Question about the Kent Marine Aquadose

[leafyseadragon]

I would like to know if anyone out there has experience with using a Kent Marine AquaDose not as a doser, but as a way to replenish evaporating water.

I have a 37 gallon tank. Does this have a high enough drip rate to keep up with my evaporation? I do know not know exactly how much water I lose each day, but I am guessing it's about 16-32 ounces or so.

I have seen pictures of the 1400 ml on the internet, and it hangs like a IV bag next to the tank. I am interested in the 2 or 5 gallon model. What I would also like to know is if the larger models are shaped like cubes, and whether or not the water comes out the side of the cube. My idea is to place this on top of the bookcase next to my tank, and hanging a IV-style bag will not work as well. I would like it to lie flat on my bookcase.

 

[reefrunner69]

Why not6 just make an auto top off with a float valve and a resevoir?

 

[captivereefs]

on the 2-5 gallong models the tube comes out the bottom front of the container!

 

[reefrunner69]

I don't think you can regulate it enough without a float valve.

 

[leafyseadragon]

Float valve and a reservoir? Hmm. :? That may be too complicated a project for me at the moment.

Now back to my original question: will the flow rate be high enough to compensate for evaporation?

 

[reefrunner69]

will the flow rate be high enough to compensate for evaporation?

Like I said, I don't think you will be able to regulate it enough...unless you only fill it with enough to replave the evaporation each day. It will easily flow enough water...it will dump the entire 2.5g in in less than an hour if you leave it wide open, when you close it down...it is judging how slow for it to go and I don't think you can do that without a float valve. You can most likely use the aquadose and a float valve in combination although I would think you could find a cheaper solution for a resevior.

 

[leafyseadragon]

Thanks for the info, reefrunner69. My intention was to use it to replace most of the water lost to evaporation, and make up the difference manually every day or so.

This will be most useful when I'm away from the tank on vacation, that's really why I was thinking about buying one. If there's a small net loss of water when I get back, that's okay. I just want to avoid a major drop in salinity.

 

[Biggen]

Actually, I did the exact same thing you are talking about leafy on my 40g until I started dosing Kalk. I bought the 2.5 gallon model. It took me a few days to figure out how much my tank evaporated but I finally got it tuned it. With the fan on the sump turned on, I had to drip 17-20 drops every 10 seconds to keep up with evaporation. At that rate, I had to fill it up every morning. With the sump fan turned off, my drip rate is 10 drips every ten seconds to keep up with evaporation. Big difference with the fan off. I have to fill it up every two days using this method.

Now of course days with high humidity changes everything. Evaporation slows down as the humidity level goes up. So you have to be careful "setting and forgetting" that flow valve. If it should rain, you may be overflow your sump if you drip too much.

Now I dose Kalk, but nothing else has really changed. I am running with the fans off since Fall/Winter is beginning to set in. I am still dripping 1 drop every 10 seconds and it keep up with evaporation fine.

RR is correct in the fact that it would be so much easier to use a float valve to do this. I have just been to lazy to buy one and install it up.