I would like some feedback on different calcium reactors. I have recently upgraded from a solana to a 120 gallon (thanks augusta salty) and do not want to continue dosing two part forever. Would anyone be willing to make reccomendations good or bad with regards to manufactures, ease of use etc. Your help is much appreciated.
Calcium reactor
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skriz
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Where's the rope?
Some reactors are better than others. There are a couple of points where there will be little dissagreement: some are built with better materials, are mroe sturdy and are built by companies with better customer service.
Other points can be debated-efficiency, etc.
What can't be denied is the purpose of the reactor: to dissolve as much media as possible in the most efficient way possible.
To get maximum use of your reactor, you want the highest amount of surface area as possible from your media; the greater the surface area, the greater amount of media will be exposed to the acidic solution. Once the reactor is filled with media, you want as much of that media to dissolve as possible (otherwise you're just throwing away perfectly good media).
So, which media will give you the greatest amount of surface area and what reactor design will dissolve this media in the best manner?
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Another parameter you should consider is size of the reaction chamber. Your needs here will vary based on the size of your system (dispaly and possibly frag tanks), the quantity of hard corals in the system and the types of corals. My reactor holds about 20 lbs of media (~2 gallons), therefore I need to refill it only once every 12-18 months. At that time, I re-calibrate the pH probe anb end up tuning the reactor in again.
I would strongly suggest an up-flow model. These are where the water flows up through the media as opposed to down through the media. This reduces channeling and compacting the media. I think all modern reactors are upflow.
Get a pH controller to regulate the pH in the chamber. This makes managing and tuning the reactor MUCH easier.
I would strongly suggest an up-flow model. These are where the water flows up through the media as opposed to down through the media. This reduces channeling and compacting the media. I think all modern reactors are upflow.
Get a pH controller to regulate the pH in the chamber. This makes managing and tuning the reactor MUCH easier.
skriz
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Why would you do that? You've just reduced the total amount of possible surface area.
Yes, the fine media is the superior media. Coarse media eliminates channeling and increases flow through the media. If designed properly, channeling is not an issue that needs to be "corrected" with inferior media. The same goes with the flow; use a good pump and the solution will be forced through the media.
Definitely use a controller with your reactor. It makes calibration a breeze. The largest frustration factor with calcium reactors comes from tuning it without a controller.
An inherit problem with most reactors is channeling. The flow is going to take the path of least resistance; it's physics. You want the solution in the reactor to flow through</em> the media, not around it. So, what design reduces or eliminates channeling? What design forces the solution through the entire column of media?
Hey Andy! You think YOU got shot down...watch this!
Fener my brother. What's wrong with dosing two part for ever? It's practically fool proof. Get a doser and a couple of gallons of 2 part...and you done for a while. Yes an argument can (and will) be made for the long term expense of dosing, but unless you get a really sweet deal on a reactor it's gonna take several years to recoup you dollars. Plus settin one of these thing up???
I say keep dosin!!!:yes:
Fener my brother. What's wrong with dosing two part for ever? It's practically fool proof. Get a doser and a couple of gallons of 2 part...and you done for a while. Yes an argument can (and will) be made for the long term expense of dosing, but unless you get a really sweet deal on a reactor it's gonna take several years to recoup you dollars. Plus settin one of these thing up???
I say keep dosin!!!:yes:
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Your $800 calcium reactor sucks!!
My bad wrong thread:doh:
I'm sure that there are some reactors more efficient than others. By how much? How efficient do they need to be? Geo brand reactors have had good reviews over the years. I run some cheap off brand along with dripping Kalkwasser and have no complaints.
Imo with or without a controller they are no harder to set up than a dosing pump if you understand them. Testing is still required with both.
My bad wrong thread:doh:
I'm sure that there are some reactors more efficient than others. By how much? How efficient do they need to be? Geo brand reactors have had good reviews over the years. I run some cheap off brand along with dripping Kalkwasser and have no complaints.
Imo with or without a controller they are no harder to set up than a dosing pump if you understand them. Testing is still required with both.
skriz
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grouper therapy;539506 wrote: Your $800 calcium reactor sucks!!
My bad wrong thread:doh:
I'm sure that there are some reactors more efficient than others. By how much? How efficient do they need to be? Geo brand reactors have had good reviews over the years. I run some cheap off brand along with dripping Kalkwasser and have no complaints.
Imo with or without a controller they are no harder to set up than a dosing pump if you understand them. Testing is still required with both.
How efficient do they need to be? That depends on how much media and CO2 you'd like to use/waste. The same applies to lighting ballasts; they don't need to be efficient to work.
I'd bet all reactors work to a certain degree. Heck, the Seaclone skimmer is one of the most highly rated skimmers in the market, and probably one of the best selling. It indeed works, but one would be hard pressed to argue that it's just as good as any other skimmer. It comes down to a comparisson between something working and something working better</em>.
Yes, the reactors are by no means difficult to set up. But, using a controller will</em> make it easier to use. Why make it hard on yourself if you don't have to?
The purchaser must decide what is important to him/her and ask the questions about operation, warranty, quality and efficiency. Oh, and price. I have and there are only 2 brands that I would own, but that's just me. Each person will come to their own conclusion.
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How would you waste media if it is not dissolving?
Has anyone actually measured the amount of co2 used between an efficient reactor and a non efficient reactor for comparison or do we just assume they are more efficient becomes some one tells us they are. . What do you measure to determine, the amount of co2 to produce what?
I don't agree with the "a reactor is a reactor" opinion.
I would rather have a solidly built Ca reactor, with thick acrylic, big 0-Rings, Keyhole type lid lock, and quality positive locking fittings for the input, CO2, and effluent.. I just feel more secure that way when I have something like a reactor under pressure sitting outside my sump that could leak 500 gallons of saltwater onto my floor.
I wouldn't own anything but a GEO or an MRC calcium Reactor, period, in the "quality built but not obscenely expensive" category.
I would rather have a solidly built Ca reactor, with thick acrylic, big 0-Rings, Keyhole type lid lock, and quality positive locking fittings for the input, CO2, and effluent.. I just feel more secure that way when I have something like a reactor under pressure sitting outside my sump that could leak 500 gallons of saltwater onto my floor.
I wouldn't own anything but a GEO or an MRC calcium Reactor, period, in the "quality built but not obscenely expensive" category.
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I would rather have a solidly built Ca reactor, with thick acrylic, big 0-Rings, Keyhole type lid lock, and quality positive locking fittings for the input, CO2, and effluent.. I just feel more secure that way when I have something like a reactor under pressure sitting outside my sump that could leak 500 gallons of saltwater onto my floor.
That I totally agree with!
I would rather have a solidly built Ca reactor, with thick acrylic, big 0-Rings, Keyhole type lid lock, and quality positive locking fittings for the input, CO2, and effluent.. I just feel more secure that way when I have something like a reactor under pressure sitting outside my sump that could leak 500 gallons of saltwater onto my floor.
That I totally agree with!
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I build my own CA reactors. Build quality is important. The 1/4" acrylic I used on the first reactor cracked under the pressure of the Mag 3 I used for circulation when the downflow section became plugged. Thankfully I installed the reactor over my sump so I did not end up with the situation Dave mentioned above. 
Hard to beleive that a Mag 3 could crack 1/4" acrylic.
Hard to beleive that a Mag 3 could crack 1/4" acrylic.Seeing as how a controller and a calcium reactor are my next purchases for my tank, I've been following this thread because I've often wondered myself what the difference between a $150 reactor and a $500 reactor was...
And would someone please explain why a second chamber is desireable, aside from having to refill the media sooner?
And would someone please explain why a second chamber is desireable, aside from having to refill the media sooner?
skriz
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The second chamber will not prevent you from having to refil the media sooner.
The second chamber is a buffering chamber. It will use the affluent from the first chamber to dissolve a little more media, using excess CO2 and raising the ph of the affluent.
skriz
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See below
A good sandbed will naturally buffer also.
Dripping kalkwasser can help counteract the ph surpressing qualities of a calcium reactor. I've found the combination of the two will result in ridiculous growth and colouration of the corals.
