Lifereef vs Korallin Ca reactor?
- Thread starter zuzecawi
- Start date
SolidDetail808
Unofficial #1 BJ Penn fan
I got a lifereef built like a tank. Only complaint is the mag 3 pump it uses. It's a little to loud for me. The Korallin uses a eheim which I think is silent.
bergzy
New member
lifereef looks like a great reactor. but i am not a big mag 3 fan when it comes to recirc pumps for ca reactors...as i had to replace the mag 3 on my old ca reactor twice.
i now use a korallin and love the (fluidized) reverse flow it offers. the bullet proof eheim that it uses also is a bonus.
korallin is probably the trickiest ca ractor to use as it has two effluent lines: one from the recirc pump and another from the top of the reactor.
i used to just use the line from the top but for some reason, it also develops an air trap in the pump and shuts down the effluent drip. thus, now i just plumb both lines into one drip line and everything is hunky dory.
the korallin also uses a clear pvc body. sounds cheap and cheesy but in actuality, it is a lot tougher than acrylic (which cracks).
i now use a korallin and love the (fluidized) reverse flow it offers. the bullet proof eheim that it uses also is a bonus.
korallin is probably the trickiest ca ractor to use as it has two effluent lines: one from the recirc pump and another from the top of the reactor.
i used to just use the line from the top but for some reason, it also develops an air trap in the pump and shuts down the effluent drip. thus, now i just plumb both lines into one drip line and everything is hunky dory.
the korallin also uses a clear pvc body. sounds cheap and cheesy but in actuality, it is a lot tougher than acrylic (which cracks).
Americanreef
Member
Does anyone have advice on a good calcium reactor that is reasonable in price but that is a good reactor.
Saltliquid
New member
natural!
natural!
The last system i built had two dry sections,a very large algae environment and a multi level plenum and had cal higher than 500 at each test.
we tried different test kits and it was realy that high.
Had heaps of soft and hard corals and coraline attaching the live rock together and the natural way the filter was designed enabled its own natural cal reactor.
one thing though,there was a resonable work load in relation to maintenance.
natural!
The last system i built had two dry sections,a very large algae environment and a multi level plenum and had cal higher than 500 at each test.
we tried different test kits and it was realy that high.
Had heaps of soft and hard corals and coraline attaching the live rock together and the natural way the filter was designed enabled its own natural cal reactor.
one thing though,there was a resonable work load in relation to maintenance.
landlord
New member
I also use a lifereef reactor. It is powered by a Mag7 and runs like a champ. I have always had a difficult time getting the bubble counter to adjust "Fine adjustments" but it is dialed in. The only other issue I've had with it is that the seals around the buble counter (teflon tape) needs replacement cause the water within kept seeping out. Also some small seepage around the quick connect at the top of the reactor. All in all the thing is solid and works well. I am very pleased with it.
--landlord
--landlord
cbusreefer
In Memoriam
+1 on Lifereef. Works good for me
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
I have a korallin 1502 and love it. It has dual outputs, but you do not have to use both. I use the one on the top of the lid and have the other blocked off. I have run it this way for about 6 months and have never had an issue.
As for air getting trapped in the top, either you have air being introduced into the system from micro bubbles or you have way to much co2 going into the system. I have never had it lock once from air being introduced.
Also check the prices of clear PVC in a 6" diameter *LOL* It is about 3X more pricey than equal sized acrylic. It is much more durable & resistant to blowing up if someone pressurizes the reactor way beyond the normal pressures they are under "as in setting the pressure reg all wrong"
Also on the ehiem, it is totally silent. & the fact they mount it on the top of the reactor is a blessing as it saves so much space.
All in all, any reactor is only as good as the person setting it up. While a reactor is not rocket science, it just takes patience, small tweaks initially & a lot of testing during setup. Once dialed in, they are pretty much set and forget. I have not messed with mine in 3+ months.
As for air getting trapped in the top, either you have air being introduced into the system from micro bubbles or you have way to much co2 going into the system. I have never had it lock once from air being introduced.
Also check the prices of clear PVC in a 6" diameter *LOL* It is about 3X more pricey than equal sized acrylic. It is much more durable & resistant to blowing up if someone pressurizes the reactor way beyond the normal pressures they are under "as in setting the pressure reg all wrong"
Also on the ehiem, it is totally silent. & the fact they mount it on the top of the reactor is a blessing as it saves so much space.
All in all, any reactor is only as good as the person setting it up. While a reactor is not rocket science, it just takes patience, small tweaks initially & a lot of testing during setup. Once dialed in, they are pretty much set and forget. I have not messed with mine in 3+ months.
zuzecawi
Member
Well, I have a Korallin Bio-denitrator that uses the same body as the 1502 calcium reactor, so I'm really well familiar with both how it can get gas bubbles if you don't use both lines or if you don't tweek it just right on inital start up, and with the set up and lay out of it. My thing though, is with the bio-denitrator, the tubing clogs up fairly often, and I'm worried about that happening with the calcium reactor too.
Anybody have that problem with their Korallin model?
Anybody have that problem with their Korallin model?
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
Notta with me, but I am only a user for about 6 months. The end of my output line is starting to get build up on it now, but nothing even close to hampering output.
One thing to note, I bought my unit used. It had been used for probably 2 years when I bought the setup for dirt cheap, but the plastic input pipes & so on were brittle at that time & cracked easily on me. I jimmy rigged them up so I could use it but had to fork over $65 for the new input plumbing bits from marine depot. Not sure if this is an issue with all CA reactors as korallin does not use any special plastic, same as all the others. Most likely just an age thing.
One thing to note, I bought my unit used. It had been used for probably 2 years when I bought the setup for dirt cheap, but the plastic input pipes & so on were brittle at that time & cracked easily on me. I jimmy rigged them up so I could use it but had to fork over $65 for the new input plumbing bits from marine depot. Not sure if this is an issue with all CA reactors as korallin does not use any special plastic, same as all the others. Most likely just an age thing.
Drewcipher
Premium Member
Are you running that Korallin on a 90 gallon? We are looking for a reactor for a 75. Have you had any issues with your levels getting too high? Also, If the Eheim is on top of the reactor and you put the reactor external to the sump, do you need to put another pump in the sump, or prime the reactor to allow the eheim to suck the water out of the sump?
Thanks
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
Yes, I currently run the reactor on my 90. The output is adjustable with any reactor so it would work fine on a 75g.
Again, the levels are adjustable, if you set it up right, your levels will not spike. I personally have never had any levels spike. I have had them drop a tad... so I just increase output a little.
Use a aqualifter for a pump. Open both output valves until water flows out of both. Then just tip the reactor to the side a bit until the eheim primes. It really is that simple
I do not recommend running any reactor without a dedicated pump. Gravity feeds or tapping off of the main return can introduce micro bubbles into the reactor which will lock it up. Also the pressure may not be totally consistant as with an aqualifter.
Again, the levels are adjustable, if you set it up right, your levels will not spike. I personally have never had any levels spike. I have had them drop a tad... so I just increase output a little.
Use a aqualifter for a pump. Open both output valves until water flows out of both. Then just tip the reactor to the side a bit until the eheim primes. It really is that simple
I do not recommend running any reactor without a dedicated pump. Gravity feeds or tapping off of the main return can introduce micro bubbles into the reactor which will lock it up. Also the pressure may not be totally consistant as with an aqualifter.
Drewcipher
Premium Member
Do you leave the aqualifter on all the time, or do you take it off the line once the eheim is running?
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
It is left on all of the time. The eheim simple recirculates fluid in the reactor chamber. The aqualifter forces water into the reactor and out of it.
BigJay
New member
I use both outputs as per the instructions. The outlet on top is supposedly used to bleed off excess air that gets trapped in the reactor. I have it open with a 4-5 drops per minute drip rate, and thus I never have excess air in the reactor. Of course there's nothing wrong with using this for your effluent line as well, the result is probably the same.
The other output line is labeled "OUTPUT" (at least on my reactor), and it is tee'd off of the recirculating pump outlet. I use that one because it has the additional pressure of the Eheim directly behind it (as per the design). This way detritus in the tankwater doesn't clog up the effluent line.
I use a reactor manifold plumbed off of my main return (a dart) and it works just fine. The key was to use the top output to bleed off excess air trapped in the reactor. It's never been a problem so far, excess air has somewhere to go.
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