How to Setup a HYDROS Dosing Pump?

For reef aquarium keepers, especially those just getting started up within the saltwater hobby, stable water chemistry is both science and art. Maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystem elements needed for a healthy reef can be difficult to achieve manually. Then came the dosing pump - a game changer that made reef keeping much easier.

What is a Dosing Pump?

A dosing pump is an automated device that dispenses specific doses of liquid supplements to your aquarium. Imagine it like a medicine dispenser for your tank, programmed to give your corals and marine life the exact nutrients they need, exactly when they need it. These pumps usually have a motorized mechanism that draws liquid out of a reservoir container and delivers it to your aquarium through narrow diameter tubing. 

Why Are Dosing Pumps Good for Saltwater Aquariums

Maintaining stable water chemistry is key to the success of saltwater aquariums, especially reef tanks. Reef aquariums have specific levels of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, and a number of other trace elements that are constantly being depleted by living coral and other marine life—so it’s vital to use specific test kits to monitor those levels.

Maintaining Stability

Coral reefs in the wild are found in highly stable environments. There is so much ocean that the huge body of water acts as a buffer to any quick change in chemistry. In a closed system like an aquarium, these parameters can quickly change within hours or days. Aquarium dosing pumps mimic the stability of nature and are intentionally designed to deliver supplements in small amounts over a long period of time as opposed to in large amounts all at once, which causes swings in parameters. 

Addressing Coral Needs

Various species of coral have different needs for calcium, alkalinity and other elements. Also, the needs of corals increase as they grow. Manual dosing can struggle to keep pace when conditions change, but automated dosing can simply be dialed up or down as your tank's needs change with maturity. 

Easing the Care Stress

Reef keeping has plenty of routine maintenance without keeping track of multiple dosing schedules. Automation alleviates a lot of this mental load, and now you can concentrate on simply enjoying your tank instead of always servicing it. 

A Closer Look At HYDROS Dosing Pump

The HYDROS Dosing Pump is a simple but very powerful solution to reef aquarium maintenance. With its focus on precision, reliability, and connectivity, it is a game changer for reefers of all levels and experience.

Key Features

• Compared to many competitors, the HYDROS pump runs silently, so it's less intrusive for tanks in your living area or bedroom.

• The anti-siphon design prevents the pump from back-siphoning when it is switched off so no fluid moves when you don't want it to.

• The pump life exceeds over 2,000 hours.

• You can put the pump under the control of the HYDROS app for advanced control, or use a simple timer to drive basic automation.

Available Models

HYDROS has a variety of dosing pumps to choose from:

1. Standard HYDROS Dosing Pump: Flow of ~43mL/min, fluid volume range  between 1mL and 6,500mL. Note that this model requires a HYDROS Control with an available Drive Port.

2. HYDROS 2mL/min Dosing Pump: A slower, more precise pumping option for smaller tanks or supplements that require low dosing. A simple timer can control this model autonomously.

1. HYDROS Sole: An integrated system that pairs a controller with a heavy duty liquid dosing pump intended for high volume continuous duty applications like calcium reactors, kalkwasser additions, or automated water changes.

How to Setup a HYDROS Dosing Pump

Even if you are new to reef keeping, you will find that setting up your HYDROS Dosing Pump is easy!

Step 1: Designate your setup

Prior to installation, ask yourself:

• What supplements you'll be dosing

• What each of your tank needs in terms of how much of each supplement 

• Your preferred dosing schedule 

• Calcium and alkalinity solutions

• Magnesium supplements

• Trace element mixtures

• Coral food (such as amino acids or similar products)

Step 2: Setting it up

1. Mount the Pump: Ensure that your HYDROS Dosing Pump is mounted in a location that is easily accessible but also protected from any water splashes. Many aquarists position their pumps inside the cabinet underneath the tank.

2. Fill Containers For Each Dosing of Supplements: Take the supplements you will dose and fill your containers. Keep each supplement in its own container to avoid unwanted reactions.

3. Connect Tubing: The HYDROS Dosing Pump is provided with 9.5ft of 3mm PVC tubing. Measure and cut suitable lengths to lead from your supplement containers to the pump and from the pump to your aquarium.

4. Secure Tubing: Make sure the intake tubing is long enough to reach the bottom of your supplement containers and that the output tubing extends into an area of good water flow within your tank.

Step 3: Making the Electrical Connection

For the regular HYDROS Dosing Pump:

1. Using the provided cable, attach the pump to an unused HYDROS Control Drive Port

2. Connect the pump to a timer or aquarium controller.

3. Set the timer based on your dosing schedule.

4. If you intend to control them independently, it is good to have separate supply for every pump.

Step 4: Calibration

1. Conduct a one-minute pump testing and check the output.

2. Note that this should match the expected output (43mL/min for standard model, 2mL/min for slow model).

3. If needed, tweak the HYDROS app or your timer settings.

Step 5: Configuration

If using with HYDROS Control:

1. Install the HYDROS app on your smartphone.

2. Using the app instructions, connect your HYDROS Control to your WiFi network.

3. Go to the dosing pump part of the app.

4. Schedule your dosing — specify:

• What supplement is linked to the pump

• How much to dose (in mL)

• How often to dose (once daily, two or three times a day, etc.)

• When dosing should take place 

Step 6: Once You Are Live: Monitoring and Adjustment

During the first few weeks post setup, it is important to watch your tank parameters closely:

1. Monitor calcium, alkalinity and magnesium levels over time.

2. Watch the response of coral to the new dosing regimen.

3. Will need to adjust amount or frequency of dosing as appropriate. Keep in mind that you will need to adjust your dosing rates as your tank matures and corals grow. Even with automated dosing, regular water testing is still a must.

Conclusion

The HYDROS Dosing Pump is an evolutionary leap in reef keeping technology and will empower reef hobbyists of any experience level to successfully maintain a thriving reef! 

If you would like to learn more about dosing pumps or the HYDROS range we have in store, do not hesitate to contact the Reefco Aquariums Team today!