Manual dosing has been a thing of the past for several years now, and every year new automatic dosing pumps are introduced to the market. Red Sea entered the market relatively late when the company released the ReefDose in May. Was it worth the wait? Read about it here!
The Red Sea ReefDose 2 and ReefDose 4 are two automatic, wirelessly controllable dosing pumps. They were launched in May 2021, complete with all the bells and whistles. Red Sea was certainly not the first company to bring such a dosing pump to market. Dozens of others had already done so, but the announcement still made quite a splash in our hobby. After all, Red Sea is a major and well-regarded player. With this addition, Red Sea is expanding its own ecosystem to an impressive scale. This means you can now purchase a Red Sea aquarium, lighting, flow pump, skimmer, refractometer, salt, and now, a Red Sea dosing pump as well.
We tested the ReefDose 4 while also using the Red Sea Reef Foundations system. This is a simple program that meets the basic needs of corals using just a few elements. We’ll provide a detailed report on this later.
Construction Quality and Design
It shouldn’t really come as a surprise, but Red Sea still manages to impress with the high build quality of this new unit. The whole unit feels solid, but more importantly, the four dosing heads themselves were designed entirely by Red Sea. With this, the company is taking on the dozens of companies that produce cookie-cutter designs using parts from other manufacturers.
Not only does this pose a risk for Red Sea, but it also shows that they mean business. Red Sea clearly wants to make a statement with the ReefDose, and uses “step-controlled heads” that allow for the delivery of minimal amounts of liquid without the use of expensive stepper motors.
The ReefDose has one goal in mind: dispensing small amounts of liquid with a high degree of accuracy. Everything about it is designed with this in mind, from the dispensing heads to the optional set of dispensing tubes that clearly indicate which product comes out of which tube. The device claims an accuracy of 0.05 ml, and our tests show that it actually achieves this.
Usage
Equipped with four dosing heads—which can dispense four different liquids into the aquarium—we’re ready to get started with the Red Sea Reef Foundations system. First, download the ReefBeat app, as you’ll need it to easily control the device.
Important note: The app has a strange bug during registration that prevents you from signing up if you select Belgium or the Netherlands as your country. You must register under the German flag; otherwise, you’ll receive error code “0” when you try to complete the process.
Fortunately, the app works well after this unpleasant start. The interface is clear, responds quickly, and setting up the ReefDose 4 is a breeze thanks to the simple instructions. Calibration is a piece of cake, and before long we’re able to add those precious drops of additives to our aquarium.
During our weeks-long test, we didn’t encounter any significant problems. The ReefDose 4 works wonderfully and quickly alerts you to minor issues. For example, the app can send notifications to your smartphone and via email when a dosing head isn’t working, as well as when the connection is lost. Records of missed doses and a volume monitor are useful features that make managing the additives easier.
Decision
Red Sea took a long time to release the ReefDose dosing pump, but it was worth the wait. The ReefDose 4 works exceptionally well. It’s great that setting up the device is quick and, above all, hassle-free—except for the registration bug. Red Sea clearly has an eye for detail, including a calibration measuring cup, stickers with the product names of Red Sea additives, a high-quality manual, and blank stickers for those who want to dose other products. Making separately available products—such as the colored tubing and the ReefDose mounting system—accessible sets Red Sea and the ReefDose apart from the competition.
But what matters most is the Red Sea ReefDose’s optimal performance—which is exceptionally accurate—and its ease of use. Finally, there’s the price of 349 EUR, which leaves certain competitors far behind. We can therefore highly recommend the Red Sea ReefDose 4.
