The 6 Best Dosing Pumps

This wiki has been updated 21 times since it was first published in January of 2019. An automated dosing pump is a useful tool that helps keep your aquarium’s inhabitants healthy and thriving. In reef tanks, these systems ensure that invertebrates receive a proper supply of the calcium and magnesium they require. In freshwater environments, they administer essential nutrients needed by plants for growth. Here we rank these devices for reliability, ease of operation, and price. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.

This wiki has been updated 21 times since it was first published in January of 2019. An automated dosing pump is a useful tool that helps keep your aquarium’s inhabitants healthy and thriving. In reef tanks, these systems ensure that invertebrates receive a proper supply of the calcium and magnesium they require. In freshwater environments, they administer essential nutrients needed by plants for growth. Here we rank these devices for reliability, ease of operation, and price. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.

1. Aqua Medic Evo 4

The Aqua Medic Evo 4 (around $236) attaches via a wire to the external controller, which features a convenient keypad and an easy-to-read, backlit screen. It accommodates four channels, and that number can be doubled when it's connected to an extension unit that’s sold separately.

Quality tested by experts
Quick and simple to mount
Self-priming design

2. Kamoer X4

It's a cinch to use the companion app that comes with the Kamoer X4 (appx. $349) to manage the addition of nutrients to your tank from anywhere. It’s equipped with four liquid level detection inputs, as well as a helpful temperature monitoring feature with a threshold alarm.

Compatible with smartphones and pcs
High calibration accuracy
Handy backlit lcd

3. Eshopps Master

With the Eshopps Master (around $252), you can set the clock and the dosing times with ease in just a matter of minutes. Its microcomputer controls the two chambers of fluid with precision, and you can add up to six more channels if you purchase compatible slave units.

Helpful tutorial videos online
Made in the usa
For saltwater or freshwater use

4. Neptune Systems DOS

The Neptune Systems DOS (appx. $375) is great for adding 2-part calcium and alkalinity supplements to reef aquariums, and it's capable of micro-dosing down to 0.1 milliliter. You can set it manually on the front of the unit or program it with a controller, which is sold separately.

Can perform automatic water changes
Variable-speed stepper motor
On the pricey side

5. CoralBox Wifi

The CoralBox Wifi (appx. $200) offers four sturdy pumps, and you can set each of their daily liquid volumes and more by use of the convenient companion app. It comes with everything you need for assembly, such as tubing, mounting screws, and a graduated cylinder for calibration.

Aluminum housing resists corrosion
Backed by a one-year warranty
Can let air bubbles into lines

6. Jebao DP-4

The four-head Jebao DP-4 (about $64) helps keep your tank’s parameters stable and eliminates the need for mixing supplements daily. Each channel can be programmed individually to dispense a precise amount of liquid up to 24 times a day.

An affordable choice
Some spare parts included
Poorly written user manual

Last updated by Karen Bennett

Karen Bennett lives in Chicago with her family, and when she’s not writing, she can usually be found practicing yoga or cheering on her kids at soccer games. She holds a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s in English, and her writing has been published in various local newspapers, as well as “The Cheat Sheet,” “Illinois Legal Times,” and “USA Today.” She has also written search engine news page headlines and worked as a product manager for a digital marketing company. Her expertise is in literature, nonfiction, textbooks, home products, kids' games and toys, hardware, teaching accessories, and art materials.

Thanks for reading the fine print. About the Wiki: We don't accept sponsorships, free goods, samples, promotional products, or other benefits from any of the product brands featured on this page, except in cases where those brands are manufactured by the retailer to which we are linking. For more information on our rankings, please read about us, linked below. The Wiki is a participant in associate programs from Amazon, Walmart, Ebay, Target, and others, and may earn advertising fees when you use our links to these websites. These fees will not increase your purchase price, which will be the same as any direct visitor to the merchant’s website. If you believe that your product should be included in this review, you may contact us, but we cannot guarantee a response, even if you send us flowers.