Calcium Reactor / CO2 Questions

[GreyG35]

I'm seriously considering the purchase of a Calcium reactor. Where does everyone get their tanks & CO2 locally? Roughly what should the tanks and CO2 cost? Is there someplace that's better than another on the west side of Rochester (I'm in Spencerport).

Also, does anyone have any experience with this reactor:
GEO Calcium Reactor / Premium Aquatics

I like the size of this reactor, since I have limited space left in my cabinet -- the CO2 tank will have to go in the basement -- is it any problem running the CO2 tubing 15-20 feet?

Any other suggestions? Thanks!!

 

[MarksReef]

You might want to grab this soon.
http://rochester.craigslist.org/zip/150850997.html
I've never owned a GEO but I hear they are great.

 

[gary greguire]

I got mine here http://stores.ebay.com/ACRYLICCITY They are in canada so shipping is a little slow.

 

[zanclus]

I am currently using a Geo reactor and love it. Very easy to operate and it keepy my calcium and alk levels rock steady. I am just setting it up on my new tank and expect it to work just as well.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Re: Calcium Reactor / CO2 Questions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7172486#post7172486 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GreyG35
I'm seriously considering the purchase of a Calcium reactor. Where does everyone get their tanks & CO2 locally? Roughly what should the tanks and CO2 cost? Is there someplace that's better than another on the west side of Rochester (I'm in Spencerport).

If you do a search on this topic in this forum you'll get a lot of suggestions regarding reactors, their supplies and how to run them. I think Jackson Welding Supply (near Mt Read exit of 490) is still the cheapest place to go for CO2 and tanks.
GEO makes a good reactor. Suggestion: use a small (#5 or #10) CO2 tank. I don't know about CO2 tubing length limits.

 

[GreyG35]

Thanks for your responses! Here's another (maybe stupid) question:

If I wanted to put the reactor in the basement (but keep my sump/fuge under the tank cabinet), would I need to put some big pump on the output of the reactor to pump up roughly 13 feet like I did with my topoff system (used a Mag 7)? Or if I used a powerhead to feed the reactor from the sump, would the pressure behind the PH and dropping the 13 feet to the reactor be enough to keep things moving (since the output will end up at roughly the same water level as the PH)?

Am I right in thinking that since the CR is a sealed unit, the water pressure will be maintained from the powerhead up to it's rated head pressure, or am I looking at this wrong?

I hope this makes sense!

Thanks!!

 

[gary greguire]

I am not sure if you could ever get the reactor to stop leaking with that much pressure...

 

[GreyG35]

I was think of a Maxijet 1200 at the max -- not really alot of pressure, and it is the recommended input pump for the GEO reactor I was looking at -- will the 12-13 foot drop with realatively small tubing really add that much pressure that it would cause leaks??