Substrate Dosing Lines

Julius

New Member
Jul 10, 2019
4
0
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46
Santiago, Chile
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

Member
Apr 16, 2018
27
2
8
Louisville
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

New Member
Jul 10, 2019
4
0
1
46
Santiago, Chile
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

Member
Apr 16, 2018
27
2
8
Louisville
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

Lifetime Member
Lifetime Member
Jul 13, 2017
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Arnold, MD
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

New Member
Jul 10, 2019
4
0
1
46
Santiago, Chile
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.