Dosing like a baller, Plum xl3 infusion pump

smokin'reefer · Mar 1, 2017

There was another thread about best dosing pumps that seemed to bore into a discussion about the plum xl3 infusion pump. Just got one and had some questions and wanted to start a new thread.
Got mine from eBay from a seller that said he tested you're quipment before sending. When I got mine I played around in the First Bank and thought I had to set Prime properly but kept getting error message. Played around with this nd that let it syphon through the line for a while. Kept tapping bubbles out. Finally walked away came back still had problems. Put the cassette in the middle bank and had no problems. Pumped like a champ. Let it run for a while no problems. Went back to bank A to see if maybe there bubbles cleared and got the occlusion error message again. Decided to try Banks C and got the same error messages. My question is, are some banks just more sensitive than others. Or did this being a technical problem that I need to exchange the pump.

smokin'reefer · Apr 2, 2017

Well, played around with no success. I asked the seller if there was someplace I can get it serviced (at my expense) but he was a little upset because according to him, us "aquarium people" are the only ones that have issues with his pumps. He offered a refund and I offered to send the pump back but he didn't want it back so I've been using the one working bank.
I found another seller on eBay that was closer to me but their price was a little higher. I offered $100 and they accepted. They also had free shipping. I figured I can't possibly get two bad ones in a row.
I was wrong.
This one was in worst shape than the first and wasn't in any better working order. This seller listed it as " from working environment" , which is short for "as is". That was fine, it was worth the gamble, imo.
Started checking around on the Google and found a company that would service and/or repair with a free estimate. It cost about $20 to send it to Ohio, and they came back with, what I thought to be, a reasonable estimate.
I ones the work and hopefully will get it this week.
I really like the way these pumps work over the standard dosing pumps. I have a drews doser I am dosing nopox with, but want something a little more consistent and easier to program.

smokin'reefer · Apr 10, 2017

Got my pump back last week from shop. Wasn't able to set up because of redoing tank after a leak. Got the tank up over the w/e and was able to set up pump for dosing today.

Looks good, running right. Glad I took the plunge now.

gji · Apr 11, 2017

How much was the estimate??

smokin'reefer · Apr 11, 2017

gji said:
How much was the estimate??

It was $295. That got me full "patient ready" pump.

thisoldfish · Jan 2, 2018

hey there, considering getting this over standard hobby doser.. any issues now after few months? I used one of these years ago for an old reeftank I ran and I had issues with tube occlusion- thing would alarm all the time. I was pumping kalwasser and I think it was just precipitating in the tube causing resistance-- run into that at all with your calc/ alk? I was planning calc/alk/NoPox also..

thanks
brad

Toky916 · Jan 2, 2018

To big and bulky I’ve been happy with the apex dos. Was considering one like this before but they alarm and have there own issues.

smokin'reefer · Jan 2, 2018

Mine was good for about 3 or 4 months. As soon as warm weather hit I started having the occlusion and the air in line errors. I was mixing my red sea a and b. I don't know's if that had something to do with it. others have said tjey had good luck using Bionic premix solutions.

It definitely had the cool factor but not after losing a thousand dollars worth of corals. I switched to the DOS and haven't looked back.

thisoldfish · Jan 3, 2018

thanks

smokin'reefer · Jan 3, 2018

No problem. If you decide to go this route and haven't sourcef some out, Let me know. I would be glad to send you one of these. I sent them to a medical equipment place in Ohio and had them refurbished.