Dosing pump worth it?

Saltyreef · Jul 1, 2020

NickC said:
I've been using two BRS 1.1ml/min dosers plugged into a kasa smart power strip. I liked the power strip so much I bought one for my lights as well. This is the first tank I've used two part to supplement ca and alk, previuous systems were kalk and/or calcium reactor.

So far so good, I'm happy with the pumps.

+1. Same setup here and its so much nicer than hand dosing.

SPSlover · Jul 1, 2020

Automation is a deep hole... I have one tank (larger) with Apex system and dosers (awesome job at it) and one very small 20g that I just manually water change. They honestly both seem to do fine. Im still kinda new though. Great thread regardless!

HVRK23 · Dec 9, 2020

piranhaman00 said:
THe komoer x1 bluetooth single pumps work great for me, 60$.

Do you enjoy this pump. I am hoping to finally automate my reef after about 7 years of hand dosing it.

piranhaman00 · Dec 9, 2020

RichardBaggins said:
Do you enjoy this pump. I am hoping to finally automate my reef after about 7 years of hand dosing it.

I do like it yes, if it loses power it must be re connected only flaw. And only 12 doses per day.

they just made a wi fi version

HVRK23 · Dec 9, 2020

piranhaman00 said:
I do like it yes, if it loses power it must be re connected only flaw. And only 12 doses per day.

they just made a wi fi version

Thank you for the information. I may go with the larger 4 head version I am still up in the air on this.

Marlm · Mar 4, 2021

This thread was very helpful for me in deciding whether or not a dosing pump was worth the $ and time to set up so I'm coming back to say. For any other beginners out there. The answer is yes. A dosing pump will make your life easier and your tank happier. Maintaining proper parameters, particularly alkalinity, early on in this journey is tricky and if you don't stay on top off it throughout the day the swings caused by dosing by hand will tick you corals off and they will not grow.

That one in your cart right now? Buy it. You'll be happy you did.

Reef. · Apr 5, 2021

How often do dosers fail? Pumping too much into the tank?

Dallascowboys16 · Apr 6, 2021

Reef. said:
How often do dosers fail? Pumping too much into the tank?

Quite uncommon. I use a timer to control mine so I would assume it would take a failure of the timer to cause them to continue to pump.

The Opinionated Reefer · Apr 6, 2021

As your tank progresses and you consumption increases its not even an option to not have a dosing pump or a calcium reactor.

Reef. · Apr 6, 2021

Dallascowboys16 said:
Quite uncommon. I use a timer to control mine so I would assume it would take a failure of the timer to cause them to continue to pump.

a timer? That must have been complicated to set up?

I've not got the greatest faith in my ato so worry about buying a doser, I'm thinking it'll take much less 2part to cause damage to the tank than too much rodi water.

F i s h y · Apr 6, 2021

I will upgrade to an automatic doser at some point. For now.... this cost about 10 bucks to make. I can control how long it takes to drip my stuff in...

Dallascowboys16 · Apr 13, 2021

Reef. said:
a timer? That must have been complicated to set up?

I've not got the greatest faith in my ato so worry about buying a doser, I'm thinking it'll take much less 2part to cause damage to the tank than too much rodi water.

Actually it is very simple. Just a timer with the dosing pumps plugged in. I know that they dispense 1.1 ml of solution for every minute they are on so I just figured out how much solution I need to dose every day to maintain my levels, divide by 1.1 ml, and boom there are how many minutes I need the pumps to be on each day.

Dallascowboys16 · Apr 13, 2021

F i s h y said:
I will upgrade to an automatic doser at some point. For now.... this cost about 10 bucks to make. I can control how long it takes to drip my stuff in...

Killer tank! Is that kalkwasser that you are dripping?

F i s h y · Apr 13, 2021

Dallascowboys16 said:
Killer tank! Is that kalkwasser that you are dripping?

Thank you. I'm just dripping in baking soda mixed with RO. I mix 1 tablespoon into 4 cups of water.

Cory · Apr 13, 2021

The cheapest safest daily "auto doser" would be to mix your daily dose of baking soda into an iv drip tube. Then just have it drip all day. Refil the next day.

Reef. · Apr 13, 2021

Cory said:
The cheapest safest daily "auto doser" would be to mix your daily dose of baking soda into an iv drip tube. Then just have it drip all day. Refil the next day.

I'm just at 1ml atm wouldn't work for me.