drews dosing pump getting bubbles?

1628mna · 12/23/2008, 10:38 PM

hello,

i bought a dosing pump from bulk reef supply called drews dosing pump. my question is im getting bubbles not going into the unit but coming out of the unit tubing. i ran it for 15 minutes at a time and each time that units measurement for output was wrong,not by much but it was off. i thought that maybe i was getting air getting into the tubing thru the connection of the tubes to the unit so i pressed them together and still the same thing. im stumped and want to get this thing running. does anyone have any ideas or has had this problem before?

thanx in advance mike

1628mna · 12/24/2008, 07:39 AM

bump,anyone

hansonfam · 12/24/2008, 08:55 AM

I would contact Bulk Reef Supply, as they have always treated me with good service.

mray · 12/24/2008, 09:43 AM

You might have a leak in your peristaltic tubing.

1628mna · 12/24/2008, 11:13 AM

i was just hoping it was one of those turn the knob right instead of left kinda things oh well i guess its the old talk to customer service day,thanx for the responses guys

mike

dgoth · 12/24/2008, 11:19 AM

Maybe the flexible peristaltic tubing has a small cut or leak at the pump flex points. This happens on some tubing over time.

LunarDDS · 12/24/2008, 12:14 PM

sounds like air getting it somewhere. put some zip ties on the connections to make sure everything is tight.

KMP · 12/31/2008, 08:19 PM

1628mna - just curious if you had called and what the end result was. thanks.

1628mna · 01/01/2009, 09:21 AM

i called bulk reef supply and they said to replace the the hose and put zip ties on . did not work! so what i did was get some hose from work that had the same outside diameter but the inside diameter if you hold the 2 hoses up and look at the inside is alot smaller. so i put the hose in some hot water and slod them over the ends and then hurryed up and zip tied that. end result every once and a while i get a bubble not big and long like in the past but the pump pays off with its dosing speed. there a little loud but the kids yelling the dogs always barking and the wife nagging me i cant even here them.

thanx for the concerns input and info everybody, now go nurse your hangovers.

KMP · 01/01/2009, 09:33 AM

thanks! interesting you mention they are a little loud...from their website:

Quote:

This pump is absolutely perfect for dosing two part and runs absolutely silent.

i take it they are not absolutely silent? also, curious as to the affect of the bubble. does it keep the fluid from traveling at the correct rate?

1628mna · 01/02/2009, 12:35 PM

they are not quiet at all, but like i said i live in a loud house so it dont bother me as much as it would someone else.plus i have them mounted to an outside wall so i wonder if that wopuld make a diffrence. yesterday i noticed my sinulara and some shrooms looking weird so i checked my calcium and alk and the alk was high, the calcium was at 450 its usually at 425 or even 400 at times. so i dont know if the bubbles are screwing the levels up or if it was the water change that i did the day before. i unplugged my dosers so i will see how my levels are 24 hrs later. they proboly wont drop without some kind of assistance from me or more time but i will let you know.

SHOmuchFUN · 01/02/2009, 01:45 PM

This may sound over-simplified, but are you sure your input tubes are completely submerged at the bottom of your dosing jugs/reservoir?

yeldarbj · 01/02/2009, 03:11 PM

I've been using the Drew's dosers too. The are definitely not silent as advertised, and I can hear them run from the next room. It's just another low humming sound. I think some people would say they are silent if their tank produces so much noise that they can't be heard over the rest of the noise.

I've got air in the tubing as well, it doesn't seem to both anything, and the volume it pumps seems to be consistent so it seems to work.

1628mna · 01/04/2009, 03:21 PM

i also checked that too SHOmuchFUN, the tubes were all the way to the bottom. i dont think i would buy these pumps again given a mulligan. the only good thing about them is how slow they doe,fits perfectly for what im doing.

12/23/2008, 10:38 PM	#1
1628mna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brunswick ohio Posts: 725	drews dosing pump getting bubbles? hello, i bought a dosing pump from bulk reef supply called drews dosing pump. my question is im getting bubbles not going into the unit but coming out of the unit tubing. i ran it for 15 minutes at a time and each time that units measurement for output was wrong,not by much but it was off. i thought that maybe i was getting air getting into the tubing thru the connection of the tubes to the unit so i pressed them together and still the same thing. im stumped and want to get this thing running. does anyone have any ideas or has had this problem before? thanx in advance mike

12/24/2008, 08:55 AM	#3
hansonfam Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta, Canada Posts: 812	I would contact Bulk Reef Supply, as they have always treated me with good service. __________________ 35 Gallon Solana Gigantea anemone species tank, 90 SPS dominated reef tank!! Current Tank Info: 90 gallon-Numerous corals,2 purple tangs,choclate mimic tang,yellow wrasse *2.In the 35 gallon 1 purple gig and 1 multi colour gig,pair of mis bar Aussie black clowns and a lawnmower Blennie!

12/31/2008, 08:19 PM	#8
KMP Wag More; Bark Less Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NorCal Posts: 3,602	1628mna - just curious if you had called and what the end result was. thanks. __________________ Kenny Current Tank Info: 70g Shallow Reef [Home]; 15g Starfire Cube [Office]

01/02/2009, 01:45 PM	#12
SHOmuchFUN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Vermont Posts: 4,461	This may sound over-simplified, but are you sure your input tubes are completely submerged at the bottom of your dosing jugs/reservoir? __________________ Erik Engstrom President, Vermont Marine Aquarists. Current Tank Info: Custom 180gal, 6x80w ATI T-5s, (2) Tunze 6025, Vortec MP40w, MSX200 w/ red demon, controlled by AcJR.

12/24/2008, 07:39 AM	#2
1628mna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brunswick ohio Posts: 725	bump,anyone

12/24/2008, 09:43 AM	#4
mray Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 122	You might have a leak in your peristaltic tubing.

12/24/2008, 11:13 AM	#5
1628mna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brunswick ohio Posts: 725	i was just hoping it was one of those turn the knob right instead of left kinda things oh well i guess its the old talk to customer service day,thanx for the responses guys mike

12/24/2008, 11:19 AM	#6
dgoth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Santa Barbara Posts: 31	Maybe the flexible peristaltic tubing has a small cut or leak at the pump flex points. This happens on some tubing over time.

12/24/2008, 12:14 PM	#7
LunarDDS Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Houston Posts: 334	sounds like air getting it somewhere. put some zip ties on the connections to make sure everything is tight.

01/01/2009, 09:21 AM	#9
1628mna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brunswick ohio Posts: 725	i called bulk reef supply and they said to replace the the hose and put zip ties on . did not work! so what i did was get some hose from work that had the same outside diameter but the inside diameter if you hold the 2 hoses up and look at the inside is alot smaller. so i put the hose in some hot water and slod them over the ends and then hurryed up and zip tied that. end result every once and a while i get a bubble not big and long like in the past but the pump pays off with its dosing speed. there a little loud but the kids yelling the dogs always barking and the wife nagging me i cant even here them. thanx for the concerns input and info everybody, now go nurse your hangovers.

01/02/2009, 12:35 PM	#11
1628mna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brunswick ohio Posts: 725	they are not quiet at all, but like i said i live in a loud house so it dont bother me as much as it would someone else.plus i have them mounted to an outside wall so i wonder if that wopuld make a diffrence. yesterday i noticed my sinulara and some shrooms looking weird so i checked my calcium and alk and the alk was high, the calcium was at 450 its usually at 425 or even 400 at times. so i dont know if the bubbles are screwing the levels up or if it was the water change that i did the day before. i unplugged my dosers so i will see how my levels are 24 hrs later. they proboly wont drop without some kind of assistance from me or more time but i will let you know.

01/02/2009, 03:11 PM	#13
yeldarbj Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,295	I've been using the Drew's dosers too. The are definitely not silent as advertised, and I can hear them run from the next room. It's just another low humming sound. I think some people would say they are silent if their tank produces so much noise that they can't be heard over the rest of the noise. I've got air in the tubing as well, it doesn't seem to both anything, and the volume it pumps seems to be consistent so it seems to work.

01/04/2009, 03:21 PM	#14
1628mna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brunswick ohio Posts: 725	i also checked that too SHOmuchFUN, the tubes were all the way to the bottom. i dont think i would buy these pumps again given a mulligan. the only good thing about them is how slow they doe,fits perfectly for what im doing.