Two Part or Calcium Reactor?

[chrishet]

I think my subject says it all...I am building a new 70 gal reef, SPS dominated, and I am looking for advice on whether to dose 2 part or setup a calc reactor. I've dosed 2 part before, never a calc reactor, but since I'll be starting this reef from scratch I want to consider both options....thoughts? TIA

 

[JAustin]

Both work well. Having a ca reactor will cost a bit more up front and for your tank volume dosing wouldn't be that expensive to keep up with. I have alwayse used dosing pumps on my reefs but when I setup my sps 46gallon I decided on a ca reactor. I like the idea of getting trace elements 24/7 and equal parts of ca and alk.

Here is the carx catch. You will quickly learn a reactor lowers ph so you will need to have kalk powder in your top off water. You can add a second effluent chamber to the reactor to help but it won't keep you from more than likley needing kalk in your top off

Also, I recommend the aquarium plants co2 regulator and a Simon varistaltic pump. Both of those will net you a fine top notch carx setup. It took me some reading and trial and error but if you follow my recommendations and calibrate your reactor ph probe every 3 month you'll have a rock solid setup.

Get a used reactor, but don't buy a used regulator.

Cheers
Jason.

 

[bobkill]

2 part -if the calc reactor messes up which they do - dead reef - a local buddy that is in a band , has me to go over to his house and mess with with his reactor bc his pH is crashing - freight ing and unacceptable in my book - he has a amazing sps Dom tank and nervous for the dude bc at some point me or his gf won't be able to help! I am sure this is not the norm but they scare me - this 2 part

 

[Charlene]

2 part -if the calc reactor messes up which they do - dead reef - a local buddy that is in a band , has me to go over to his house and mess with with his reactor bc his pH is crashing - freight ing and unacceptable in my book - he has a amazing sps Dom tank and nervous for the dude bc at some point me or his gf won't be able to help! I am sure this is not the norm but they scare me - this 2 part

Good point! I recommend a ph controller and if you want to take it a step further plug the thing into your reef controller (apex, Digital Aquatics, etc.). Plan for failure. I monitor my reef ph and it sends me text messages. I'm a geek. I know. Sorry but any automation deserves protection.

Cheers!

 

[JAustin]

2 part -if the calc reactor messes up which they do - dead reef - a local buddy that is in a band , has me to go over to his house and mess with with his reactor bc his pH is crashing - freight ing and unacceptable in my book - he has a amazing sps Dom tank and nervous for the dude bc at some point me or his gf won't be able to help! I am sure this is not the norm but they scare me - this 2 part

If a dosing pump gets stuck on "which they do" "dead reef" both methods have potential faults. I had a dosing pump for magnesium get stuck on and dose 500ml of mag to a 140g system. Thank god it was only the mag and not the alk.

Both systems need to be monitored. The only fail safe is dosing daily by hand....heck even that can be messed up. There was a thread today of a guy who dosed 2oz of alk to his 29g reef. He thought it was mag. Brought his all up to 15dkh.

Both methods are good methods. I thing dosing is more cost effective for his system volume.

 

[chrishet]

Thx guys...I do have an Apex so monitoring is not an issue...I do travel a bit if that makes a diff...I never had any issues dosing 2 part

 

[REEF SMAC]

Either one is gonna work fine for you.
Just get quality equipment whichever way you go.

Don't get a CA RX that is too small and you won't have to overdrive it with CO2 and your PH will be just fine.
Costs more up front, cheaper in the long run.

Maintain your dosing pumps, use quality timers, don't eff up programming them, make sure they don't clog, keep your reservoirs full and they will be just fine also.
Cheaper up front, more expensive in the long run.

For your size tank it is probably a toss up. Depends on your tank's demand and how much you want to spend to meet that demand.

 

[RKLion]

I would say go with the dosing because it has slightly less/easier variables to deal with and because of that is more reliable and safer relatively. Just make sure to do like Reefsmac said and stay on top of maintenance.

 

[nemosworld]

I think kalk in your topoff is all you would need for a tank that size.
Start using it from the beginning and if and when the time comes that you feel its not enough, then look into 2-part or reactor, I doubt you will need them though.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

If you asked me this question 5 months ago I wold have told you 2 part is the way to go. I have been dosing BRS 2 part recipe 1 since the conception of my 125. Now that the corals are growing at an alarming rate, I am going through 2 part at a rapid pace. I remember when I first set up the tank I was pushing 20ml each a day. now I'm dosing 150ml each a day (along with topping off with kalkwasser) and I have to test and adjust almost on a weekly basis. It seems that lately I have been raising the daily dose about 5ml a week. At 150ml a day I go through a gallon each (alk and calc) in 25 days, that's quite a bit.

although I never messed with Calc reactor, every time I mix a new batch of alk/calc or refill the dosing containers, making the switch is looking better and better.

just my 2 cents.

 

[outssider]

If you asked me this question 5 months ago I wold have told you 2 part is the way to go. I have been dosing BRS 2 part recipe 1 since the conception of my 125. Now that the corals are growing at an alarming rate, I am going through 2 part at a rapid pace. I remember when I first set up the tank I was pushing 20ml each a day. now I'm dosing 150ml each a day (along with topping off with kalkwasser) and I have to test and adjust almost on a weekly basis. It seems that lately I have been raising the daily dose about 5ml a week. At 150ml a day I go through a gallon each (alk and calc) in 25 days, that's quite a bit.

although I never messed with Calc reactor, every time I mix a new batch of alk/calc or refill the dosing containers, making the switch is looking better and better.

just my 2 cents.

if your calcium/dkh needs are going up every week, aren't you going to be constantly adjusting the reactor ...if you went that rought ?

 

[a.browning]

I went with BRS dosing pumps and solution on my 75 and it has worked great! Already up to 175 ml of each per day, but mixing it yourself is really cheap and simple. I run them off my apex so there is no chance of them being stuck on since they run off the manual relays. I also have the alk pump turn off if the pH gets too high as a further backup. Calcium reactors are great, but for your size system it would be unnecessary in my opinion.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

if your calcium/dkh needs are going up every week, aren't you going to be constantly adjusting the reactor ...if you went that rought ?

that I don't know, I just always hear people say you set it and forget it and that you need to spend the money on a good one.

I went with BRS dosing pumps and solution on my 75 and it has worked great! Already up to 175 ml of each per day, but mixing it yourself is really cheap and simple. I run them off my apex so there is no chance of them being stuck on since they run off the manual relays. I also have the alk pump turn off if the pH gets too high as a further backup. Calcium reactors are great, but for your size system it would be unnecessary in my opinion.

I have a bubble magus that dose calc, alk and vodka, then I push mag though a brs doser that runs off my ACIII. even though you have to use the mechanical relays in the eb8 they too are known to stick in the on position. Im always afraid that the mag would get stuck on. although it wouldn't harm the corals it could definitely kill the fish.

 

[stevedola]

heres the rule I go with...if its under 120 gallons go doser, if its over go calc reactor. the closer to 120g the more that can be said for calc reactor. the cost of the 2 part becomes too much for larger tanks.

 

[Breakbeats2334]

Two part is more forgiving in the beginning stages in my opinion but cost more the bigger the tank is. For a 70 gallon sps reef id say 2 part is a better option compared to a calc reactor.

 

[chrishet]

Thx all for the most excellent feedback...I think I'll stick with my BRS dosing pumps for now, startup at least, and will revisit this later....

 

[led stony]

one problem im having with my bubble magnus t3 dosing unit is it only lets you dose 5 min apart. so if you are dosing 200ml a day devided up 24 times you need alot of time in between cal and alk or it presipitats and is on your pumps and heaters. i even put the dosing lines in diffrent areas of the sump but it is still doing it!! and you need to add mag as well. if using a reactor all you need to do is add crushed coral and the co2 turns it back into liquid all trace elements included.

 

[psykobowler]

For a 70 gallon system I would do kalk, baking soda and water changes. That would be the best and cheapest route.

 

[bogg]

Yeah kinda depends on the demand your corals are needing. I dosed for years but when the dosing got a little crazy due to the high demand I went to a ca rxtr and loved it!
I have a 120 and a aqua euro 400 I leave it on constantly all is well I dont have to mess with anything you get your levels where you want them at first by dosing etc then the rxtr will maintain them. Very inexpensive and works awesome a ca rxtr was one of the best things I did for myself and my reef!.

 

[kwl1763]

Certainly both will work for sure.

For a 70G it's a close call. People that say a calcium reactor is less, reliable, will crash your reef, etc are dead wrong. You have to be smart about anything. I have run one for almost 12 years on different tanks and never had a major issue. You need a controller to ensure you don't get low tank "dumps", etc but there is no more risk there then a pump failing.

I do not have kalk in my topoff and my ph stays around 7.9 to 8.1 so low but certainly not detrimental. I ran a tank for over 5 years like that and had phenomenal growth.

I would go with a calcium reactor. Since you already have an APEX once you initially get dialed in you can go for months without having to do anything except make sure everything is working right.