Chihiros Dosing Flow Adapter

[techman81]

I know several members here have the Chihiros dosing flow adapter. Off the top of my head, I've seen it in @Naturescapes_Rocco's and @Jeff Miotke's setups. I was wondering what your thoughts are about it. Have you had any problems with it? Do you think it's worth the cost? I know it's one of those things that isn't a really necessary addition, but I'm always interested in hiding equipment in the cabinet if I can.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

I found a previous thread with some info. I know some have had success with them including @JacksonL, too.

Mine clogged multiple times, and I didn't know until weeks later when algae was appearing. It was such a bummer. Just like other equipment, they can be both a point of failure in the system, and something that needs maintenance.

Mine also leaked? They say there are one-way valves in each line, but I had a slow drip of tank water coming out of one hole of mine.

Like so many foreign mass-produced products, I'm sure some are excellent while others made in the same factory will be subpar. Perhaps I got a subpar one, but either way it didn't work for me. It has worked for others, though.

I now just really like the simplicity of a design that requires no maintenance, and has no points for failure:

Here's the adapter design I made and sent @Minninips. No clogging possible, easy to adapt/change/service, looks fine.

 

[Capraquaria]

I don't have mine installed yet, but I have seen a number of people having issues with the stock tubing leaking. When I ordered mine, I also ordered tubing from a different source on the recommendation of a friend, and had planned to just toss out the tubing from Chihiros. Maybe I will just hook it up and put RO in the dosing bottles so I can test the tubing for general leaks during the dark start @Naturescapes_Rocco, lines clogging is not something I had considered. Was it due to salts crystalizing in the tubing?

 

[techman81]

Mine clogged multiple times, and I didn't know until weeks later when algae was appearing. It was such a bummer. Just like other equipment, they can be both a point of failure in the system, and something that needs maintenance.

Mine also leaked? They say there are one-way valves in each line, but I had a slow drip of tank water coming out of one hole of mine.

I thought I recalled you mentioning you had issues but didn't do a good enough search. I'm going to go ahead and pass then, as I'm already always concerned I'm missing doses as it is. Each time I refill containers I see the app showing less in the container than what there really is and it's enough that it shouldn't just be poor calibration.

I did replace the Chihiros tube holders with my own 3D printed holders.

 

[marekm]

I have one and I havent noticed any leaks or clogging, so mine is reliable in that regard, but the one disadvantage is that it is more dificult to calibrate and I assume there is some margin of error, because you obviously cannot calibrate it with running filter.
Other than that I like it a lot, one less thing visible in the tank.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

Ive been running them on 2 tanks for about 18 months now without issues.

 

[techman81]

but the one disadvantage is that it is more dificult to calibrate and I assume there is some margin of error, because you obviously cannot calibrate it with running filter.

But don't you calibrate it with the tubing disconnected from the adapter? The calibration is just from the dosing container to the end of the tubing where the fert exits.

 

[JacksonL]

I found a previous thread with some info. I know some have had success with them including @JacksonL, too.

Mine clogged multiple times, and I didn't know until weeks later when algae was appearing. It was such a bummer. Just like other equipment, they can be both a point of failure in the system, and something that needs maintenance.

Mine also leaked? They say there are one-way valves in each line, but I had a slow drip of tank water coming out of one hole of mine.

Like so many foreign mass-produced products, I'm sure some are excellent while others made in the same factory will be subpar. Perhaps I got a subpar one, but either way it didn't work for me. It has worked for others, though.

I now just really like the simplicity of a design that requires no maintenance, and has no points for failure:
View attachment 14935
Here's the adapter design I made and sent @Minninips. No clogging possible, easy to adapt/change/service, looks fine.

Yeah, I love mine. I do check bottle levels match the expected drops every week when I do my water change since you mentioned the clogging. Thankfully, nothing yet but I am mindful of it now.

 

[JacksonL]

I have one and I havent noticed any leaks or clogging, so mine is reliable in that regard, but the one disadvantage is that it is more dificult to calibrate and I assume there is some margin of error, because you obviously cannot calibrate it with running filter.
Other than that I like it a lot, one less thing visible in the tank.

The calibration has to be with lines disconnected, but as above, you can check on the app what the levels ‘should’ be, then assess the bottles.
I also think it pays to run less concentrated solutions, as the more concentrated will clog easier.
To make up for the loss in convenience of having concentrated bottles that need replacing rarely, I make up ‘stock’ solutions in the fridge.
I have concentrated solutions in 50ml jars in the back of the fridge. To refill each time I just pour a 50ml stock jar into the dosing bottle and top up to 450ml with distilled or RO water.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

But don't you calibrate it with the tubing disconnected from the adapter? The calibration is just from the dosing container to the end of the tubing where the fert exits.

I just calibrate with the adapter left on and let it dribble into the measured cylinder. Just line it up with the prime and then run the calibration for the different lines.

 

[JacksonL]

I just calibrate with the adapter left on and let it dribble into the measured cylinder. Just line it up with the prime and then run the calibration for the different lines.

What do you mean by “line it up with the prime”?

 

[marekm]

Regarding calibration, I wonder how accurate it is to calibrate the pump with hoses disconnected, and how much error does the additional pressure of return valve and water flow from filter causes.

I remember that when calibrating using the tube holder, the measuring cylinder must be placed under the tube holder, you shouldnt calibrate for example next to the pump, so the additional pressure of the height that the pump must overcome must have an influence on calibration.

I was trying to verify my calibration by monitoring the fert consumption in the bottles, but then I realized that that is inaccurate as well, because they shrink over time as the pump causes a negative pressure in the bottle. So when I added 310ml of liquid fert, the bottle indicated 350ml

At that point I was feeling that I am worrying about this too much and gave up, but maybe it would be worth revisiting to see how much I think I am dosing vs the actual dose.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

That's part of why I stopped using the inline doser. There was just no easy way to accurately tell if it's calibrated.

If the tubes are just openly hanging over the side of the aquarium, I can hold the graduated cylinder there for in-place calibration without moving or changing the height/pressure/tension in the tubing.

Also, when I do a water change, I can hold a graduated cylinder in the tank to "catch" the front-loading dose straight out of the tubes to check for accuracy over the months. If after 3 months 5mL is closer to 6mL, I might need to recalibrate -- but I'll just dump the now-full graduated cylinder into the tank.

Can't do any of that with the inline adapter, unfortunately!

 

[JacksonL]

Regarding calibration, I wonder how accurate it is to calibrate the pump with hoses disconnected, and how much error does the additional pressure of return valve and water flow from filter causes.

I remember that when calibrating using the tube holder, the measuring cylinder must be placed under the tube holder, you shouldnt calibrate for example next to the pump, so the additional pressure of the height that the pump must overcome must have an influence on calibration.

I was trying to verify my calibration by monitoring the fert consumption in the bottles, but then I realized that that is inaccurate as well, because they shrink over time as the pump causes a negative pressure in the bottle. So when I added 310ml of liquid fert, the bottle indicated 350ml

At that point I was feeling that I am worrying about this too much and gave up, but maybe it would be worth revisiting to see how much I think I am dosing vs the actual dose.

I calibrate mine at the level that the dosing adapter is at. I have the measuring cylinder right next to it. So far this has proven to calibrate correctly based on expected levels in the dosing containers after each week of dosing. The back pressure of the non-return valves shouldn’t be an issue with the type of pump they use.
I do the same with my front loading dose. They are all multiples of 10 so it is easy to observe.