What do you use??

[troynel]

Going to be either getting a calcium reactor or dosing unit in the near future and want to know what most of you use and if you feel like it why?

I've read other threads but most seem outdated. At the moment I'm leaning towards CARX but like the looks of a doser even though that should be second in my decision.

 

[troynel]

Nobody?

 

[EvMiBo]

Calcium reactor. What size tank do you have? In general, if you have over 100g a calcium reactor might be a good choice. The up front cost is fairly large though.

 

[troynel]

I have 100 gallon tank.

 

[ajcanale]

I've used both. Glad I invested in a Ca reactor as I was going trough 2part way too fast.

 

[karimwassef]

I use a DIY Kalk reactor

 

[troynel]

AJ how many sps corals do you have? Did you find a CARX hard to fine tune?

 

[ShesEasy]

I use a reactor....in four months I haven't even gone through the media I put in and my 180 of sps stays consistant at 420-440

I never need to mess around with it


Dosing seems like a major waste of money... Reactors are a big initial cost bit they pay for them sells I think

 

[shadow64]

2 part dosing brs

 

[troynel]

If I incorporate dosing with automatic water changes would that help with the trace element depletion or is it just easier to use a CARX.

 

[Wazzel]

I use 2 part for my system. It is a 60 cube, 20 long frag tank plus sump. I burn through a lot of 2 part for a system my size. Going to add a kalk system at some point when funds allow. Still going to dose just want to be able to scale back.

 

[troynel]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[reefmutt]

i have a 300 gal system.. had a 500 gal system and various larger systems, over the years. i have always used a ca reactor- easily 15 years.. i wouldn't have anything against dosing but i love the ca reactor. once you have an understanding of how it works, it is very simple to use and easy to fine tune. like any method of adding ca/alk, you must test and react but over time the testing can become less frequent and the reactions less aggressive as you get to know your system..

 

[troynel]

Seems like dosing works well and the only complaint is going through solution quickly. Is that the only con to dosing?

 

[Wazzel]

It is easy enough. If you go auto dosing it is really easy. I mix a batch of ca and alk once a week and that is it. I adjust the concentration based on once a week testing.

 

[troynel]

That's it?

 

[Wazzel]

Yes that is it. I keep a log of my test so I can look at the trend. My tank evaporates about 15 liters in a week. I add 5 l each of alk and ca mix while the rest is the auto top off. I started with the vendors recommendation for a rank my size and adjusted from there.

 

[buy_baff]

I use a kalk stirrer supplemented with two part via dosing pump.

 

[Wiskey]

Ca reactor for me. It doses not just ca and ALK but also other trace elements in the media. I've tried a doser in the past and I could never keep them consistent. The pumps would change as check valves clogged, or hoses got residue in them etc. it may have been a crummy doser but it did not work nearly as well as my reactors.

Whiskey

 

[troynel]

What carx do you use and your setup?