Whats better Calcium reactor or dosing?
- Thread starter potpushr
- Start date
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
I would not advice not using a PH controller as you cannot dial it in as accurately. I've heard of individuals using crushed coral but have heard it is not as good as typical calcium reactor media. Not as porous is something like that. I'm sure someone could provide some further detail as to why you should not use calcium media.
deangelr
Clown Whisperererer
I prefer the two part.. Ive used a Ca Reactor on a 120 that I had, Since downgrading to a 57g the two part is easy as I have it set up on a dosing unit.
It also takes less room, or at lease you can put it anywhere you dont have to worry about fitting a reactor in the cabinet or running pumps to it or anything like that.
In situation where I am out of town all the time it seems like the two part dosing is easier for non-reefers to understand than the Ca reactor when things go wrong.
I agree that BRS two part (Im cheap) doesnt have the trace elements needed (like B-ionic), but those can be replenished by doing regular water changes with high quality salt, or by adding them.
It also takes less room, or at lease you can put it anywhere you dont have to worry about fitting a reactor in the cabinet or running pumps to it or anything like that.
In situation where I am out of town all the time it seems like the two part dosing is easier for non-reefers to understand than the Ca reactor when things go wrong.
I agree that BRS two part (Im cheap) doesnt have the trace elements needed (like B-ionic), but those can be replenished by doing regular water changes with high quality salt, or by adding them.
outy
New member
It was said once but ignored
On a large tank you dont dose, it is a big pain in the heiney.
On a 180 sps the right way is a reactor.
I dosed for 14 years and now run a GEO 618
negative of dosing on 180, to much precipitation on motors ect, more testing then a cal rx, to much mixing and constant filling of containers. not cost effective
running a steady 60mm/m and 90bpm with ph at 6.7 it is simply set and forget.
you need a good ph controller and a good regulator or you will fight it and be unhappy.
theres no way id go back to dosing with my 215g it was using 7tbl of baking soda daily and a large amount of cal chloride with just LPS
On a large tank you dont dose, it is a big pain in the heiney.
On a 180 sps the right way is a reactor.
I dosed for 14 years and now run a GEO 618
negative of dosing on 180, to much precipitation on motors ect, more testing then a cal rx, to much mixing and constant filling of containers. not cost effective
running a steady 60mm/m and 90bpm with ph at 6.7 it is simply set and forget.
you need a good ph controller and a good regulator or you will fight it and be unhappy.
theres no way id go back to dosing with my 215g it was using 7tbl of baking soda daily and a large amount of cal chloride with just LPS
MammothReefer
Active member
I've done both, on systems ranging from 20 gallons up to 500 gallons. For me I prefer dosing even on large systems (SPS). I bought bulk from BRS, and mixed it in large batches.
A couple of dosing pumps, and a controller and you are set you can mix up your 2 part in whatever size containers you have room for. Which minimizes the amount of work. I think I was going threw a jug a month of each with my 500 system.
Calcium reactors have just been a hassle especially for me where I can't just get a c02 refill the same day, or sometimes the same week. I've had bottles leak, hoses leak, pumps fail, effluent issues, things clog it goes on and on. To main variables plus you are also talking about another 60-80w of stuff running 24 hours a day raising up your electric bill.
Dosing pumps, and 2 part by far has been the easiest to maintain for me. Nothing is set and forget as things change in your tank. Adjusting 2 part for growth, and tank demands is as easy as just changing 2 intervals on your controller vs changing your drip rate, changing your gas rate, wondering if the power heads are getting clogged, then letting it run for a day and checking again.
I also use kalk, but not in a reactor. I try to limit the amount of Powerheads and equipment in my tank. Typically I'll use a drip tank and stir it once a week when I add more ro/di. Now I have a 50/ml dosing pump hooked up to an ATO for my kalk drip via a 5 gallon bucket. I set the export line to sit about halfway down the bucket so it's always getting lime water. I guess If I wanted to get complicated I could put a float valve in the bucket, to auto top off the bucket with RO/DI but it's not that big a deal.
A couple of dosing pumps, and a controller and you are set you can mix up your 2 part in whatever size containers you have room for. Which minimizes the amount of work. I think I was going threw a jug a month of each with my 500 system.
Calcium reactors have just been a hassle especially for me where I can't just get a c02 refill the same day, or sometimes the same week. I've had bottles leak, hoses leak, pumps fail, effluent issues, things clog it goes on and on. To main variables plus you are also talking about another 60-80w of stuff running 24 hours a day raising up your electric bill.
Dosing pumps, and 2 part by far has been the easiest to maintain for me. Nothing is set and forget as things change in your tank. Adjusting 2 part for growth, and tank demands is as easy as just changing 2 intervals on your controller vs changing your drip rate, changing your gas rate, wondering if the power heads are getting clogged, then letting it run for a day and checking again.
I also use kalk, but not in a reactor. I try to limit the amount of Powerheads and equipment in my tank. Typically I'll use a drip tank and stir it once a week when I add more ro/di. Now I have a 50/ml dosing pump hooked up to an ATO for my kalk drip via a 5 gallon bucket. I set the export line to sit about halfway down the bucket so it's always getting lime water. I guess If I wanted to get complicated I could put a float valve in the bucket, to auto top off the bucket with RO/DI but it's not that big a deal.
I have never used a Ca Reactor so cannot compare the two. However, dosing is so easy I cannot really imagine wanting to switch. I test my tank twice weekly generally to see if my demand has changed and to make sure everything is stable (not because I have to, but because it makes me feel better). If needed I add another couple of minutes to my dosing timers to keep up with demand. I split my dosing periods into two sessions to even out fluxuations. Once every month and half I mix up fresh jugs of BRS 2part, and I give them a shake every now and then when I am in the cabinet for something to keep them stirred. This is on a 120, so perhaps if the tank were bigger I would want to add a third dosing period to spread it out more. I dont really see how a reactor would simplify things, as I would still test just as often for personal peace of mind and the maintanence on dosing is so easy.
Just my experience
Just my experience
Waterobert
New member
For larger tanks (150+ gallons) calcium reactor is cheaper to operate than dosing two part. However reactors are a little more complicated to set up and you are better off spending money on quality equipment. Many people like Geo reactors and Aquariumplants.com electronic regulator. Stay away from milwaukee regulator!
rogerwilco357
Active member
if you are pressed for time it is reactor time but if you are a hands on type of guy when it comes to the chemicals going in the tank then dose as I do ..
Dustin1300
Reefaholic
I'd say it is less hands on really. If you have two part mixed in large quantities (5 gallon bucket) then most likely you are not really having to pay a lot of attention to the dosage as long as levels are fine in your weekly testing. That is just my opinion but feel like a reactor is going to require more time.:fun4:
I switched from reactors (Calcium and Kalk) to two-part for the summer, since the tank sitter wouldn't understand fiddling with the reactor, reactor full of CO2, and non-stirring kalk rector. My stress level was a lot lower with two part, so I'm not going back. I was having to adjust something with the Ca reactor or filling the kalk reactor every few days. It's more expensive, but I am enjoying my reef more with dosing. My chemistry is better and more stable. I dose with a pair of Kangaroo hospital feeding pumps.
Stanley-Reefer
New member
Just reading through....having sucessfully 2 parted since 1997....I have to go the exact other way with the Ca reactor being an immediate improvement on my tanks. I've seen unmatched growth in a 2 and 4 year old tank in doing so.
Maybe some difficulty is in the reactor media being used? I'm using Tropical Eden and my Ca, ph, Alk have been on the money--they were with 2 part prior to the reactors too so maybe that's it.
Geos!
Maybe some difficulty is in the reactor media being used? I'm using Tropical Eden and my Ca, ph, Alk have been on the money--they were with 2 part prior to the reactors too so maybe that's it.
Geos!
My growth hugely picked up once I switched to two-part.
Maybe my Ca reactor stinks. (coughcoughmrccoughcough).
vijaym85
New member
Check out the GHL profilux doser its amazing. I have a 4 unit stand alone doser that makes dosing very easy. You can set the number of times you want to dose per day and the amount in ml's (lowest dose is 1ml) You can even set it to dose based on the day of the week for those less frequently dosed supplements. I use ESV Bionic 2 part great stuff. Best of all is its all digital and easy to use.
One thing I always hear in regards to using a ca reactor is that its good for those with larger thanks as 2part can be expensive but many people work around that by making theri own 2 part solutions.
One thing I always hear in regards to using a ca reactor is that its good for those with larger thanks as 2part can be expensive but many people work around that by making theri own 2 part solutions.
It's still more expensive when you make your own solutions. And IMO, worth it.
bogg
New member
IMO ime if anything reefcentral is all about making things easier on you the reefer for long term To help your animals so by all means go ahead test dose test dose bs! I havent tested in years forget the numbers game my ca rxtr is the best thing I have done ever! I'm giving the corals back there own.
I did a back of the envelop calculation the other day on this. For about $125 one can make about 50 gal of 2 part. These 50 gallons, according to Randy at 1 ml a gallon per day for heavy SPS load, would last you ~3 years on a 200 gallon tank.
MrSandman
Team RC
How about trace elements? You have to dose that as well since 2 part doesn't cover it and they aren't cheap either. With a CaRX it's all inclusive.
When dosing do you really have to test every week? With my carx I test about every month and I just tested last week and numbers were spot on.
Just curious because I have contemplated many times to switch to dosing and am weighing my options.
vijaym85
New member
I personally think that if you do go the dosing route you need to invest in a quality doser that you can calibrate and you must be confident in its reliability. I would never dose manually I thinks its too variable and sets up the possibility for user error like forgeting to dose or dosing extra, its like taking a prescription lol. But also if you were to lets say add 20mls a day of parts ca and alk and with manual dosing unless you are really methodical you probobally will pour all that in at once. With the doser I can split that into 20 individual doses of 1ml so that there is a far more consistent level of both subtances in the water as opposed to lump sum. Which I think keeps the levels far more consistent. I use a 4ch doser so I also can dose strontium and Mg as well.
MammothReefer
Active member
With my old system I was dosing a fair bit, I would have it do a little bit every hour instead of just twice a day. Worked well.. as far as trace elements. That's what water changes are for.
With this new system, it's still to new, I have everything ready to go but my demands are so low I haven't had to dose with the exception of buffing up after a NSW water change.
With this new system, it's still to new, I have everything ready to go but my demands are so low I haven't had to dose with the exception of buffing up after a NSW water change.
