Hydros Doser minimum run time and calibration

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fellowapeman

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Can anyone explain why this message appears when trying to set up a dosing schedule?
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"Doser run time too short."

what is the minimum run time for a doser? It won't let me save my configuration due to some hidden, minumim dosing time set somewhere. Actually, I technically was able to save it somehow and can verify it's at least close to what I'm after... but I'm unable to modify it now.

I am using a drive port for the Hydros Doser which is rated at 43mL/min. I've got it calibrated and confirmed the calibration is close to right. My tank is only a 16 gallon nano tank so my All for Reef dosing requirements are only about 1mL/day which I have set to dose 5 times throughout the day.
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You can see the UI has som unexpected behaviors when I try to modify the Dose Count and Total Dose sliders:

Animation.gif

My second question is how can I tell what my calibration is? I would expect some +/- to appear on the calibration view where it would allow you to manually modify it. From what I gather, the way it calibrates is by adjusting the actual run time of the pump, yeah? So maybe it could say:

Pump Rating: 43mL/min
Calibration: 41mL/min
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I think it has to run at least 1 second. With that low of a dose you may have to do it fewer times a day. You may have to settle for 1 time a day. I have 42 gallon tank and use a dosing pump with it adjusted to 12ml a minute. I am able to dose 6 times a day at 21.8 ml per day. You have to add the calibration value that you get to the setup for the pump. The first two screenshots below is my All For Reef schedule. I have is set for dynamic dosing but I don't get carried away since it is All For Reef and it takes awhile for it to make a difference. The third screenshot is the pump setup. once you do the calibration test and measure what it pumps once the lines are primed you set that value into Flow Rate in the setup. The Hydros dosing pump has a higher flow rate so it will restrict how many times a day you can dose All For Reef on a smaller tank.

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Danny said:
I think it has to run at least 1 second. With that low of a dose you may have to do it fewer times a day. You may have to settle for 1 time a day. I have 42 gallon tank and use a dosing pump with it adjusted to 12ml a minute. I am able to dose 6 times a day at 21.8 ml per day. You have to add the calibration value that you get to the setup for the pump. The first two screenshots below is my All For Reef schedule. I have is set for dynamic dosing but I don't get carried away since it is All For Reef and it takes awhile for it to make a difference. The third screenshot is the pump setup. once you do the calibration test and measure what it pumps once the lines are primed you set that value into Flow Rate in the setup. The Hydros dosing pump has a higher flow rate so it will restrict how many times a day you can dose All For Reef on a smaller tank.
Click to expand...
What doser are you using at 12mL/min with a drive port?

So let's say when I do calibration, I find the actual dosing rate is 40mL/min... once I enter that correct value in the calibration screen, should that modify my flow rate here to be 40mL/min?
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It never did that if it was supposed to.

Also, I can't even get it to dose 1mL per day. My calibrated flow rate is ~41mL/min which means 1mL ~= 1.5seconds so it seems even 1.5s is too short?
 
I use a Intllab dosing pump, but I got them before the Hydros dosing pumps were released. I made my own cables. I do use a Hydros dosing pump for my ATO now. You have to enter the flow rate into the Flow Rate setting. It does not automatically change since I has no Idea what was actually dispensed by the pump. I also mix my All For Reef half strength instead of full strength. That way I just double the normal dose when dosing.
 
fellowapeman said:
Also, I can't even get it to dose 1mL per day. My calibrated flow rate is ~41mL/min which means 1mL ~= 1.5seconds so it seems even 1.5s is too short?
Click to expand...

The calibration does not affect the value shown in the config screen It is assumed that the dosing flow rate you enter manually is reasonably accurate and the calibration really just makes small tweaks.

You are correct, you will not be able to do this with that doser. As you state, a 41 ml doser would only run for 1.5 seconds. For Simple Dosers the schedule won't allow a run time less than 2 seconds. This is because the accuracy would be very very bad with such a short runtime. If shorter doses were allowed the variation from dose to dose would be unacceptable.

There are several options you could use

1. Get a slower doser for such a small dosing amount.
2. Dilute the solution to allow for larger doses.
3. Dose a larger amount every 2nd day or every 3rd day.

Thanks,

Don
 
Don said:
The calibration does not affect the value shown in the config screen It is assumed that the dosing flow rate you enter manually is reasonably accurate and the calibration really just makes small tweaks.

You are correct, you will not be able to do this with that doser. As you state, a 41 ml doser would only run for 1.5 seconds. For Simple Dosers the schedule won't allow a run time less than 2 seconds. This is because the accuracy would be very very bad with such a short runtime. If shorter doses were allowed the variation from dose to dose would be unacceptable.

There are several options you could use

1. Get a slower doser for such a small dosing amount.
2. Dilute the solution to allow for larger doses.
3. Dose a larger amount every 2nd day or every 3rd day.

Thanks,

Don
Click to expand...
Got it, thanks for the info. Would it be possible to update your documentation to reflect this?

Also, as I showed in the animation above, the UI is wonky when trying to set low dosing times.
Danny said:
I use a Intllab dosing pump, but I got them before the Hydros dosing pumps were released. I made my own cables. I do use a Hydros dosing pump for my ATO now. You have to enter the flow rate into the Flow Rate setting. It does not automatically change since I has no Idea what was actually dispensed by the pump. I also mix my All For Reef half strength instead of full strength. That way I just double the normal dose when dosing.
Click to expand...
How do you set up a drive port for a 3rd party pump?
 
The Intllab is a 12v dosing pump like the Hydros. I think it has the same jack and polarity also. I got them before the hydros pump was available. In fact I used them with a different controller to begin with. I made my own drive port cables for the pumps. I still use All For Reef at half strength though.
 
Danny said:
The Intllab is a 12v dosing pump like the Hydros. I think it has the same jack and polarity also. I got them before the hydros pump was available. In fact I used them with a different controller to begin with. I made my own drive port cables for the pumps. I still use All For Reef at half strength though.
Click to expand...
is there a thread somewhere on how to make your own drive port cable? I'm not even sure what the adapter/connector type is called :(
 
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