# Automate with Dosing Pumps



## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

I've had a couple of those old Hospital Infusion pumps I got off ebay a few years back and would like to automate my dosing? I get so busy/lazy and I forget/neglect to dose on a regular bases.

Who am I kidding, actually I'm the guy with a $300 dollar Automatic Cat Box which has water hooked to it and cleans it 2 times a day automatically and drains into the yard. Anyway, I would like to automate my dosing. I'm looking at using the PPS Fertilizer with these dosing pumps?

Any Ideas?

g


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## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

Take two bottles around 1000ml. Fill one with trace mix like Tropica, Flourish or CSM+B...ect...
Fill the other with macro solution nitrate, phosphate & potassium. Set the pumps to dose each one daily. If your following PPS I would skip the magnesium. Personally I use the EI ratio.


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

I know you already said you have dosing pumps but the eheim fish feeder and liquidoser work well for dosing dry/liquid additives. I keep meaning to set up one of my liquidoser to add excel to a nano throughout the day.


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Brilliant,

I've seen the EI stuff. What is the difference between the EI and PPS? I'm just now about to order all my dry goods and would like to know which one is best for me.

g


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## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

Patchworks said:


> Brilliant,
> 
> I've seen the EI stuff. What is the difference between the EI and PPS? I'm just now about to order all my dry goods and would like to know which one is best for me.
> 
> g


The main difference between EI and PPS is EI over fertilizes the tank preventing deficiency and PPS is designed to be lean feeding the tank only what it needs.

There are other differences as well. My main gripe about PPS is the daily addition of magnesium. It is my opinion that large amounts of calcium and magnesium are not needed and should not be dosed daily.

I would skip ordering magnesium and calcium...if you insist on having some I have some to sell  

I prefer the lean style of PPS and ratio of EI so I use a hybrid of the two plans. I use the ingredients of EI plan with style of PPS plan. To me taking the idea of EI and dosing it daily in smaller quantity is what PPS really is.


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Brilliant said:


> The main difference between EI and PPS is EI over fertilizes the tank preventing deficiency and PPS is designed to be lean feeding the tank only what it needs.
> 
> There are other differences as well. My main gripe about PPS is the daily addition of magnesium. It is my opinion that large amounts of calcium and magnesium are not needed and should not be dosed daily.
> 
> ...


I agreee with you on the magnesium and calcium. From the reading I've been doing lately, it says it your Kh is over 4 the you don't need magnesium. You get it from you water. My kh is pretty high, like 10.

I'm about to order my PPS stuff and should have it in a week. Well, with christmas postal service right now, it might be next year!!  g


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## mcjosh13 (Sep 25, 2005)

I too have just started adding macros and micros to my tank via 2 Peristaltic pumps from APTinstruments and am doing a PPS style of fertilization. I have been trying to perfect the amounts of nutrients in my stock solutions and would love to know the specifics of your solutions Brilliant. Can you list the amount of nutrients in your stock solutions and how much you add to your tanks ml/gal?


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

mcjosh13 said:


> I too have just started adding macros and micros to my tank via 2 Peristaltic pumps from APTinstruments and am doing a PPS style of fertilization. I have been trying to perfect the amounts of nutrients in my stock solutions and would love to know the specifics of your solutions Brilliant. Can you list the amount of nutrients in your stock solutions and how much you add to your tanks ml/gal?


There are good calculators here!! Let me know if this helps.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=30659

Also, can you tell me if you are dosing slowly but 24 hours a day or did you put your pumps on a timer and have them does all at once in a day?

Years ago people used to say that dosing slowly over 24 hours day gave your plants more of a constant feeding, as opposed to a big peak of fertilizer in the morning and a low point in the evening. However, since I've been reading around the forums, I haven't seen that being supported!

g


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## mcjosh13 (Sep 25, 2005)

I've been setting my pumps to turn on 1x daily before my lights turn on for 1 min with my Aquacontroller Jr. They dispense 7ml/min with the size hose being used. It would be possible to slow down the flow rate considerably with a smaller pump hose and have it come on multiple times per day but I don't think it's necessary. The nutrient levels in the water are always in the correct range even at the end of the day and we're just trying to replace the nutrients that were used the day before. 

I have been using this method for 2 weeks now and my plants are already starting to look healthier and have new growth.The best thing I could do was automate the system because for me, remembering to fertilize everyday was very hard and I my fertilizing schedule was inconsistent. Now I know exactly what the tank is getting every day.

Thanks for the link...it should help with my adjustments.


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