What Is the Aquascape SL Automatic Dosing System?
If you've been browsing our water treatment products, you'll have noticed most of them are labelled "SL — Automatic Dosing System." If you're not sure what that means or whether it applies to your setup, this guide explains exactly what the Dosing System SL is, how it works, and who it's for.
What Is the Aquascape Dosing System SL?
The Aquascape Dosing System SL is an electronically operated dispenser that automatically doses micro amounts of specially formulated water treatment your pond or water feature a on a set schedule — twice a day, every day.
Instead of manually measuring and adding treatment each week, the dosing system handles it for you. You insert a 946ml SL treatment bottle, programme the unit for your water volume using the control panel, and it takes care of the rest. Small, consistent doses applied regularly are significantly more effective — and gentler on your pond's ecosystem — than larger doses added manually every week or two.
How Does It Work?
The unit sits beside your water feature and draws treatment from the SL bottle via an intake tube. A small internal pump dispenses a precise dose directly into the water feature twice daily on standard settings, or four times daily if you select the 2X option.
When you first set it up — or when switching to a new treatment bottle — the system needs to prime itself. Hold the 2X button for 3 seconds until the LED flashes and the unit will prime automatically, taking around 10 minutes. It then returns to normal operation on its own.
The control panel is programmed based on your water feature's volume in gallons. Aquascape recommends running the 2X setting for the first two weeks of a new treatment before dropping back to standard dosing.
What's included in the box:
Injection-moulded enclosure and hood
Control panel
Treatment intake assembly
Internal and external treatment tubing
Low-voltage transformer
What Size Water Feature Is It Designed For?
This is an important one. The Dosing System SL is designed for smaller water features up to approximately 8,500 litres. That covers most residential pondless waterfalls, fountains, and small-to-medium ecosystem ponds.
If your water feature is larger than this, the standard SL system won't be sufficient — get in touch and we can advise on the right solution for your setup.
Which SL Products Are Compatible?
All of the following treatments are formulated specifically for the Dosing System SL:
Maintain for Ponds SL — the all-in-one foundation treatment for ecosystem ponds. Combines beneficial bacteria, phosphate binder, flocculant and pond detoxifier. This is what most Southern Waterscapes pond builds are set up to run as the primary treatment.
Clean for Ponds SL — targets organic waste and sludge using heterotrophic bacteria. Works well paired with Maintain for best results.
Clear for Ponds SL — fast-acting clarifier for ponds experiencing persistent cloudiness. Particularly effective when dosed slowly and consistently via the system rather than shock-treating manually.
Clean for Fountains & Waterfalls SL — cleans and clarifies pondless waterfalls, fountains and water features without fish.
Prevent for Fountains & Waterfalls SL — prevents white scale, foam and staining in pondless features. Not suitable for features containing fish.
All SL products can also be added manually without the dosing unit — the SL formulation is a higher-concentration version designed for precise automated dosing, but works perfectly well dosed by hand following the bottle instructions.
Maintenance
The system requires minimal upkeep. When replacing treatment bottles, take a moment to inspect the tubing and clear any debris with a soft pipe cleaner. The internal pump cartridge is a consumable part — it can wear over time and may need replacing if dosing accuracy drops. Contact us if you notice the system isn't performing as expected.
Do I Need the Dosing System?
You don't need it, but it makes a real difference. If your pond or waterfall was built by Southern Waterscapes, the dosing system is something that comes as standard on installation. It's particularly useful if:
You travel regularly or are away from home for extended periods
You want genuinely set-and-forget pond maintenance
You have fish and want consistent water quality without the risk of forgetting a manual dose
If you prefer to dose manually, we stock the full range of the aquascape complete treatments in easy to use pump bottle dosing.
Where Can I Get One?
The Dosing System SL unit is available to order through Southern Waterscapes. Get in touch via the contact page or call 021 035 9451 and we'll confirm the right setup for your feature size and treatment needs.
The SL treatment products are available directly from our online store with NZ-wide delivery.