Which "cheap" dosing pump?

[Krully]

I will be needing a dosing pump in the weeks to come, I plan on dosing All for reef and go for a low maintenance setup (mostly LPS and softies, maybe one or two SPS) and I like the "all in one" approach of this product.

I've been considering the Kamoer X1 but I'm a bit turned off by all the people talking about the fact it will reset when a power loss happens and I'm afraid it could lead to bad things. Any opinion on this pump? Any other single/two heads dosing pump that do not break the bank? I was considering Jebao but reliability looks pretty bad and this isn't something I'm willing to bet on when it can nuke the tank quickly. Is a "cheap" dosing pump a dream and am I better off saving for a $400 dosing pump (I'd rather not)?

Thanks!

 

[Bob Lauson]

I have been using the BRS 1.1ml dosing pump for years with no issues. It in expensive and reliable.

 

[Krully]

I should have mentioned I'm in Europe so BRS is out of the equation for me... which is a bummer because that seems like a good dosing pump.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Best to save up for a good dosing pump. Cheap ones are usually made with the cheapest components including sensors and motors. How many times will your doser have to fail to kill $400 in coral? It’s a very important component. Don’t cheap out on it.

I will be needing a dosing pump in the weeks to come, I plan on dosing All for reef and go for a low maintenance setup (mostly LPS and softies, maybe one or two SPS) and I like the "all in one" approach of this product.

I've been considering the Kamoer X1 but I'm a bit turned off by all the people talking about the fact it will reset when a power loss happens and I'm afraid it could lead to bad things. Any opinion on this pump? Any other single/two heads dosing pump that do not break the bank? I was considering Jebao but reliability looks pretty bad and this isn't something I'm willing to bet on when it can nuke the tank quickly. Is a "cheap" dosing pump a dream and am I better off saving for a $400 dosing pump (I'd rather not)?

Thanks!

 

[RRTV-Cody]

While there is something to be said for a quality pump you can trust, there is the bankroll that dictates what we can put on our tanks. That being said I had a jebao on my tank for a couple years and never had an issue, it was cheap, bulky and flimsy but it worked. Maybe I got lucky or maybe others were unlucky. I don't know. If it wouldn't take too long to save, I would go with the kamoer F4Pro I love mine. You could go to Marinedepot and use code REALREEFINGTV for a 10% discount.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I’ve herd good stuff about the pacific sun, ghl, and personally use 2 Neptune dos pumps. The new ecotech versa pump looks interesting and is a little lower in the price department.

 

[Krully]

Best to save up for a good dosing pump. Cheap ones are usually made with the cheapest components including sensors and motors. How many times will your doser have to fail to kill $400 in coral? It’s a very important component. Don’t cheap out on it.

I do agree although I have no need for a multiple heads dosing pump and those seem to be the reliable yet expensive ones.

While there is something to be said for a quality pump you can trust, there is the bankroll that dictates what we can put on our tanks. That being said I had a jebao on my tank for a couple years and never had an issue, it was cheap, bulky and flimsy but it worked. Maybe I got lucky or maybe others were unlucky. I don't know. If it wouldn't take too long to save, I would go with the kamoer F4Pro I love mine. You could click the link in my signature for a 10% discount.

Thank you, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk the Jebao for something so important, it's the kind of thing where you don't care if it didn't happen to lots of people when it happened to you and I've seen too many people having problems with them. The F4 Pro sounds great but I have no need for a 4 heads dosing pump although I might be forced to go this route, also not in the US but thanks for the referral!

 

[Krully]

I’ve herd good stuff about the pacific sun, ghl, and personally use 2 Neptune dos pumps. The new ecotech versa pump looks interesting and is a little lower in the price department.

I've just stumbled upon the Ecotech Versa, it's twice the price of the Kamoer but I can work with 150€ for a single head reliable dosing pump, will have to do my research.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Only issue with the versa is it’s brand new and people haven’t had them long enough for problems to come up. I have a few friends that bought one or two to dose trace elements and love them. They also can run constantly for AWC’s. I’ve herd good stuff about the K but it has issues too.

I've just stumbled upon the Ecotech Versa, it's twice the price of the Kamoer but I can work with 150€ for a single head reliable dosing pump, will have to do my research.

 

[Krully]

Yeah that's the one thing that would be a problem, first generation products can be an issue.

 

[Rjramos]

Running 2 Jebao for about 1 month now. Calibration was under dosing from factory settings. Initially recalibrated, and been accurate dosing since. If and/or when there is a problem, I will notify. I hear of these dosers failing, although I haven’t seen specifics on how the failures occurred. I do tend to be tedious with proper installations and even some safeguarding applied. We will see.

 

[Krully]

I've read about someone running a timer that only activates a few seconds before dosing time and shuts down right after acting as a failsafe, I guess that could work.

 

[chris k.]

I have the brs dosers controlled by my apex. I started with the timers, but had a problem with them keeping the correct time. Have not had an issue in 2 years with my current setup

 

[EMeyer]

I've only got jebao dosers and have experienced no failures. I suspect this may be similar to the rumors about black boxes failure rates...

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I personally know a guy that had a jebao doser failure on his acan tank. It dosed his calcium up to 900 over night. He lost over $3k in beautiful acan colonies.

I've only got jebao dosers and have experienced no failures. I suspect this may be similar to the rumors about black boxes failure rates...

 

[Krully]

I guess the Kamoer X1 with a backup could be an option for now, I’d like to get an Apex later but that won’t be before almost a year.

 

[laverda]

I had the same set up until my Apex turned the doser to on three times. Each time emptying my ALK container killing most of my SPS. The first time I thought I had accidentally turned it on some how. The next two times I had not touched my apex or fusion for at least a week before each time it happened.
I successfully used BRS dosers with timers on my small tanks in the past. My experience with the Jebao and other dosers like it on a big tank is they do not last very long. Not that mine run that much. The motors quit, the rollers slip, the tubbing becomes stretched and stop working. In addition none of them are sealed to protect from moisture and the PCB s are not even coated. Add in software clutches and power outages the number of failures becomes very high.

 

[scuzy]

I would go versa. Love it so far and a lot quieter than neptune dos i replaced it with. Got 4 heads going for various additives and ato pump.

 

[LordofCinder]

I guess the Kamoer X1 with a backup could be an option for now, I’d like to get an Apex later but that won’t be before almost a year.

Hi, so did you end up getting the Kamoer X1? I am looking for a single head doser also, and BRS is not available in Canada, so Kamoer looks like the best, most affordable option. Do you have any feedback on it, or what did you end up getting? Thanks.

 

[NauticalMiles1010]

I will be needing a dosing pump in the weeks to come, I plan on dosing All for reef and go for a low maintenance setup (mostly LPS and softies, maybe one or two SPS) and I like the "all in one" approach of this product.

I've been considering the Kamoer X1 but I'm a bit turned off by all the people talking about the fact it will reset when a power loss happens and I'm afraid it could lead to bad things. Any opinion on this pump? Any other single/two heads dosing pump that do not break the bank? I was considering Jebao but reliability looks pretty bad and this isn't something I'm willing to bet on when it can nuke the tank quickly. Is a "cheap" dosing pump a dream and am I better off saving for a $400 dosing pump (I'd rather not)?

Thanks!

I have herd great things about the Bubble Magus T11. it was what i have chosen to go with for my new Red Sea Reefer XLL 625 i haven't used it yet.
and to you'r second question about the $400 ones all you get is the online control-ability.