Kangaroo 324 Dosing Pumps

[Noel]

If your looking for a dosing pump at a very reasonable price, that has a 30 day guarantee and has been cleaned, checked for operation and recalibrated (at least mine where). I've arranged a "group buy" for you, all you need to do if you want one is call and place an order.

The price is $50.00 each + Shipping. They accept Visa and MasterCard. Please note that these are USED pumps, cosmetic appearance may vary.

Contact:

Philip Stuemke
NOVATEK Medical
8589 N. 300th St.
Altamont, IL 62411
618-483-9198
888-756-3047

Let him know that I referred you. Pumps may be in limited supply, but he indicates that they get these in all of the time.

The nice thing about the Kangaroo pumps is that they were and still are in wide-spread use throughout the US medical system and parts, bags/pump-sets etc. are readily available.

He also can supply the pump sets but I didn't buy mine from him and I do not know the price, but they are available on Ebay as well as from other sources, including, your local medical equipment dealer. I modify the pump sets to work with Kent AquaDose containers by snipping off the bag and using 1/4" and 3/8" RO tubing and Superglue gel; glue the pump set tubing inside the 1/4" and the 1/4" inside the 3/8", I could eliminate the 3/8" if I could find a 3/8" MPT to 1/4" compression adapter or elbow .. maybe next time I go to The County Stores in Milford, NH (they are great!).

Update: I couldn't find an adapter, but I did modify my process a little, instead of supergluing the pump set tubing inside 1/4" RO tubing and then that inside 3/8" tubing, I just used the 3/8" and packed it full of aquamend putty epoxy, keeping the tubing as centered as possible inside the 3/8". It worked even better than the Superglue method.

I use mine to deliver Randy Holmes-Farley's homemade Alk/Calc/Mag receipe, the other is a spare. They will deliver up to 300 ml./hr.

This is a non-commercial post. I'm not making anything, either in cash or in kind by posting this referral. I've already bought 4 pumps from him; one previously, three today. Please treat him "gently" when contacting him, and don't try to "squeeze" him for any further discount, I already tried. They aren't making alot of money off these and it is truly a good deal.

[Noel]

Received the last order I placed via UPS yesterday afternoon. I'm still happy as a proverbial clam, the pumps where clean, well packed and as before recalibrated and the service documented.

Just thought you'd like to know that my first experience with this outfit was not a total fluke.

Regards
Noel

[shawn]

I use to drip manually, but switched to one of these for dosing from a 6 gallon container - one of the best things I've done. They are very accurate (they measure drips delivered), dose from 5ml/hr to 300 ml/hr, and can sound an alarm if there is a flow problem (beep beep ...). My 75g usually requires about 100ml/hr. I haven't had a use for it, but they can also be set to deliver a specific volume, vs. pump continuously. $50 is less than most go for on ebay.

[Piscevore]

Do you have any extras of these noel? I think I want one, but I don't know exactly what I want yet :)

[Noel]

No, I don't have any extras I bought what I needed/wanted and just posted the how to get one (cheap) here.

If you are wanting a dosing pump, I'd recommend that you use this model. As a Nurse (RN) I can tell you from experience that they work, they are reliable and parts/bags are easy to obtain.

I was NOT at all happy with the one I got off ebay from the reefdosingpump.com guy. More expensive and it was not a model that you can expect to find parts/bags/etc for. I returned it for a refund.

Regards
Noel

[Piscevore]

I'm really tempted now. One more question: If I wanted to, could I instead pump from say, a large water jug? I think I've seen other people do that in the far distant past....
In other words, do I -need- the bags/pump sets, or can I just put one end in a bucket and the other above the sump?

[ScottM]

ryan,
i may have an extra for you :D

[Noel]

I pump from Kent 5 gal. aquadose jugs, but you can use anything you want. However, you WILL need to get at least a couple of bags/pump sets (per pump) and modify same to work with whatever container you want (see my original post).

Why a couple? One to use, one or more for spares. They don't last forever. My (modified) pump sets have been going for 2+ months, no reason to believe that they won't last several months more or longer.

Bags/pump sets run about $1-$3 each on ebay. I bought a case of 30 or so for $40 should last me years.

Regards
Noel

[Noel]

Don't trust this man ... he'll lead you astray and keep you waiting at the door :)

Also, don't let him near your tanks.. he has diamond drills and is not afraid to use `em when your not looking.


Noel

(for them that can't read between the lines .. I'm pickin' on Scott in good humor, he graciously came and drilled my tanks for a closed loop.. and didn't break anything..)

[newreefer03]

Noel, I bought one of these pumps but it only lets me set a 2000 ml limit for the dose. Is there a way to disable the limit?

[Noel]

I don't set a dose limit...

but to answer your question, without mod'ing the controller .. no, not to my knowledge.

Was yours as nice as mine where?

And just a recommendation, run some vinegar through the tubing every once in awhile and then flush with RO, it'll clean out the built-up crud, it seems that the baking soda is the worse culprit.

Noel

[shawn]

Make sure "dose" is set to "0" - it will just keep going and going and going...

[newreefer03]

Thanks guys, that was just the info I need. I just need to figure out a better way to prime the tubing so it won't alarm.
Thanks for the initial heads up Noel. The pump and the salesperson were very nice.

[shawn]

I put my 6 gallon tank above my sump, and get a siphon going through the tubing into the sump. I turn the drip chamber up-side-down to purge air so that I get the liquid at or slightly above the line when I turn it right side up. Then I put the drip chamber in the pump and wrap the soft rubber part around the pump. After that it will pump from a source above or below the discharge point. It takes a little practice to get the hang of leveling the drip chamber, but once you get the hang of it, it is easy and quick. I like to set the level in the drip chamber it a little high as it seems to drop over time.

Good luck!

[Noel]

I use gravity to prime the tubing. Turn the drip chamber upside down to fill up 1/2 - 3/4, flip and let it run through the rest of the tubing. You'll get the hang of it.

My next iteration is to use a coupler to add an extra long bit of poly tubing so I can set the aquadose containers further away, i.e. on a shelf above the pumps. Unfortunatately, the tubing to the bag end, while right for an IV polve, just isn't long enough for this application.

Oh, and interestingly, it seems that those that use B IONOC grow mostly deep purple coraline, the home made 2 part seems to grow lavender coraline (at least so far) ... :)

Well, the wife likes it...

Noel

[ScottM]

I LOVE these things.

i am ordering more.
anyone want in to split shipping
also ordering extra pump sets.

Post soon....

[Piscevore]

Scott. We'll chat tomorrow.

[Bidadari]

Scott, is it $50 for the dosing pump? How much is shipping?

[PenMan]

Let me know on the pump and maybe a split on the bags.

[~Flighty~]

I LOVE these things.

i am ordering more.
anyone want in to split shipping
also ordering extra pump sets.

Post soon....Sounds good, post shipping price if this hasn't happened yet.

[NateHanson]

Would this work for top-off/kalkwasser? I was thinking of a float valve, etc, but that makes me a bit nervous. Do you folks think this would be a good job for this pump?

[denvig]

Scott I'm interested

[denvig]

Directions for this pump can be found here.
http://www.sparrowrms.com/kanga324.htm

[ScottM]

Would this work for top-off/kalkwasser? I was thinking of a float valve, etc, but that makes me a bit nervous. Do you folks think this would be a good job for this pump?
thats exactly what i use it for.
as well as dosing mag, and aclimating new stuff.

as for shipping, once we get a count of everyone interested i will know how much shipping is. I can't imagine its more than 5 or 10.00. ea.
i would guess the extra bags ar less than 5.00 ea

if we can get this together it time maybe i can bring to marcs grand opening.

i currently run an older sentry model and ray took my kangaro to dose topoff/kalk.

Scott
Piscevore
bidadari
Penman
Flighty
Natehanson
Denvig

[denvig]

Scott
This guy modifies these pumps so you can use them with a float switch and not loose your settings. What he does is have the float switch shut off the pump motor but the unit still thinks it?s on so all settings remain because the ?Brain? is still getting power. Do you think we can modify these?

http://reefdosingpumps.com/products/sentry.html

[starrfish]

Scott - I'd like to be included in this buy to help out with the shipping cost.

Daire

[starrfish]

Scott - I decided on a different route. If it's not too late, please don't include me on this. If you already ordered, then I'll keep up my end of the bargain and buy it. :)

Daire

[Ray]

Daire I will take your

[Ray]

Oh if you havent ordered I want one

[~Flighty~]

What is the status on this? I kind of forgot about it.

[karl wagner]

I'd like to get in on this. Put me down for 2 please.

[skyedolphan]

I would like 1 also please :)

[shawn]

If this hasn't happened yet, I'd also like one...

[Noel]

You know you don't have to wait to get these pumps...

The shipping was very reasonable when I bought my (4) pumps, the guy was not at that time into ripping people off either on the price of the pump or the shipping.

If he had, I would have never posted this.

Regards
Noel

[starrfish]

This is a stupid question, but can this pump be run under the tank? I currently don't have a drilled tank, and I don't have a sump yet. Can this pump UP to the tank, or does it need to be above the water level? I know this would be a good solution for my long-term plans (drilled tank with sump), but I was wondering if I could also use it in the short-term to dose kalk.

Thanks,
Daire

[Noel]

Yes, it could be placed below the tank and pumped up.

Regards
Noel

[starrfish]

Great Noel - thanks. I'm going to give the guy a buzz today.

Daire

[starrfish]

I called the guy this morning - he was extremely nice and helpful on the phone. I couldn't wait, so I ordered one. He said the shipping would be around $10. He also had the pump kits for $2.

Thanks for the tip Noel. I told him you referred me.

Daire

[NateHanson]

Can you get pump heads for this pump to allow you to dispense two equal volumes of different solutions? (2-part additive)

[Noel]

No you can't.. and don't let the dude that sells these on Ebay fool you either, his $100+ "dual" feed consisted of a home-brewed pump set which if it breaks your not going to be able to obtain anywhere but from him if he's still around and a pump which has no commercial support in the US.

I know, I bought one and returned it. And if I haven't mentioned it before, I chose the Kangaroo 324 because I know that it was and still is in wide-spread use in the US. (I'm not just a web hosting provider/jack-of-all-trades/fish freak.. I'm also an RN). Meaning you can easily get pump sets and you could, if they weren't so cheap, even get the unit repaired if desired.

As to pumping equal volumes, what I find is that you typically end up pumping one part at one rate and another at another based upon usage and testing and, if you making your own 2 part, based upon the concentration of the solutions as well as the other parameters.

For example, I'm using two pumps right now, one is going at 18 the other at 22.

When I get the 210's setup (I hate plumbing) I'm actually going to pump three parts; Alk, Calcium and Magnesium.

And one other "small" issue, the ALK solution, even mixed at half-strength, ends up clogging the pump set on average about once a month. I "clean it out" by flushing the pump set with vinegar. In my opinion another reason to use seperate pumps.

Regards
Noel

[starrfish]

Received my pump yesterday and I'm dosing kalk today!! I can't believe how easy this was to set up (Dennis, thanks for the link to the instructions - I never would have figured it out on my own). But once you have the instructions in front of you, it's a piece of cake. I used a Poland Springs jug (the one with the spigot on the bottom). I epoxied the tubing from the pump set into the spigot, set the pump, and then I was done! What a great find. Thanks Noel!

Daire

[Tech Diver]

Do you have to specifically use a Sherwood Medical tubing set to make it work? And if so, is there any place in the area where I can walk in and buy one? I got the pump too and noticed the "no SEt" error when I tried to use it as is. Nice pump BTW, and an incredible buy for $50!

[starrfish]

I am by no means an expert, but it doesn't seem that any old pump set will work. I thought an earlier post indicated that one of the benefits of these pumps is that the pump sets are still being widely sold. You should check any local medical supply store. Also, I saw that someone bought a bunch on ebay for really cheap. I ordered mine right from Philip at Novatek Medical.

Hope this helps.

[Tech Diver]

Thanks. I could not find anyone local so I called Philip and ordered 5 sets at $2 a piece. The cost of postage is almost the same as that of the items.

[starrfish]

Maybe we could have a group buy on the pumps sets. I want to order a bunch of extras. Does anyone need pump sets? Or how about the pumps? Scott, did you ever place this order? If not, I'd be willing to do it. We could order pumps and pump sets at the same time to save on shipping. Let me know. I could order and arrange to bring to the December meeting.

Daire

[Noel]

I don't think that any old pump set will work, not unless your into modifying things..

As to sources, most medical supply retailers can either get them for you or might even have them in stock, however, the price will be outrageous! It is after all a piece of medical equipment.

I bought mine on Ebay, just do a search and make sure you get pump sets for the Kangaroo.

I think I paid something like $45.00 for a case of 30.

IF you are you are going to use a jug, Kent AquaDose etc. to hold your solution, then it doesn't matter what "size" pump set you buy, i.e. 1000 cc/ml or 500 cc/ml, since your going to modify the set anyway (see my instructions in the original posting).

I bought my pumps back in June, and I'm still using the original pump sets, which have been running 24X7 since that time. The only thing I have done in that time is to rinse out the pump set for the ALK twice with vinegar due to clogging (just pumped a 100 cc/ml of vinegar through it at 300 cc/ml).

In a nutshell, get your pump sets on Ebay and they last a LONG time.

One last note, the source for the pumps may also have the sets but I have no idea what he charges for them, but it was more than the typical Ebay price. He may allow you to buy a small quantity with your pump, or even entertain the idea of a larger amount as a group buy. Last I knew, he only had the 500 cc/ml sets, no biggie.... if your modifying them.

Regards
Noel

[howman]

i am looking for a dosing pump for my kalk/top off

how did this order work out?
is it a good product?

any comments, opinions, etc...

hm