Im looking for a really simple 2 part doser that is least likely to fail in the on position. Is it better to get 2 new Kamoer X1s, a Bubble mangus T11 or as used GHL 2.1? Id be happy to run them with a timer backup but they have to be designed to wake up/restore on a power event. What would you recommend?
Most reliable 2 part doser?
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C. Eymann
2500 Club Member
Apex DOS with emergency pH trigger / alk component shutoff ability would be my first choice.
Stand alone -I'd possibly trust Aquamedic or GHL.
Ones I would avoid :
Jebao, Bubble magnus, coralbox
Just my .02
Stand alone -I'd possibly trust Aquamedic or GHL.
Ones I would avoid :
Jebao, Bubble magnus, coralbox
Just my .02
Phyber
Active Member
I debated on the jaebo due to price, but reports of slipping dosing amounts and me already having an apex pushed me to a Dos. It's been rock solid and easy to setup. I did a calibration after a few months of running just to double check and it was still spot on.
C. Eymann
2500 Club Member
I agree with this, but be very careful about that timer battery, I had a setup using aqua lifters + kalk and a digital timer with battery, worked great! but as soon as that battery went dead, timer defaulted to ON.
big Kalk OD, lost a lot of coral.
kkiel02
Active Member
I use a Dos for awc and probably will get another to dose two part. I wanted to get a stand-alone ghl but when I was searching for the kh director I kept hearing about the heads locking up. I’d much rather have a 4 head doser than a two head but they scared me off. The kamoer pro also caught my eye.
Silent
2500 Club Member
@C. Eymann So true about the battery for most timers. I use the Coralife digital power center/timer. It has daytime and nighttime dedicated outlets. If the battery is dead and the power cycles, the memory disappears and neither outlets will work until reprogrammed. Very safe timer. I use the daytime for alk and the nighttime for cal.
wrasse hole
Community Member
I asked an almost identical question a few days ago.
I narrowed things down to either a pair of the Kamoer X1s ($120) or a 2 pump GHL 2.1 SA ($340).
The Kamoer X1 didn't have any long term reviews, and the power outage problem really put me off. The GHL is routinely hailed as the highest quality doser on the market, and the cheaper 2 pump version is easily expandable to 4 heads later on (~$60/head).
If $340 is over your budget, the 2 kamoer X1s would probably also work fine. You could run them daisy chained to one power supply with a battery backup to resolve the power outage issue.
I narrowed things down to either a pair of the Kamoer X1s ($120) or a 2 pump GHL 2.1 SA ($340).
The Kamoer X1 didn't have any long term reviews, and the power outage problem really put me off. The GHL is routinely hailed as the highest quality doser on the market, and the cheaper 2 pump version is easily expandable to 4 heads later on (~$60/head).
If $340 is over your budget, the 2 kamoer X1s would probably also work fine. You could run them daisy chained to one power supply with a battery backup to resolve the power outage issue.
Hallowhead
2500 Club Member
Being that I soon will need to get into dosing... this all scares me..
I have an APEX on both of my tanks however, I have heard nothing but disasters from the neptune DOS... this may attribute to the fact that there is such a large pool of people using this method.
As for the others using a timer backup and battery. I use a timer to regulate my ATO so that there is two forms of redundancy for overflowing my tank onto the floor.
As for the battery backup time.. I think if I went that method i'd throw a small UPS to supply uninterrupted power to my entire tank while my standby generator cycles on (15 seconds).
My biggest fear with auto dosing is overdosing.
I have an APEX on both of my tanks however, I have heard nothing but disasters from the neptune DOS... this may attribute to the fact that there is such a large pool of people using this method.
As for the others using a timer backup and battery. I use a timer to regulate my ATO so that there is two forms of redundancy for overflowing my tank onto the floor.
As for the battery backup time.. I think if I went that method i'd throw a small UPS to supply uninterrupted power to my entire tank while my standby generator cycles on (15 seconds).
My biggest fear with auto dosing is overdosing.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you have an Apex with a couple of available relay outlets, the BRS 1.1 ml/ min dosers are hard to beat. Because they run so slowly, they are extremely accurate. And with the Reeftronics Apex Progtam Dosing Generator, set up is an absolute breeze.
C. Eymann
2500 Club Member
I dont want to clutter this thread with a Calcium reactor vs doser debate, but for all those that are worried about OD/malfunction- Calcium reactor is the safest way for mineral replacement, its extremely unlikely a malfunctioning calcium reactor will crash a tank.
I will not own a reef tank without a calcium reactor, it's one of the best investments a reefkeeper can make IMO, saves money in the long run too!
I will not own a reef tank without a calcium reactor, it's one of the best investments a reefkeeper can make IMO, saves money in the long run too!
lavoisier
Valuable Member
This is what I've done for years and recommend it. However, I set up a DOS recently for ATO and am sold. Within the next year or two I'll replace my 1.1 BRS dosers (but I'm in no hurry to do so...maybe I'll just wait till one of them fails).
