Recommendations on a dosing pump?

Cory jones · May 7, 2019

looking at doing a dosing pump for auto water charges/top off and to does the big three so probably a 6 head or two 3 head pumps. I will be buying a new apex setup soon so something comparable with that would be nice. Th dos just seems to expensive for what I want to do.

Lasse · May 7, 2019

Look at GHL aquarium computers too. They have more options according to integrated dosing pumps compared with APEX

Sincerely Lasse

jda · May 7, 2019

You cannot afford to go cheap on this. You can end up with a wet floor or a crashed tank at worse. IMO, get quality stuff or just take the few minutes and change water by hand.

reefwiser · May 7, 2019

For auto water changes you need a high volume pump like.a axi doser
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/products/ghl-doser/ghl-doser-maxi/

Cory jones · May 7, 2019

jda said:
You cannot afford to go cheap on this. You can end up with a wet floor or a crashed tank at worse. IMO, get quality stuff or just take the few minutes and change water by hand.

There won’t be water on the floor there is a emergency drain. I get what you are saying but rather you buy top of the line or not isn’t the fish the same?

Cory jones · May 7, 2019

reefwiser said:
For auto water changes you need a high volume pump like.a axi doser
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/products/ghl-doser/ghl-doser-maxi/

I want gradual water changes couple gallons a day.

Cory jones · May 7, 2019

Looking at maybe trying two of these but not sure how they will break siphon.

Camplux 12V Water Pump 35PSI DC 1.2GPM 4.3LPM Diaphragm for Caravan RV Marine Fishing Boat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076XTLTXR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fGB0Cb6TVFM1A

reefwiser · May 7, 2019

Cory jones said:
I want gradual water changes couple gallons a day.

That is what that type of pump is made for. Those type of pumps would not work for saltwater.

I am a Industrial Maintenance tech for the past 46 years now work with all kind of pumps. I pump sewage to oil to batter for pancakes.

I have also used a Stenner pump dual head to do water changes.
With indivdual pumps you need to be able to adjust the flow of each pump so they match up well.
This requires a lot more equipment than just two 20 dollar pumps
https://genesisreefsystems.com/

Really while I have changed water for year automatically that doesn't stop the weekly cleaning of the tank. I still have to go thru and sipon out any waste on the bottom of the tank and clean on the filter floss.
Just changing water is a small part of the whole piece of maintaining an aquarium.

Potatohead · May 7, 2019

I have been more than happy with GHL 2.1, been using a little over two years. They max out about 100 ml/m you might want the two head Maxi for the water changes if you need faster than that.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · May 7, 2019

get a really small pump that trickles out the end of a 3/4" barb fitting hooked up to a garden hose!
I guess you will get your slow trickled w/c that way.

auto water change and doser for cal, alk, and mag are two different pieces of equipment...
-d

ca1ore · May 7, 2019

I’m using the DOS for AWS and mostly happy with it. Also using the standalone GHL for lower volume additives and it’s been rock solid (even if the computer interface is a tad quirky). Obviously the GHL is not apex compatible, and vice versa.