Good evening everyone, I'm now starting to research calcium reactors. Im looking for suggestions, vertex looks nice but out of business I believe. What do you guys think of the avast marine or others. I appreciate any feedback and knowledge. Im also leaning toward using a carbon doser if I go with a calcium reactor. And last what are the advantages and advantages of running a dual chamber? Thanks
Calcium reactor suggestions
- Thread starter Reefchef
- Start date
I think the reason for the dual chamber was to help offset low ph as it exits the last stage but BRS did a test and showed it was insignificant.
I use a vertex and really like it. Only took it apart once after a year to clean and refill.
I use the carbon doser and its super easy to tune, I picked up a nice dual stage tho from @york1 that I need to hook up. When did you plan to buy? I might sell mine.
I use a vertex and really like it. Only took it apart once after a year to clean and refill.
I use the carbon doser and its super easy to tune, I picked up a nice dual stage tho from @york1 that I need to hook up. When did you plan to buy? I might sell mine.
Im not sure yet, I'm in the research phase now but starting to get antsy for corals! I know it's not a must have but would just like to try to have everything pretty much ready before adding corals. Whenever you hook up your new one, just pm me a price if you do decide to sale. Can you still get the vertex calcium reactors?
Not sure, everyone liquidated it pretty quick. There is someone selling a CRx right now. Seems like a fair price for the size.
As @civics14 already mentioned, the dual chamber's purpose is to offset the low ph of the effluent. It supposedly raises the effluent dkh as well. There are some reports of better co2 scrubbing and higher effluent dkh by using a bigger secondary chamber filled with crushed coral. I use an Avast reactor filled with crushed coral as my secondary reactor. I cant say for sure it helped my ph as I use a CO2 scrubber to keep my ph high. I'd suggest getting one with a probe holder on it. Some dont use a ph probe and just fine tune but it is easier to use a ph probe to control it. Its a nice option to have in case you want to use it. I had to DIY a probe holder since mine doesnt come with one.
The ability to control your calcium reactor with a PH probe seams appealing, at least it did for me when I first started. Easy right? Decide on a PH level, test your alk, wait 48 hours, test again.... Well, I did this got everything stable. A year down the road, PH probe failed and alk dropped to high 5's, slowly brought it back up. Controller board failed, another alk swing.
Needless to say, I no longer depend on the PH of the reactor as my control. I highly recommend measuring your effluent and using this calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/reactor/reactor.html. Since I did this, my Alk is back to being rock solid as the effluent is based on your co2 bubbles and you can have your controller as a fail safe. Sometimes old school is just the way to go.
And thats why most experience reefers do without the ph controller. Its the most failsafe way for sure. I have a trident so it would catch it before it gets too high or low and I have 2 different ph setpoints for day and night dosing to minimize the swing.
For the reactor, and since your not in a hurry, keep an eye out for the following in no specific order. MRC CR-1, Geo CR618 (you can add a second chamber to either of these two if you want to.) Lifereef LCR1, MTC Pro-Cal. If you can find any of these used they are all very good units.
I've never used a Carbon Doser so I can't comment on it. Anyone that knows me knows I like redundancy. For the cost of a Carbon Doser, unless you get a used one, you can get a nice dual dual stage regulator, needle valve, solenoid combo. There's a guy on Ebay, affinityaquatics, that sells very good units. Both @urbanknight and I got one from him. If you don't see anything listed by him use the contact function in Ebay and he'll get back to you.
I've never used a Carbon Doser so I can't comment on it. Anyone that knows me knows I like redundancy. For the cost of a Carbon Doser, unless you get a used one, you can get a nice dual dual stage regulator, needle valve, solenoid combo. There's a guy on Ebay, affinityaquatics, that sells very good units. Both @urbanknight and I got one from him. If you don't see anything listed by him use the contact function in Ebay and he'll get back to you.
