Cali Kid Corals

Dosing pump ideas?

rygh

rygh

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So what dosing pump should I buy?

I had yet another BRS doser fail on me. Grr.

Time to buy something rather high quality.
Opinions??
Main choices so far:

1) SpectraPure LiterMeter III
250 ml/m , 3 rollers
5 year warranty

2) Vertex Libra
Interesting new product, but no long term history, and some concerns on support.
75 ml/m, 4 roller design, good Japanese motor.

3) GHL Proflux / Fauna Marin
60ml/m, 3 rollers.

I am generally avoiding the Bubble Magus doser.
A few reports of failing "ON". Seems rare, but is catastrophic if it happens.
Plus in general seems a bit lower quality.

I am generally avoiding Cole Palmer / medical, as simply way too expensive.
While used on ebay brings that price down, that is too hit/miss for me.

Drew's dosers are just too low flow.

And of course, no more BRS for me.
 
Do you know what the failure issue was? The tubing? Or did the motor seize up? I mean I've had tubing issues, and it's just a matter of replacing that periodically.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Do you know what the failure issue was? The tubing? Or did the motor seize up? I mean I've had tubing issues, and it's just a matter of replacing that periodically.
Click to expand...

The first failure was the motor. Not seized, no obvious shorts or breaks. I took it apart, but nothing obvious.
The new failure seems to have been a temporary jamb. I think I fixed it for now. Basically just took it apart and fiddled with it.
No idea what I did right.
Nice though, because it gives me time to think about what to get.
Yes, tubing replacement every year is pretty normal.
 
How about this?
http://www.aptinstruments.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AI&Product_Code=SP100VOBL
 
or this
http://www.aptinstruments.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AI&Product_Code=SP200VOBL
depending on what flow rate you want.
 
iani said:
How about this?
http://www.aptinstruments.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AI&Product_Code=SP100VOBL
Click to expand...
Interesting.
Sounds like those are the same as the Drew's doser pumps, just purchased direct, and more selection on flow.
 
gimmito said:
GHL PROFILUX.
Click to expand...

So does anyone know the details on the Proflux/Fauna Marin transition?
It seems like they are re-branding it, but that if you mix parts it voids the warranty.
As a result, seems like both are hard to find.
Only aquacave sells Proflux + spare parts.
Only BRS sells Fauna Marin, and no spare parts.
Makes me a bit nervous buying it.

Side note:
I see a couple of reports of the new Verted Libra doser pump getting stuck ON.
Given how few people have them, even a couple of reports is way too many.
My wild guess suspicion : Fancy pumps and motors, so to keep the price down, cheap relays and electronics.
 
A new temptation is this one:
http://stenner.com/prod-45mp4.htm

Seems better than the APT instruments one. Larger three roller head.
For industrial use, not medical/lab, so tough, yet not as expensive as cole-parmer.
About $200 each.
US company, lots of replacement parts available.
 
rygh said:
iani said:
How about this?
http://www.aptinstruments.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AI&Product_Code=SP100VOBL
Click to expand...
Interesting.
Sounds like those are the same as the Drew's doser pumps, just purchased direct, and more selection on flow.
Click to expand...

Except the ones I linked have brushless motors and should last a whole lot longer than the cheaper versions.
 
Steer clear of APT unless you don't mind waiting a long time. They stock nothing, its all made to order I've found out the hard way. The build quality is pretty crappy.

My CP was $100 and other then a $3 fuse and 5' of tubing, it hasn't cost me anything more and is a real workhorse.

Of your list, there is only 1 that I'd use... GHL
 
I have been using a litermeter3 for the last 6 years 24/7. Three pumps dosing Alk, Ca, and fresh water top off thru a deltec kalk stirrer.

i leave on one and two week vacations and always come home to a tank with spot on parameters.

Never had a pump fail either...
 
Thanks. I saw a "medical grade" peristaltic medical pump somebody was using on a setup that was loud for some reason. Never seen a cole Palmer before I guess. Didn't know what they were using exactly.
 
Supposedly the LiterMeter3 pumps are the quietest.
That was from reviews on the net. I have never compared them myself.
It has a different kind of direct drive to the rollers, not a normal gear motor, which is probably why.

I wish they had not put the controls on the top of the Profilux.
Makes mounting in tight spaces rather hard.
 
I can tell you that my Spectrapure "Ultimate Top Off" (or whatever) is awesome. Awesomely expensive too, but since I bought it, I never worry about top off or water level. Totally worth it.

I'm assuming that since the motor is the same, then the Spectrapure LM must be equally great.

I used to use a medical enteric feeding pump. It was OK, but it was a pain tracking down tubing for it, since it's not meant to be run 24/7 (I ran it for like 5 years, 24/7) And when the water gets low, the alarms go off.

I don't know about the other pumps, but if I were to do the dosing pump thing (for two part, right?) I'd get the spectrapure again just as a known good quality (for me).

V
 
I've had litermeter III for about 4-5 years and have no complaints with it, it's been a workhorse for me. I use it for top off, calcium & alk. The only problem is the alk dries up/ precipitates & clogs up the line so I have to clear it out regularly. If I were starting anew I'd probably go with the GHL- I like how they're all together, the interface is better & you can have up to 4 pumps, litermeter tops out at 3.
 
Thanks for all the great advice!

I ended up buying a Liter Meter 3.
BRS had a memorial day sale.

I was leaning toward GHL, but only 1 store in the US seems to sell them, and they
were out of stock. Scared me off.
 
CookieJar said:
I've had litermeter III for about 4-5 years and have no complaints with it, it's been a workhorse for me. I use it for top off, calcium & alk. The only problem is the alk dries up/ precipitates & clogs up the line so I have to clear it out regularly. If I were starting anew I'd probably go with the GHL- I like how they're all together, the interface is better & you can have up to 4 pumps, litermeter tops out at 3.
Click to expand...

If your peristaltic lline is drying out, your pump head is broken. It should never allow liquid out unless pumped. If it does, there is a leak someplace.
 
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