cm (468 liters / 125 gallons) with a sump that holds an additional 120 liters. This has been a very challenging project because the local market has a very limited selection of products, so many things I've ordered online from the US and Europe. This year, I started building my dream tank, 20 years ago when I had my last high tech planted-tank, I was a college student on a budget. Today I am going all out. I bought 15mm opti-white glass at a store and had a local aquarium builder assemble an open box tank.
- Lighting is 2 x Kessil a360x
- CO2 Art Regulator
- RO Unit with continuous drip water change
- Automatic Dosing Pump for Macro & Micro nutrients.
- APEX Neptune Controller
- UV Sterilizer

I know a number of these items are way overboard, but my interest in the hobby lies more in the engineering, automation and control. I am keenly aware that I could have done something much more simple with the same results, but the plants and fish are just the decoration that make the whole thing look cool.

I plan to do an biotope with Amazon native fish species, but I will probably not restrict plants to the Amazon Basin.