Calcium reactor or Balling ?

[fishguy597]

That ap regulator looks pretty nice.

 

[dattong]

Be for I had my reactor on a controller I had major problems. The co 2 would build up in between the media and then the gas would let loose. It would continue to syphon even though the circ. Pump was Co 2 bound. So my pH would drop and drop until it turned the water into milk in the ca.then the water in the DT would do the same. This happened to me 3 times . It was Murphey law and it happened 2 times while I was out of town . The 3rd time I came home from work to witness it. May be it was the design of my reactor that it couldn't take that much gas and recirc it idk. All I know is ever since it has been on a controller I have never had that issue again.

Maybe your calrx design has to do with the problem? I've been running calrx for 3 yrs with a simple regulator with no issue.

 

[deeznutz1]

Maybe your calrx design has to do with the problem? I've been running calrx for 3 yrs with a simple regulator with no issue.

Using a simple regulator, how do you shut off your co2?

 

[Denadai]

Using a simple regulator, how do you shut off your co2?

You don´t

I never used a solenoid or controller and I never had a single problem

Best Regards

 

[dattong]

Using a simple regulator, how do you shut off your co2?

The regulator will shut CO2 off when it reaches your preset pH.

 

[Stolireef]

The regulator will shut CO2 off when it reaches your preset pH.

This is not correct.

Unless you have some kind of controller, the regulator will not shut off the flow of CO2 to the reactor. When running without a controller, the trick is to find a bubble rate that maintains the pH in the reactor at a low enough level to very slowly dissolve the media. As demand in your tank increases (growing corals), you increase the bubble rate and increase the effluent rate. It's a bit of a balancing act but it can be done successfully with a little patience. The controller just makes the process much more convenient.

 

[dattong]

This is not correct.

Unless you have some kind of controller, the regulator will not shut off the flow of CO2 to the reactor. When running without a controller, the trick is to find a bubble rate that maintains the pH in the reactor at a low enough level to very slowly dissolve the media. As demand in your tank increases (growing corals), you increase the bubble rate and increase the effluent rate. It's a bit of a balancing act but it can be done successfully with a little patience. The controller just makes the process much more convenient.

I'm sorry I meant the regulator is the controller.

 

[Stolireef]

Gotcha.

 

[deeznutz1]

I'm sorry I meant the regulator is the controller.

Thought so Thanks

and thanks to

Denadai
Stolireef

For clarifying

 

[Dapg8gt]

I believe this is the Holy grail method of running a cal reactor. No need to turn anything on or off.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22754410#post22754410

I'm scouting ebay for a brushless Masterflex daily to run my reactor. Right now I use 2 part but am getting the itch to set and forget. I have a Shuran ca rx but I know my current system will eat it up so geo here I come =).

 

[Oldude]

The only people that say dosing pumps are better are the ones that can't afford a reactor. Thats the only reason !

Hate to burst your bubble - I use dosers and can definately afford a ca reactor if I wanted to get one so apparently $ isn't the ONLY reason.
I have had good success with dosing over the years so I never felt any reason to change to a reactor. The only time I had issues from dosing was years ago when I was dumb enough to use the DOW products like the original two part recipe recommended - that stuff is crap and is barely pure enough to use as 'ice melt'.
I have thought about a reactor several times over the years but again, just never saw the advantage over dosing and especially balling. :beer:
I have never used a reactor and I have had many people come by over the years that use a reactor and tell me they don't get the growth rate & colors I get. That said I don't know enough about reactors to know if their unit is low quality or that they may not even know what they are doing however I am satisfied with my dosing/balling program - maybe I am just used to it. I also know a few with reactors that get fantastic results but as mentioned I just haven't felt the need yet. Anyway the point of my post was to say money isn't always the reason.

 

[Stolireef]

Hate to burst your bubble - I use dosers and can definately afford a ca reactor if I wanted to get one so apparently $ isn't the ONLY reason.
I have had good success with dosing over the years so I never felt any reason to change to a reactor. The only time I had issues from dosing was years ago when I was dumb enough to use the DOW products like the original two part recipe recommended - that stuff is crap and is barely pure enough to use as 'ice melt'.
I have thought about a reactor several times over the years but again, just never saw the advantage over dosing and especially balling. :beer:
I have never used a reactor and I have had many people come by over the years that use a reactor and tell me they don't get the growth rate & colors I get. That said I don't know enough about reactors to know if their unit is low quality or that they may not even know what they are doing however I am satisfied with my dosing/balling program - maybe I am just used to it. I also know a few with reactors that get fantastic results but as mentioned I just haven't felt the need yet. Anyway the point of my post was to say money isn't always the reason.

Proving that there are many different ways to get great results.