Easy Green Testing Issue with Pump Head

[nabokovfan87]

Hey everyone,

I have had this happen for the second time in what seems to be a short amount of time. I seem to have a recurring issue where the pump on my easy green bottle either breaks or fails to dispense the proper amount of liquid needed.

I understand there is a bit of buildup that can happen, but I think this is more of a failure of the pump mechanism itself and not crust forming inside the flow path.

That being said, I have a request and I'd like to ask for some data in case this is a larger issue than just one for myself.

If you have a method to measure in mL then please take that known volume, try to dispense an amount of the fertilizer and then proceed to let us know what the actual amount dispensed from the pump is compared to that expected value.  (Ex. 5 pumps should be ~5 mL)

I'll be sure to do this myself tomorrow morning just for the sake of clarity as well as repeat the test after I clean the pump head out thoroughly and run water through it to dissolve any solids.

I appreciate your help with this and thanks for taking the time to run the tests to gather data!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I broke up with the pumps awhile ago.  I just tilt the bottle, insert a pipette, and pull out my dose.  The issue with EG is that it crystallizes.  Nobody (theoretically) is going to take the time to clean the pump head every time they dose and so buildups and clogs are the norm with this product. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[KittenFishMom]

The top of my pump came off early on. I have just been "by guess and by golly"-ing it. which isn't great. I'll start measuring it .

Edited October 16, 2023 by KittenFishMom

[TOtrees]

I've had this happen too (clogging, not breaking). I've generally found that the salt crystals that accumulate in the noozle dissolve very quickly with very little water. If you notice buildup before dosing, run the noozle under hot water for a few seconds, and pump gently until clear. While avoiding wastage. 

On the occasions where I do have to use a pipette, I pour the fert into a cup and pipette out of that, instead of out of the bottle. When done I pour what remain in the cup back in the original bottle. Mind you this is for 10-15 tanks - if I only had a couple working right out of the bottle would be easier. 

Another fix, if and when necessary, is to remove the pump mechanism from the bottle after dosing, manually pump whatever is in the tube and noozle back into the fert bottle (to avoid wastage), then pump a few mls of hot water through the pump via cup just to clean it out well, and return the pump to the bottle empty. That became very clunky as I wrote it, I hope I'm being clear. Ish.

[DaniV]

I've had more issues with breaking than clogging.  The last 2 bottles I've gotten, the pumps have been screwed in so tight that I was fighting to try and open it...only for it to break.  I've resorted to just adding a capful of EG once a week for my ten gallon tanks, 2 capfuls for my 20.  Haven't had issues!

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/16/2023 at 11:03 AM, DaniV said:

I've had more issues with breaking than clogging.  The last 2 bottles I've gotten, the pumps have been screwed in so tight that I was fighting to try and open it...only for it to break.  I've resorted to just adding a capful of EG once a week for my ten gallon tanks, 2 capfuls for my 20.  Haven't had issues!

Interesting!  Very good idea.

[nabokovfan87]

Before cleaning, 5 pumps



After Cleaning, 5 pumps:


I did go and clean out the pumps and I felt a little bit of crystallization not in the head or the straw, but in the spring section of the pump head.  I submerged the pump to try to dislodge that and got a little bit of it out.  I'm not sure if I can submerge it in vinegar or anything to help remove the stuff inside.  Hot or warm water is what I usually use.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I just want to correct myself and say people do take the time to clean the thingy.

On 10/16/2023 at 9:37 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Nobody (theoretically) is going to take the time to clean the pump head every time they dose

LOL

I think you guys are doing too much work and should just use the pipette, then use your saved time to watch your fish. 🙂

[Galabar]

I recently switched to EasyGreen.  It is definitely easy, but I am starting to see the pump dispense less and more inconsistently as I get through about 1/2 the bottle.

I may have to switch to EasyGreen + pipette... 🙂

 

[Galabar]

Maybe ACO can sell EasyGreen by the gallon and we can use something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/MEKP-Dispensing-Bottle-500ML-16oz/dp/B078TPPXH1

 

Maybe $50 for a year's supply of EasyGreen? 🙂

Edited October 17, 2023 by Galabar

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/17/2023 at 9:56 AM, Galabar said:

Maybe $50 for a year's supply of EasyGreen?

Not sure how much the older, large size costed me, but shipping was always the concern.

I think the only real question for me is that if the pump is an issue long term, can I just order it and have it sent without it. I'll be ordering soon and we'll find out. I've been doing research on other fertilizer bottle designs and most of them come with 2ml pumps.  Based on price and based on amount used, Easy green ends up being literally.... Half the price.

I use ~10 pumps a week, may eventually be at 20. I'd have to do the math for what that ends up being in terms of size per year! 😉

[nabokovfan87]

One bottle = 50 weeks for me of the current size.

[Galabar]

I'm probably using 35-40 pumps per week.

A new ACO metric: EasyGreen PPW. 🙂

 

[Galabar]

Maybe just:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HHPPLDS

 

[Vicki]

As someone with grandkids and dogs, I buy bags of syringes periodically. I like them far better than pipettes. I haven’t tested my pump, but I’ll be doing that later today and will edit this post with the results. It should be interesting. I’ve had my bottle a LONG time.

 

[Matt B]

I only have several small tanks. So I'm able to use the 120ml dropper bottle and refill it from the 500ml bottle. For me the smaller bottle is easier to use and doesn't clog. Drop drop drop. 

[nabokovfan87]

If the pump is legitimately an issue, maybe the fix is to use the dropper style or similar cap and then bundle it with the easy measure.  Once you have the measure, obv. you can just get the bottle by itself.

We'll see.  I look forward to seeing others test out their pumps!

[Biotope Biologist]

I use a glass bottle meant for skin care from Ulta. Lol, it works fine and the hole is wide enough that I can stick a toothpick in every so often to clean the gunk out. Those pumps have been failing since Cory invented the dang Easy Green!

 

Its just the best bang for your buck liquid fertilizer there is so everyone I know finds an alternative way of dispensing 😅

[Galabar]

On 10/19/2023 at 8:33 PM, Matt B said:

I only have several small tanks. So I'm able to use the 120ml dropper bottle and refill it from the 500ml bottle. For me the smaller bottle is easier to use and doesn't clog. Drop drop drop. 

How many mLs does the dropper have?  I don't use more than 4 squirts (mLs) for any tank.  I wouldn't mind buying the small one and just refilling it from the big one.  That would still keep it "easy." 🙂

On 10/19/2023 at 8:37 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

If the pump is legitimately an issue, maybe the fix is to use the dropper style or similar cap and then bundle it with the easy measure.  Once you have the measure, obv. you can just get the bottle by itself.
 

Yes please! 🙂

[Tanked]

On 10/16/2023 at 4:47 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Hey everyone,

I have had this happen for the second time in what seems to be a short amount of time. I seem to have a recurring issue where the pump on my easy green bottle either breaks or fails to dispense the proper amount of liquid needed.

I understand there is a bit of buildup that can happen, but I think this is more of a failure of the pump mechanism itself and not crust forming inside the flow path.

That being said, I have a request and I'd like to ask for some data in case this is a larger issue than just one for myself.

If you have a method to measure in mL then please take that known volume, try to dispense an amount of the fertilizer and then proceed to let us know what the actual amount dispensed from the pump is compared to that expected value.  (Ex. 5 pumps should be ~5 mL)

I'll be sure to do this myself tomorrow morning just for the sake of clarity as well as repeat the test after I clean the pump head out thoroughly and run water through it to dissolve any solids.

I appreciate your help with this and thanks for taking the time to run the tests to gather data!

Taken "as is", using the ACO shot glass:

My original ACO 250ml bottle and pump produced 5ml. in 9 pumps.

After a hot water flush the same pump produced 5ml. in 9 pumps.

a Full original ACO 250ml bottle and pump produced 5ml. in 8 pumps.

A new 500ml. bottle and pump produce 5 ml. in 5 pumps.

All pumps for fully primed with at least 5 ml. run through them before measuring.

[nabokovfan87]

Thank you for taking the time @Tanked !

[Galabar]

I got the dropper below.  It is really nice and I'll probably use it from now on when dosing EasyGreen.  Interestingly, I felt like I was using *a lot* more EasyGreen with mL markings from the dropper as compared to squirts from the EasyGreen bottle.  Maybe that's why I felt like I needed more than the recommended 1 mL (one squirt) per 10 gallons of EasyGreen.

So, I, for one, would love to see an EasyGreen solution with a dropper of some sort, whether it is the bundled small and large bottles (with a regular cap for the large bottle), or something else.

Edited October 21, 2023 by Galabar

[Tanked]

On 10/21/2023 at 6:04 PM, Galabar said:

I got the dropper below.  It is really nice and I'll probably use it from now on when dosing EasyGreen.  Interestingly, I felt like I was using *a lot* more EasyGreen with mL markings from the dropper as compared to squirts from the EasyGreen bottle.  Maybe that's why I felt like I needed more than the recommended 1 mL (one squirt) per 10 gallons of EasyGreen.

So, I, for one, would love to see an EasyGreen solution with a dropper of some sort, whether it is the bundled small and large bottles (with a regular cap for the large bottle), or something else.

I might order one of those droppers.   I presently use the plastic medicine droppers for children.  The price was right, but I have always wanted something a little more precise. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Latest livestream says they’re back to the old pump head that they used to have pre-COVID. 

 

I started keeping tanks and found ACO early into the pandemic, so I’ve apparently had the “bad” pump head the entire time. Im excited to see what the old/better pump is like the next time I need to buy Easy Green. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/26/2023 at 6:51 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

Latest livestream says they’re back to the old pump head that they used to have pre-COVID.

I saw this too. I wonder what it visually looks like and so on. He mentioned that if you order now it should have the better one. Definitely adds a layer of interest to purge your bottles if this is the fix.