cal reactor vs. dosing pumps

[s_kelley]

Ok so now that I have a few serious offers on my cal reactor setup I have a question. What are the pros and cons of both setups?
I have been using a cal reactor for maybe a year now and I am having trouble really dialing it in.
Speaking to a few people they recomend using dosing pumps on my controller so i can really dial in the levels using 2 part. But speaking to another couple people they have said why are you getting rid of your reactor they are the way to go?
IM LOST!!! HELP!

Who out there is using what and why?

 

[delta]

Dosing is for the birds, I know people do it but it is costly even with home 2part mix.

I have dosed and inevitably your tank gets unbalanced calc/alk.

Try opening the needle valve on the CO2 tank 2 turns or so then re seat it. Sometime they get a little crude and won't regulate properly.
Check that your feed pump is not dying on you.
check you Mg and make sure it is in check.
Replace your check valve on the CO2 line.
Empty and refill your bubble counter

Both system work and no matter what you do, calcium reactor or dosing dial in can be a PIA. In the end the system you use should fit you and ow you care for you reef.

 

[Joel A]

personally, dialing in a calcium reactor was a nightmare for me.. i found it much easier to buy a professional dosing pump, mix up 2 part solutions.. and then all you have to do is test and dial up dosing up or down accordingly..

FWIW though, the calcium reactor set-up that i was using was far from top of the line.. so it's completely believable to me that many people have much better success with higher end calcium reactors then i did with my lower end one.

 

[dcforester1]

The three happiest milestones in reefing for me were:

Getting my ATO,


Hooking up my Apex,

And getting a calcium reactor. It has actually made this hobby enjoyable for me.

 

[biggyclops]

same here... ATO and reactor are the two best things i did...

ozone reactor.. not so much

 

[Jeff.:P]

I'm very happy with my dosing pumps from BRS.com I can dial in my Alk/Calc to exactly where I want with no issues. I like to keep my calc at 450 and alk at 7 with zeovit, its perfect. No unwanted po4, no reactor failing, dial in parameters to what YOU want.

 

[beckbrass]

I have never dosed and have always used a reactor. It took a day or two to get it dialed in and I have not done much to it in a year. Also all the cost is up front. I have not had to re-fill anything.

 

[Greg Hiller]

I switched from a calcium reactor to dosing pumps (two-part solution) on a frag tank once. I had very poor results. A lot of things lost color and started to die. Reversed the problem when I restarted the calcium reactor. I know some people two-part works fine (do use it on some low calcium consumption tanks), but on a tank with a high calcium consumption rate I think it's pretty hard to do. You often times get a lot of calcium carbonate precipitation on equipment, too.

 

[jbishop]

same here... ATO and reactor are the two best things i did...

ozone reactor.. not so much

Bingo. Two best things ever.

 

[nichols]

Took me a couple weeks to fine tune my reactor to the tanks needs. You still have to fine tune a little as the corals grow and the demand increases, but for the most part it's "set it and forget it". I add media every 8 months or so and a 20lb C02 tank lasts me around a year. My Alk stays at 8dkh and my Ca between 420- 450. I maintain my mag with mag flake and Epsom salt.
Personally I think a good reactor setup is the way to go.

 

[Reefer Magreefer]

Is this a good one while we are on topic.... http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4676+20174&pcatid=20174