Don't be a lazy Doser

[joeboots82520]

I'm sure a lot of people are already aware of this but I figured I post it again in case someone might have missed it.

I had been using the BRS 1.1ml dosers for about three years now. When I first set them up I checked the accuracy of them to set up the programming through the Apex. Both of them were pretty close to 1.1ml. After that I basically just let them run and never thought about it again.

Over the winter I got two more pumps to dose other additives and set them up and just let them run. While doing maintenance one day I just happened to noticed two of the pumps running at the same time and saw one of the older pumps going a lot slower then the other newer one. I thought oh man the pumps must be getting old. So I replaced the tubes thinking that must be it. Started them up same thing. So I just figured that's it they are done.

Since then I switched to the Neptune DoS and today I was talking to another member who was intrested in the BRS pumps. I got into it about how they started slowing down. Well I had some spare time and said ah let's just see how off they are.

I ran all four pumps for 5 minutes and collected the water in graduated cylinders.

Can you guess which samples are from which?

The two older pumps are still getting darn near close to 1.1ml per minute and both newer pumps were almost double that at 2ml +/- a few tenths.

So I just want to say don't be lazy like I was and take for granted that everything is doing what you think it's supposed to. Testing is so important in this hobby and I'm lucky I wasn't dosing something that could have caused major issues being overdosed at 2 times what I thought it was.

 

[vdubtech25]

Thanks for sharing, checking mine first thing when I get home from work.

 

[joseserrano]

Unfortunately all equipment will eventually break/not function as desired. Just sucks that so much stuff is so expensive.

 

[reefwiser]

Yes that is a good idea to check your dosing pumps. I have so many of them. 3 GHL units and a Stenner for water changes.
Where did you get the nice graduated cylinders?

 

[jboone82590]

Wow thanks for sharing. I'll have to check mine.
Did you just use water for the test?

 

[joeboots82520]

@reefwiser I got them from US Plastic
https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=91594&catid=529

@jboone82590 yes the pumps aren't set up on my system so I just filled a container with tap water and ran a few small lengths of tubing.

 

[jboone82590]

@reefwiser I got them from US Plastic
https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=91594&catid=529

@jboone82590 yes the pumps aren't set up on my system so I just filled a container with tap water and ran a few small lengths of tubing.

Awesome thanks.

 

[joeboots82520]

Just a reminder if you plan on testing your pumps DO NOT remove the tubing from the outlet of your pump directly. It will drain the entire line into your tank/sump. You have to pull the sample from wherever the tubing runs into your tank.

 

[reefwiser]

Thanks, I like that they have a ring for marking the amount. Always something to buy.