Calcium Reactor Single or Dual?? Help please.

[StupidsReef]

Ok I now have the dough to buy a Calcium Reactor but I'm stuck at a crossroad. Single chamber or Dual?? Everything I've read in books, and on RC's On-line mag suggest going Dual, but then everyone I talk to say either I dunno or single. So what are the pro's to each or the different really is the question??

I will also be buying a Nelson/KalK reactor in which I will fill with pickling lime and it will run at night when PH levels tend to drop. But I wanted to know if anyone here had their suggestion on which one to use, a Single or dual chamber and why you suggest it??


Thanks Stupid.

 

[DrBDC]

The dual is "supposed" to have less of a pH lowering effect. I can't say that I've ever played with either though. A kalk reactor is commonly used for a pH offset to the low pH of the ca reactor. Obviously you only need to run it just enough for the pH fix, not to really perform ca/alk supplementation.

I personally just do evaporation and replacement with limewater. That won't work on a tank after you get more coral growth unless you can force a lot of evaporation though. And as I'm finding out now, it seems evaporation is much lower when you run a chiller and the tank doesn't get as hot.

 

[StupidsReef]

Yes, Roy you are correct. And I most likely won't have "that much" evaporation. From what I gather the second chamber is to safely raise the lowered PH value back up to the correct level before returning it to the sump/tank. It is also suppose to use any extra CO2 that might be left in the water to keep it from presipitaion. However with all this greatness of the second chamber I've noticed that most folks will use the GEO reactor with is a single unit NOT a dual. So I'm confused if thats do to easy set up and running or price or does it matter??

 

[DrBDC]

Part of that is because GEO products are so well constructed. I have one of his beckett skimmers. My previous skimmer was an etss800 and it was very well made too. But it still is not as tough feeling as the GEO. If he made a dual chamber ca reactor, it would sell like hot cakes. He probably does if you contact him directly.

Just having room for a second chamber is probably a big issue as well. I know on Justins tank needing to keep it all underneath, there are many things that I never thought of "fit" being an issue since I've had a fish room. But everything from skimmer size to even phosban reactor space becomes an issue. It's a whole different mind set to designing the layout.

 

[StupidsReef]

Maybe I will contact him and see if he offers a dual chambered one. I like the Idea of what it's suppose to do and I am not going to buy a single just becuase it's built so good if a dual chambered one is the better unit to use. Room isn't really an issue for me although Lonnie might not like that, But I have an intire room deadicated to this hobby (sometimes I think he forgets that part) :lol: .

 

[chadfarmer]

ph difference between a single and dual is .03-- .03 higher effuent out of the second chamber

doesnt matter which one you get?

 

[chadfarmer]

dsphinsx2 has a geo add on reator chamber you can make one out of a phosban reactor if you want

 

[StupidsReef]

So are you saying that the second chamber IYO is more or less not really need but a way to make extra money off the reefer?? I mean .03 isn't much at all of a rise.

 

[sirreal63]

I have had no ph issues and I keep my reactor cranking. I removed the MRC and am running a greatly modified Korallin. I am keeping the calcium at 420 and the dkh at 10 consistently and the sps are growing nicely and have for a long time. I think the second chamber is more hype and added expense than is needed. With smaller water volumes I can see ph being an issue with your tank it won't be an issue.

Get the GEO single and you will be happy, just make sure you run a ph controller on it.

 

[Nanook]

With a recirculating calcium reactor, there is no need for a second chamber. I have talked with Geo about this in the past and he designs single-stage, recirculating reactors instead of the duals he used to make dt a negligible difference....save your money, get a nice Geo recirculating reactor.

 

[StupidsReef]

Thank you Jack. I was wondering if it was just hype or if there was something in fact to it. The GEO 18 is what I would be getting. It's a package deal that was refered to me that has all the goodies with it. Just open it plug it up and go I think. I just have to ask all the Questions do to you can't trust every site out there and MRC made out the dual chamber to be something of greatness. I noticed that GEO didn't where as others do so I was confuse as to who was leading me in the right direction. Thanks again for your replies.

 

[StupidsReef]

Thank you Nook. I'll go with Mark's suggestion. I was just reading the site's of different manufactures of them and getting confused.