Dosing Pump Buyers Guide

Looking to purchase a dosing pump?
Overwhelmed by choice?
We got the guide for you! Proudly brought to you by the fine folk at Aquaristic Online, here is my first product spotlight - a guide for purchasing dosing pumps.
Find all of these pumps and accessories with price match guarantee across australia at:
www.aquaristiconline.com.au

[@BodgieFromStraya]

The legend releases the perfect video as I start researching into buying a dosing pump!

[@ParkersReef]

haha glad it could be of some help!

[@RogueAquariums]

Nice display of dosing pumps Sam. It gives the end-user the ability to find out what suits their needs and with all the options out there the choices are many.

[@ParkersReef]

that's it mate, this isn't to tell you which to buy - it is to help you decide which one will suit your needs :)

[@aquamate]

Exactly what ive been thinking about for the future of my reef tank, great info thanks man

[@ParkersReef]

Glad I could help!

[@simmo56able]

If only this video was available 4 years ago! Consequently I have 4 different dosing pumps on my tank. Mind you, 2 are purpose specific. But in hindsight I could have stuck to the Kamoer range (thats if their range was available back then). Anyway, a great idea Sam, looking forward to more of these spotlights

[@ParkersReef]

Sorry I was late to the party mate! But hopefully it does help some future aquarists decide what is right for them (rather than us youtubers telling them to buy product xyz :P )

[@RockoP89]

Love aquaristic my go to shop. billy and david always go above and beyond to help wouldn’t go any where else.

[@ParkersReef]

Great team!

[@IMGbaugher]

Great and informative video Sam!!! For my little Nuvo 20 I run 3 Kamoer x1 dosers. They do what I need to do.

[@ParkersReef]

Glad it was helpful mate!

[@andrewstrutt6048]

I use the Neptune DOS to dose phyto that’s kept in a mini fridge. It’s ability to run in reverse helps stop the phyto from bottoming out.

[@ParkersReef]

ah yes, clever!

[@pt7788n]

Can do reverse ? Wow! Nice. Which brand can do reverse beside neptune dos..

[@n2dchaos]

We love your video Parker

[@ParkersReef]

thanks mate!

[@antoniofaustino2548]

That is what I been thinking of lately for my calcium, mag and kh is getting to a point manual dosing is not the way to go , great video, thanks Sam

[@ParkersReef]

Perfect, glad it was of use mate!

Thanks for the video, very helpful! Factor #11: noise level. I'm searching the quietest (but affordable) dosing pump, but the noise level is not a common topic in the reviews.

[@ParkersReef]

yeah excellent point! Especially if they are running continuously or dosing a lot

[@mrbackhand2873]

I run 4 -Kamoer X1 pro 2 for supplements , Kamoer X1 Pro T for Kalkwasser And a Dos for auto water change.

[@ParkersReef]

Great units!

[@amywan7504]

I love your video Parker

[@ParkersReef]

Thanks Amy!!

[@reconnaissance7372]

I think a dosing pump is definitely a hand I'd like to play later down the line, but now that I've added and plumbed a sump, I would prefer to upgrade some things like my ATO to a Tunze Osmo 3155 and my lighting to Radion. I've finally sorted out the flow side of things, so I'd like to say I have both my flow and lighting perfect before I delve into a Dosing pump. Although when I do go for one, I think I've tunnel visioned on the Kamoer X4pro mainly because you can calibrate it wirelessly and being able to use my phone over pushing buttons is my impulse buy calling.

[@ParkersReef]

lots of amazing options out there and there continues to be great products released all the time. Go through the decision process right when you are ready and you'll find the right unit :)

[@sunnygoold9449]

Great timing - I am just looking at a couple ;)

[@ParkersReef]

Perfect timing! Hopefully it helps the decision process for you :)

[@sunnygoold9449]

@@ParkersReef for sure - I decided to go with the H2Ocean P1 Pro - like it's the Kamoer Pro but a single doser. I'm trying to give back my KHD so I want a single doser that is high quality and quiet (for Kalk at night) - thanks mate

[@ParkersReef]

@@sunnygoold9449 keep us updated with how it goes!

[@sunnygoold9449]

@@ParkersReef So it's been running over the weekend and I am happy with it. I dose Kalk so I wanted a bit better build quality and more customizable dosing options. I had the GHL dosing 48 times per day but I wanted to dose only during the night - the only option for that with GHL gives you 6 time slots. The P1 Pro gives me up to 24 and both the time and the amount can be adjusted. The non-Pro (Kamoer X1) only has 12. It was same price as ReefFactory (which probably has similar options and the ability to work with their KH Lab) but I think it looks higher quality. The one thing where it is a let down versus the GHL is the noise - I am surprised how loud it is as I run it in the night (and only my skimmer at night) and I can hear it. I am thinking of getting the ReefFactory pH probe instead of an automatic KH tester. So i thought I would check if the ReefFactory dosing pump can be programmed based on pH. Unfortunately it can't. Anyhow they may not accept the return of the GHL - they are testing it. I could never get consistent results for more than 2 weeks. They market it as accurate - honestly I just wanted consistency but it can't manage that. It's actually a relief to be back testing with Salifert every couple of days. Maybe I just got a dud but it was so difficult to setup - it took me 2 days and I lost so many corals early on as I stupidly relied on the KHD's drifting results. Anyhow I hope this next year reefing is much more enjoyable and I am really happy to be able to focus more on pH and this doser is certainly a better tool for that.

[@subhra_s_das]

Very helpful for Aussie reefing community. I almost thought I got a Versa, but of course special order item ;-)

[@ParkersReef]

Happy to help!

[@ParkersReef]

Happy to help!

[@one-armed-reefer5184]

great vid as always sam only thing how loud are the pumps with owning a few of the apex ones I no how loud they are lol

[@ParkersReef]

yeah those DOS are horribly loud....

[@one-armed-reefer5184]

@@ParkersReef they are when auto water change is working I can here them the attic lol

[@smokeandkippers]

Kamoer P1’s for me daisy chained together. They need time relaying every now and again but good value and reliable.

[@ParkersReef]

works a treat!

[@highaltitude1297]

Nice video Sam. Got a kamoer X5s and I hate the dosing tubes supplied with it. Too stiff and feel cheap. Wish they used Silicone. I have bought a box set of redsea dosing lines with brackets, hope that solves the issue. Hopefully they fit okay.

[@ParkersReef]

yep the red sea ones are great and will fit just fine

[@highaltitude1297]

@@ParkersReef thanks man. Glad to hear

[@kiddt1999]

I use the kamoer f4 pro. The app is great too

[@ParkersReef]

They’re a great unit indeed

[@ElementEWFW]

Question about reef factory you put them in the level of DOS and Ghl dosing pump2.1 Are they driver by Servo/Stepper motor? Or they’re driven by regular brush motor like everything else? Thanks for the video Matan

[@ParkersReef]

I have one here so I opened it up to check for you. Can confirm it is a large brush style motor, not a stepper motor

[@ElementEWFW]

@@ParkersReef i am extremely appreciate it! I think that this little piece of information Is not mentioned nowhere on the internet, maybe it’s not a bad idea to mention it in a future video Thanks so much Matan

[@ParkersReef]

sure thing :)

[@adamhudson6812]

Great video! For beginners, how would you determine when you should get a dosing pump?

[@ParkersReef]

Thank you! The best time is when you are needing to dose supplements every day and are either having to do more than 50ml at a time, or you're starting to forget :) Obvious reasons for the forgetting, but when over 50ml, it's much better to spread that dosage out across a full 24 hours than dumping all in at once

[@adamhudson6812]

@@ParkersReef thank you! I am not quite at that level yet but this video will definitely help when I get to that point.

[@lukemilne6922]

Just the video I was looking for. Any chance of a controller one soon?

[@ParkersReef]

Will see, although in fairness I’m not a huge fan of most controllers currently available :)

[@lukemilne6922]

@@ParkersReef I had an idea that may have been your position, you seem to be in tune with your tank and being a dream build if you wanted one it would be on there. Great video, keep it up

[@TilmanBaumann]

My key niggle is how the hoses are connected. I love GHL for example, but those little silicone hose nipples are just unacceptable. I had one of those popping off and it's no surprise. My dream doser would have JG pushconnect. A lot of dosing pumps have decent hose connectors. And it's a disgrace for all who don't.

[@ParkersReef]

yep totally agree, key point that I missed really!

[@douglasokwaro7619]

Where is Seachem's Sentia Dose?

[@ParkersReef]

Wasn’t available for this review. Can’t do every pump under the sun 😅

[@lkapitan8232]

Which is your favorite?

[@ParkersReef]

Horses for courses! Some are suited to different use cases more than others

[@lkapitan8232]

@@ParkersReef OK, I had to look that up, never heard it before, I like it, thanks.

[@ParkersReef]

@@lkapitan8232 must be an aussie saying :P All of these pumps are great for their own reasons, go through the decision making process using these ten steps to find which one suits you the best :)

[@garyinwood2829]

Hi, I know this question has nothing to do with dosing but i would like your answer to this question please.' my total tank volume including sump is 640L, I need to know what speed /turn over I need my return pump need to be at'.

[@ParkersReef]

Hey Gary, few different trains of thought on this space. Some go as high as 10-15x tank volume per hour to give good mechanical filtration whilst others prefer 4-6x turnover to give the biological filtration a chance to work. Personally I feel you can go anywhere around these two marks, so look for something between 2500lph and 9600lph.

[@garyinwood2829]

@@ParkersReef thank you for getting back to me regarding my question and i'm going with around 6000lph/7000lph as you suggested. i forgot to say love your channel and your dream reef.

[@ParkersReef]

@@garyinwood2829 good stuff! Make sure it is either an adjustable pump or you pop a valve on it in case you do need to turn it down at all. Just in case your drain pipes cannot cope with that flow quietly :)

[@garyinwood2829]

@@ParkersReef I have a DC pump so no problem there and i have a herbie overflow (32mm) so again no problem there either. will be doing the adjustments this weekend and i will let you know how i got on. again thank you for all your help.

[@garyinwood2829]

Hi, turned the my return pump at the weekend and it is working great, but the next few weeks will tell. but i did notice that my skimmer bubbles are lower in the skimmer neck do you think i should adjust it or wait.

[@bradelz]

I have the eKoral doser, disappointed not to see it here but I assume it's not a product stocked by the sponsor of the video.

[@ParkersReef]

Couldn’t possibly cover every doser ever made 😅 Took quite an effort to collate this many 😬

[@bradelz]

@@ParkersReef Haha! All good, you've done well.

[@ParkersReef]

Thanks mate!

[@sailorjbn]

@@ParkersReef I was impressed by how many you collected🦾 Also this topic is one I'm mulling over at the moment. I'm new to reefing and havn't decided on my pump yet.

[@ParkersReef]

@@sailorjbn take your time, go through these ten steps for your own tank and you should be able to find a good one :)

[@Puciferthegreat]

Having both Reef Factory and Kamoer Reef factory wins hands down on the app. The kamoer one compared is just rubbish. Connecting the Kamoer was frustrating as all hell too, would think a masters in networking and systems would do but nah :D

[@ParkersReef]

reef factory gear sure does set the standard in well setup apps!

[@AustraliaDrugTesting1]

Kamoer for me 😊

[@ParkersReef]

Is a solid brand at a fair price 👍🏻

[@eillyacostandinides3344]

What about the most important factor?!? Le wife agreement?!.. excellent video Sam. Thanks.

[@ParkersReef]

Haha yes, super important!

[@tranquilwaters917]

Get your wife in the hobby.... Just beware, they will look at corals like they do shoes, and must collect as many as possible :)

[@eillyacostandinides3344]

@@tranquilwaters917 she is in the hobby and it was the biggest fault. Im a stick head and she loves lps ended javing a tank with 100000 lps and two sticks :( :(

[@tranquilwaters917]

@@eillyacostandinides3344 get another tank :)

[@eillyacostandinides3344]

@@tranquilwaters917 Man.. are you trying to get me divorced?!?!?

[@andreashennes7322]

GHL makes good gear but it's sad that their front-end looks like it's from the 90th and the App is really bad designed.

[@ParkersReef]

Absolutely....

[@matmalette]

Really disappointed that the only company that makes supplements and also at the same time being the first dosing pump for fresh water, Seachem should have had a spot there. Kamoer is by far the best displayed here.

[@tranquilwaters917]

Love my Aqua Vitro. Any doser can be used for Freshwater, they just made it a direct program for any Seachem products. Heck I can dose all my salt and Freshwater tanks with it if i want. I have a friend that is doing exactly that. He has ONE Primary and currently 15 secondaries on it running 6 saltwater tanks and his planted tank.... 7 tanks total, lets see any other do that with just 1 primary.

[@matmalette]

@@tranquilwaters917 I know you technically could but it is still the first company that been doing additives for a very long time for fresh and salt. The fact that you can go with impaired numbers is also exceptional. You dont need extra purchase like mounts also is leaning towards being consumer friendly and not an ecosystem cult.

[@tranquilwaters917]

@@matmalette Oh you are not getting arguments out of me on how good the system itself is. There is no denying it at all. Just saying many people have used dosers for fresh-water, so its not the first or unheard of.... Now if they would take it out further and have the Ability to scan all other additives (not seachem or aquavitro) it would even be better. You still need to balance it to your tank but having the product info already know woould be nice.... Like for instance I dose All-for-reef and Acropower daily with my pump, would have been easier to have just scanned then adjusted. granted only saving a few seconds but still be nice.... Or better yet when scanned it creates a file on your phone about the product so you can just look it up for reference when needed.

[@matmalette]

@@tranquilwaters917 it takes you 2 seconds to add the proper ML that's less time then manually dosing once. Happy reefing

[@tranquilwaters917]

@@matmalette Oh for certain, like i said not arguing its probably the best doser out there. But can always want a little more out of it. lol.