Pacific Sun Kore 5th dosing Fan Club
 

Hi All,

I thought i would write a bit on this amazing piece of equipment i have been running now for little over a week.

First the unpacking pics:
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...3/IMG_1785.jpg
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...3/IMG_1786.jpg
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...3/IMG_1787.jpg
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...3/IMG_1795.jpg
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...3/IMG_1796.jpg

Some installation pics:
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...3/IMG_1798.jpg
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...405-173009.jpg
http://rudimenta.com/wordpress/wp-co...405-173028.jpg

Last some software pictures:
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/kore1.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/awc2.jpg

I am writing this because i asked for a future and they implemented it in 48hrs, so i thought why not start a Fan thread! The full thread with more details is here http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2360456.

I dont think there is any doser on the market that even comes close. It is so future packed its hard to summen it all in one thread, but a few:
-ATO system (optical in pro version)
-AWC system
-5 heads which can basicly drip to 140ml a min.
-Liquid control status
-Temp probe
-Programmable via PC instead of crazy small menus

After two weeks running it (as a very early adaptor) i encountered a bug, which was fixed within the day. I really dont think any other company in the market can compete with the support of PS.

On the negative side i think there is a little room for perfection. I dont for example like the manual (lacks lots of installation information and is more focused on the software) secondly i do not like the power adaptor. But still these are point of perfection and would make it a 10/10 iso of 9.5/10.

I have in the meantime ordered my second unit.

So fire away with questions to an owner of this unit.

Hi Rudimenta....

Thanks for sharing... I am almost at the point to give this doser a try but have several doubts and will like to know your experience at this moment:

1. Do you have the Standard or the Pro?
2. If it is the Pro, how is the noise of the DC Pump?
3. Is their any way this unit can be attached to the side wall of the cabinet?
4. How has been the accurate of the doses?
5. Does it have auto-calibration?

Sorry but to be honest i haven't read the manual yet so just threw a few doubts that came in mind and thanks in advance...

1) Pro
2) they are practically noiseless! Huge difference with other dosers I have heard!
3) if you check my pictures you'll see there are 4 holes you can use to screw the unit into the ceiling of the sump (like I did) but you can also mount the unit in any position like vertical for example.
4) you can basically dose drops. However as you can imagine this would not be really consistent. What I mean is let's say you set the dose to 0.1ml 4 times a day (imagine some zeovit applications here) it could be just because of the tube size it will dose 0.4ml but because of air/tube it might come out in 3 drips. I would say if you want exactly the same amount dosed per time realistic would be 0.2 to 0.4ml a dose as a min. I dose for example iodine now at 4ml a day over 6 doses, which is absolute no issue with precise calibration.
5) auto calibration, no but it's very well thought out process per pump. You can even fine tune, to a 100th of a ml, not sure how realistic that is...

The pictures on the sponsor forum thread of the software explain a lot.

Fine adjustment is actually 10th of a mil not 100th, but I am not allowed to adjust the post.

Tagging along...

Thanks Rudimenta....

Seems that this will be a most to get....

Please keep me on touch of any issue that arise.

No problem, actually the next version of the software will have a special drop dosing option.

Now to get my hands on one of those USB mini fridges for the stuff that needs to remained chilled and I'll never have to dose manually again.

Definitely my next major purchase.

Let me reply for some questions:
2. DC refill pump is included in Regular and Pro version and it's very quiet.
3. You can mount it vertically using special holes on doser housing.
4. You can dose even single drops - if you will set dose for 0.07ml - it will dose that amount(because pump motors can be driven even for miliseconds)
5. No - it have manual calibration with check procedure - so you can be sure that calibration process was made properly and it will dose required amount of liquid.
Any other questions - please ask or visit our thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...360456&page=22

Thanks for the clarifications...

Ok, so we are glad publish new version of software and firmware before weekend.
Main thread is here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...360456&page=34
Whats added/modified?
1. Added option for Custom liquid names(for each pump). That names are saved in doser memory and also are shown on some tabs(after refresh/reload)
2. Advanced dose - Customer can choose on which days of week dosing pumps will work. That can be set for each pump separately.
3. ATO delay. Now Customer can set delay (from 0 to 250 minutes) and on this time ATO will not work(will be disabled). It should help in some tank maintenance - like water change etc.
After configured time ato start working automatically.
We also removes some minor bugs but if you will find any please let us know.

Link to software and firmware(1.3h.8 revision inside archive)
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/d..._AWC_1.3.8.rar

Screenshots from app:
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/2.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/3.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/4.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/5.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/6.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/7.jpg
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/doser/new138/8.jpg

In the meantime already version 1.3.9b out there..

I have my unit here and have read through the manual. Some more install instructions would not be bad, but looks fairly straight forward. I am looking forward to using this on my new set up. A well thought out and well built piece of equipment from what I can see.

Doesn't look like many adopters yet! I just got mine today and will be setting it up over the next few days.

Are these not MacBook compatible? I have a MacBook and cannot find a way to run my "intelligent" doser. Any and all help would be very useful. Thanks.

Thanks for the showing the graphs it looks real easy to setup the doser, not IT savvy here, so even basic program language is a challenge.

The second I saw this I wanted it. I'm shocked people don't have them.

This is better than GHL's offering. I like the software and the price [given you're buying 5].

However, I which they'd offer cheaper models. I have no need/use for 5 pumps.

Add stepper motor options and apex interfacing and no competition left...

Actually we work on Mac based ap(via Bluetooth) but we spotted some technical problems(iOS/Mac OS X environment not fully support some Bluetooth protocols) so parallel we started work on Cube bridge(BlueTooth<>Wifi bridge). Changing communication protocols to TCP/IP layer give us not comparable possibilities and our all devices ccould be enabled by Cube - lamps (T5 like Diuna), dosers, hybrids etc.
This device will be released in this year, price TBA.
You can also run app using parallel or bootcamp.

Yes, it's really quite easy, we tried write everything simpliest as it was possible - but even if you have questions or need technical support - we doing that without additional delays. :)


Thank you. :)

It's not a accident that we offered 5 pump units. As we do some research before many aquarists very offen use 5 different liquids:
- calcium liquid
- buffor liquid
and the rest - very popular here are three bottles sets like Grotech ABC or FaunaMarine(3 liquid solution) or many others.
Our doser can control additional slave unit(which will be released in this year also) but I think that 5 pumps is many time exact that what aquarist need.
About pricing - it difficult for me to talk about that (GHL is good and realiable company) because I dont know what exact will be included in other manufacturers set but if you will take a look that our package include(in price):
- full set of tubings(3 different models - precise flow, fast flow, Pharmed BPT)
- DC pump for ATO (it utilise controlable DC pump with adjustable speed - by software)
- two float level sensors and additional optical sensor
- digital temperature sensor
- holders for tubings, for sensors, calibration stuff
- AWC (automatic water change program) - which can control two dosing pumps or external DC pumps(if you need 5 dosing pumps). If you have 4 channel doser and you need use it as AWC - only two pumps left..
- DropDose ready(our single drops dispensers - perfect for Zeovit users) or Kore Stirrer ready (5 channel stirrer)
this price is ok(I think so).
So - there is many additional items included in price of Kore5th. Again - Iset
Of course - you can buy base unit only(Kore5th + tubings + acrylic holder) for about 390,00USD) and it will have full functionality expected from semi-pro dosing station.
Additionally - 2 years of full warranty and many add-ons could be also read as additional value :-)


I have to tell you that is was our SPECIAL goal not using stepper motors. Almost year ago we built version of Kore 5th with stepper motors(like on picture below) but we decided to use best quality DC motors(with adjustable speed) because they are giving us better possibilities of control.
What is the difference?
- step motors DON'T have adjustable speed. You can increase or decrease pause between steps but it NOT changing speed of this step. So -"adjustable speed step motors" are in fact normal step motors with adjustable pause between steps
- there is one major aspect how step motors works. They have defined step number to full 360 degree rotate. One full rotation of rollers on tubings give you a lot of liquid(depending from tube size)
Many of popular step morots have 43 or 60 steps(for example). So - MINIMUM rotation for 43 steps motor os about 8 degree. You can't rotate (dose) less - you can dose more - but it will be twice more than lowest amount.
So this technical properties of step motors is like limitation for very precise dosing.
Our motors are controlled in ms(miliseconds). We can run motor for even 2ms. If you will watch below video you will see how this control looks in real - in single 1ms step we are able to grow single drop in DropDose dispencer.
We can adjust/set how long and with what speed our dosing pump motors have to work to dose single drop (because our motors are also speed adjustable - REAL adjustment of rotation speed).
https://vimeo.com/104308592
You can set it for any value and precisly adjust to - for example - liquid density. As you can see on this movie - we can do 5 steps(divided by sound in background) when single drop grow. Smallest dosing amount is 0.01ml - can any other offer that?
We know how the same task look on step motors (we tested it :) - and we are really very courious which "resolution" other devices will offer. Probably - some of them left 0.1ml as minimum dose.
With stepper motor you can't do it - you have minimum step - and everything more is like multiplication of this smallest step.
So if anybody ask us about step motor version - we always repeat that we will not offer version with stepper motor.
There is no any serious reason for doing that.

Again - if you have two years warranty for product you are covered for this time and even when warranty expire - service parts(like DC motors etc) are less expensive than for step motors.
I'm looking into this also as aquarist with 14 years experience - I'm using Kore 5th Pro with my tank and I can do some items not possible before.
My Kore 5th keep my ATO working, watch my tank temp and do AWC(5% weekly from 660 liters tank - about 30 liters).
What can I expect more ? ;-)

http://www.pacific-sun.eu/download/step.jpg

Thx for the stepper motor explanation, makes sense. My understanding is that dc motors can never be as precise as a stepper.. (Let's say from 2ml)

Biggest future at ghl and the new apex doser, is the linking of sensors to dosing.. Mainly PH and conductivity. This is really a plus hard to compete with

Don't get me wrong, I have two Kore 5th dosers... I did consider other brands before buying. Still think it's the best doser out there!

Thanks for the explanation and let the savings begin.

What is the maximum amount of water that can be changed via the AWC?

100ml-140ml per min

Per minute or daily? With fast flow Pharmed BPT tubings reasonable daily amount is about 3 liters.
If you need more - you should use our AWC DC pump sets(additional set for Kore 5th).
They have 250l/h water flow so you can use it even for few thousands gallons aquariums ;-)