Calcium reactor or Balling ?

[Stolireef]

Premium aquatics has a very good package deal on the Geo

 

[sirreal63]

No disrespect or anything but that Milwaukee regulator is aweful. I had one and kept tinkering with the thing until I was blue in the face. I upgraded to the AP regulator and it's night and day. Beautiful piece of equipment.

The Milwaukee regulator is ok, the solenoid and needle valve are where the issues with it usually are. I used the AP add on box, in place of the solenoid and needle valve and it worked flawlessly. Prior to that, it took constant fiddling at times until I dissembled the needle valve and cleaned it. It became a yearly issue with taking the needle valve off and cleaning it. The add on box eliminated that. The Milwaukee will never be in the same league as a Harris Two Stage, but for our purposes it works, once the needle valve is eliminated.

 

[Stolireef]

The Milwaukee regulator is ok, the solenoid and needle valve are where the issues with it usually are. I used the AP add on box, in place of the solenoid and needle valve and it worked flawlessly. Prior to that, it took constant fiddling at times until I dissembled the needle valve and cleaned it. It became a yearly issue with taking the needle valve off and cleaning it. The add on box eliminated that. The Milwaukee will never be in the same league as a Harris Two Stage, but for our purposes it works, once the needle valve is eliminated.

Yup. The needle valves seem to need constant adjustment as the tank pressure changes. Also good to put the CO2 on a controller.

 

[fishguy597]

To be honest ever since I put my Milwaukee reg on my apex I hardly ever fiddle with the reg. I have it set for 2bubbles per second. I am running a larger co2 tank I think 25 cu. In 6 years I have only had to clean the needle two times. I'm sure there are better regs but I don't mind mine.

 

[Stolireef]

That makes sense. The bubble rate isn't that important if you are using a controller

 

[deeznutz1]

Cool, I'll have to give them look.

Darn CArx are some expensive in start up cost.:worried:

Premium aquatics has a very good package deal on the Geo

Thanks, I'll check them out.

The Milwaukee regulator is ok, the solenoid and needle valve are where the issues with it usually are. I used the AP add on box, in place of the solenoid and needle valve and it worked flawlessly. Prior to that, it took constant fiddling at times until I dissembled the needle valve and cleaned it. It became a yearly issue with taking the needle valve off and cleaning it. The add on box eliminated that. The Milwaukee will never be in the same league as a Harris Two Stage, but for our purposes it works, once the needle valve is eliminated.

This must explain the problems I had with constant fiddling. The only reason I got away from Carx in the first place.

 

[deeznutz1]

So by the looks of it, the AP is the holy grail of regulators. But if one had to get one that is a bit more inexpensive, which one should I be looking at?:worried:

thanks

-dan

 

[dattong]

That makes sense. The bubble rate isn't that important if you are using a controller

True that, I would never run a calrx without one. One mishap was enough. I had the whole five # bottle of CO2 dumped into my tank over night due to needle valve failure. All my fish got killed.

I've never had any problem with dialing a calrx ever since I use a CO2 controller. Set it at 6.5 and turn the bubble rate to a point that will trigger my controller every 20-30 min, adjust the effluent to a small stream then increase it as needed. My SPS grow very well.

 

[deeznutz1]

True that, I would never run a calrx without one. One mishap was enough. I had the whole five # bottle of CO2 dumped into my tank over night due to needle valve failure. All my fish got killed.

I've never had any problem with dialing a calrx ever since I use a CO2 controller. Set it at 6.5 and turn the bubble rate to a point that will trigger my controller every 20-30 min, adjust the effluent to a small stream then increase it as needed. My SPS grow very well.

So considering I have a RKE controller, how would I set it up?

One Ph probe to turn it off when ph reaches a certain tank PH from 8.4- 8.2(turn off)

Or

Two Ph probes, one monitor over all ph and turn off at 8.2 from 8.4 and one in the reactor to turn it off if the ph reaches less then 6.5?

I'm confused lol

 

[dattong]

So considering I have a RKE controller, how would I set it up?

One Ph probe to turn it off when ph reaches a certain tank PH from 8.4- 8.2(turn off)

Or

Two Ph probes, one monitor over all ph and turn off at 8.2 from 8.4 and one in the reactor to turn it off if the ph reaches less then 6.5?

I'm confused lol

I'm sorry I can't help you with this because I'm not running RKE. I'm running the Milwaukee regulator -the green one, bought it used and it works great the past two years.

**********added text********

I don't know anything about RKE, but if it does support 2 pH probes than you can use one for the reactor and the other to monitor pH of the tank. Depending on what calcium media you use, set your desired pH in the reactor so it won't mush. I use Reborn coarse size and I find it melts very well at 6.6-6.7.

 

[dattong]

For the probe, I use only one probe that goes in the pH port of the calrx, and have the effluent go into the high flow area of the sump section right after the skimmer.

 

[Stolireef]

You just need one ph probe that monitors and controls the pH in either the reactor or its effluent. CO2 turns on when ph get too high and turns off when it hits your low point.

 

[goreef170]

Just found this thread...

What would you guys do ?

I have a 250 mixed reef, with SPS upper half. Just upgraded about 3 months ago. I am currently dosing with BRS Drews pumps and BRS mixes. These past weeks, I'm having to test each parameter every day to keep up with consumption.
because my system is really starting to use it up fast. Coralline algae and sps are consuming fast. Wondering if I need to switch over to calcium reactor ??

Thanks...

 

[Stolireef]

With your tank volume and, I assume, lots of inhabitants, I suspect that a Ca RX would be much more cost efficient. You might also want to try topping off with kalkwasser to supplement your dosing.

 

[goreef170]

With your tank volume and, I assume, lots of inhabitants, I suspect that a Ca RX would be much more cost efficient. You might also want to try topping off with kalkwasser to supplement your dosing.

Thanks

I see you use the GEO C.R How do you like it ?

 

[dankreef]

Anyone that would use dosing pumps over a ca reactor is crazy. GEO ALL THE WAY. I use geo and AP regulator, mess with my reactor like ... can't remember the last time. Needle valves are CRAPOLA. If you have one you need to ditch it asap. Save yourself the headache. The only people that say dosing pumps are better are the ones that can't afford a reactor. Thats the only reason ! I use ARM xtra coarse for over a year in reactor at 6.74-75 and havn't had to touch anything, no media going down in reactor nothing chunking or dirty. I just buy a new flow regulator the plastic valve that controls the drip once because I saw them at ace.

 

[goreef170]

Anyone that would use dosing pumps over a ca reactor is crazy. GEO ALL THE WAY. I use geo and AP regulator, mess with my reactor like ... can't remember the last time. Needle valves are CRAPOLA. If you have one you need to ditch it asap. Save yourself the headache. The only people that say dosing pumps are better are the ones that can't afford a reactor. Thats the only reason !

Can you give me a list of what I exactly I need to buy...Will go with what you say... Geo and AP regulator...

Thanks for your time
Keith

 

[Piper27]

Every day your consumption rate goes up? I haven't really ever had to do that. It should stay fairly consistent and adjustments should only be done every now and then. At least in my experience.

 

[dankreef]

I have a 180 and I think the GEO 624 I think it was was rated for like a 300g. This thing is so nice and so beast it comes with a world renown pump that is super quiet and efficient. All you need is the GEO 624, Aquarium plants regulator, and a small feed pump that feeds water into the reactor, controller, and media. Thats it. Never mess with ca, kh, mg, again. Also they add other trace elements like stronium and other things as well. I have always used the ARM extra coarse and have my reactor set on 6.74-off at 6.75 (apex) and thats all she wrote.


edit: If you cheap out on the reactor and buy some crappy stuff you will regret it. Reactor and lights spend the $$ for everything else you can cheap out

 

[goreef170]

Every day your consumption rate goes up? I haven't really ever had to do that. It should stay fairly consistent and adjustments should only be done every now and then. At least in my experience.

I think its going up because its a new tank upgrade about 3 month ago. In the past 3 weeks, I added Sps and noticed coralline algae starting to grow...