Calcium Reactor Advice

[dimasv]

Hi guys,

need some advice on calcium reactor for 180gal reef. I have couple of softies but plan to start SPS as soon as I setup reactor.
1. Is that really worth to buy 2 chamber reactor ?
2. SO far I am looking at the GEO and Reef Octopus models any suggestion ?

One chamber
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/GEO-Calcium...330309?hash=item211a30db85:g:evsAAOSwcLxYIO4q

or two ?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/GEO-6x12-WH...327727?hash=item211a30d16f:g:bX0AAOSwImRYIOzY

 

[Stickboy97]

My $.02, my second chamber has kept my tank PH from being effected by my CaRx. I'm using GEO and like them very much.

 

[solitude127]

Take a look at aquamaxx reactors. I'm really liking mine especially if footprint is a concern

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[scuzy]

Take a look at aquamaxx reactors. I'm really liking mine especially if footprint is a concern

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I love the aquamaxx too cause it didn't drain the reactor when taking pump off for service.


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[dimasv]

My $.02, my second chamber has kept my tank PH from being effected by my CaRx. I'm using GEO and like them very much.

Does GEO requires a lot of maintenance ?

 

[david_lee]

Not at all on mine..Just your typical maintance..I usually wait and clean mine when i add or change media.

 

[slief]

Definitely the 2 chamber one. And Geo's require no more maintenance than any other calcium reactor.

 

[jda]

My only real requirements are reverse flow and an Ehiem pump. If your reactor is tuned appropriately with no excess CO2, then a second chamber does nothing... but if not then, it can help your tank with some higher PH.

Any good quality unit should be fine. I usually just buy a used setup for a fraction of the price when somebody leave the hobby... I am more picky about the regulator and needle-valve or CarbonDoser box than the actual reactor.

 

[Stickboy97]

No real maint per say, so far.

 

[Mknuwet]

My only real requirements are reverse flow and an Ehiem pump. If your reactor is tuned appropriately with no excess CO2, then a second chamber does nothing... but if not then, it can help your tank with some higher PH.

Any good quality unit should be fine. I usually just buy a used setup for a fraction of the price when somebody leave the hobby... I am more picky about the regulator and needle-valve or CarbonDoser box than the actual reactor.

Can't a second chamber add additional media to increase the size of tank it can go on?

I was told that a geo 624 can handle a 500g tank if you add a 2nd chamber. Is this false?

 

[soulpatch]

additional media does not mean it is for use on a larger tank. It just changes the time you need to swap out the media. The tiniest reactor can work on a super large tank but you might be swapping media weekly/monthly.

I have the Vertex unit and like it utilize the secondary chambers and such for zeo mag to be incorporated. Setup like BRS did.

I agree with others though that the reactor itself is really of little concern. The larger concern is a quality regulator and feed pump for the unit. If you score a peristalic pump (masterflex or even spectrapure ultra precise ATO pump) you can set the feed rate into the reactor and thus have that exact same amount pushed into the tank. No needle valve on the effluent line needed which could clog. Super simple.

In terms of maintenance I have swapped out my CO2 tank (only a 5 pounder) once in the past year after about 8 months of usage and the media is still going strong at the moment. Likely to be swapped out at the 18 month to 2 year mark.... The recirc pump gets cleaned once every 6 months with my other sump pumps.