What's your 2 cents on Calcium Reactors

[fritz]

I'm going to be purchasing one in the upcoming weeks and was wondering what experiences others have had. I'd rather learn from other's than go through a slew of calcium reactors the way I did skimmers.

So how about it? What do you guys like?

 

[jhale]

I can tell you what I did not like, the MRC reactor I had.
To make it halfway decent I upgraded all the fittings it came with.
Then Jose bought it and he upgraded it even more.

Do you have a kalk stirer? If not you will want one as the CA reactor
will make keeping a good ph level a battle.

 

[jackson6745]

Fritz I loved the GEO reactor that I had. It was very easy to dial in and held my levels pretty steadily.
I like the 2 part better though

 

[jhale]

I like the 2 part better though

me too, but I understand if you are trying to make the tank as maintenance free as possible. also, buy the best valves you can find! it will make life so much easier. nothing is worse than a wondering reactor valve :arg:

 

[loismustdie]

I had a calcium reactor. At the time I really loved it. But then I did the Randy 2 Part, which I liked so much better. Much better results. On top of that I added the doser.
No solenoids, no CO2 tank to fill, no media to exchange, dialing in the doser is as easy as running it over night seeing how much fluid it moves from one glass to another.
Overall, I feel a 2 part solution on a doser is way more effective and much less work than a reactor. Much cheaper too.
Fred, why the ca and kalk reactor thoughs lately?
Looking back, I now look at my reactor as a waste of money.

 

[fritz]

I had a calcium reactor. At the time I really loved it. But then I did the Randy 2 Part, which I liked so much better. Much better results. On top of that I added the doser.
No solenoids, no CO2 tank to fill, no media to exchange, dialing in the doser is as easy as running it over night seeing how much fluid it moves from one glass to another.
Overall, I feel a 2 part solution on a doser is way more effective and much less work than a reactor. Much cheaper too.
Fred, why the ca and kalk reactor thoughts lately?
Looking back, I now look at my reactor as a waste of money.

Well 2 part vs. reactors is a whole other topic (which maybe I should have explored first.) I guess that's the kind of feedback I was looking for, the last thing I need is another piece of equipment in my closet. For long term "hands off" maintenance which is easier? I've never made a large batch of 2 part. It seems like people setup chem labs to do this stuff. Heating the water, trying to get all the material to disolve.... etc.

 

[spykes]

fritz i'll tell you one thing. I've notice the calcium reacto such as deltecs are much more easier to dial in then other ones. It seems to me calcium reactors with finer media are better. On the other notice if you see the shuran jetstream that mshur used you would see really good growth on that too.
IMO calcium reactors are better as the price and media go up.

 

[JHOV2324]

Fred I just paypaled u my 2 cents for CR....

 

[efisher]

I use the GEO and I am very happy with it. Although until I has a high enough alk/calc load the valve to adjust the drip rate was a pain. I needed a very slow drip and it used to stop about every day and half. now it is great that my demand is high enough that I dont have that issue any longer.