2 part vs. Ca Reactor

After burning my eyes out reading and reading I've decided to begin buying the parts to build this.

Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature

and buy this package from aquacave.com

Deluxe Calcium Reactor Package - AquaCave

And set it up like Marc did here

I figure I have 6-8 months before I'd need it. I've spent the evening listing all of the parts and breaking them up into order groups. Complete set up should cost less than $500.00. I'll just manually dose 2 part from the time I begin needing to and completion of the reactor.

 

heres a good read... http://www.3reef.com/forums/water-chemistry/2-part-dosing-vs-reactors-74496.html

 

Thanks. My eyes and head hurt today. Seems that once again the norm is a fence with people on both sides stating their case for or against. It's all been good reading but in the end I think the way to go is with a reactor. The initial cost is very high but over a course of years it is made up for. Where as with 2 part dosing the cost for pumps and timers is about one third of even my DIY plans, the cost of 2 part mixes is going to go on forever.
Not to mention that once a reactor is understood and tuned the addition of calc and alk is automatically balanced. Seems pretty hands off to me and just what I' want with this tank.

 

I ran a CA reactor for years. I found it was a constant battle to get drip rate and CO2 rate to achive the desired results. As soon as I would get it all dialed in I'd run out of CO2 or have to replace the media.
so I switched to a dosing pump system using bulk CA and Alk. For CA i would buy from BRS and for ALK I'd simple use baking soda.
there is no doubt that the 2 part (actually 3 part with MAG) was more expensive. But once dialed in it was in. Yes as demand increase you have to increase your rates but it's far easier than a CA reactor.

J

 

I have to disagree. Dosing is a PITA while a good reactor, not DIY, with good valves, pump and regulator is plug and play almost. Most people who have trouble either have their regulator secondary side set too low so its hard to keep steady or have rigged a system up.
Check out the reactors and directions at Geo's Reef , the things are bulletproof and his instructions are simple to follow. Once its dialed in the maintenance and adjsutments are nil.

 

+1 to everything AZDesertRat has said. I love my Geo 618 reactor. Simply set it and forget it. My corals grow like crazy, and since I've had it, I've only purchased media once. My CO2 tank is a 20lb tank (fairly large) so I haven't had to refill it yet. I haven't had to dose anything since I got it dialed in (except magnesium twice).

FWIW, I got my geo 618 used including everything needed in the set up for around $500.

 

I don't think there are people on both sides of the fence here at all. What I see are mostly people who have only used dosing, and thus don't know how amazing reactors are. Then I see those who have used reactors and except for one we all would never go back. Like was said, set it and forget it. These things definitely shouldn't be done DIY. Something as simple as a missing check valve in a key spot can be enough to cause huge headaches and a bad experience. Sanjay is a genius, but I would really plan on buying the reactor. I've run several different types on several different applications and found that Vertex's design to recycle CO2 makes a massive difference. Oh, and if you haven't planned a controller system for this tank yet, you may want to look at one that can monitor ph and control CO2. Kill two birds with one check and make it cheaper.

 

I was going to continue my post above, but go distracted and forgot.

I'm not bashing CA reactors. I ran one for almost 9 years. but when I moved to a 400G tank and had SPS corals the size of basketballs, I could not keep my ALK up. CA was fine. But as they say a CA reactor is actually more like an ALK reactor.

With the thought of having to upgrade my CA reactor to something that could handle the volume, it was very cost prohibitive. So I went with a 3 pump doser and loved it

J

 

I was tired and I didn't quote tatted4ever and the link he posted. Now you guys have me scared of diy'ing something that seems so simple. Guess I'll shoot Sanjay an email and see if his is still in use. Ever seen his tank? It's incredible.

 

Why in the world would anyone with the skill and the tools NOT DIY that?

Just looking at the picture I can see almost exactly what makes it up. What could go wrong?

I'm not DIYing anything but the reaction chamber so really, what catastrophic event could occur.

I've read how tall it needs to be, how big around, what the recirculating flow should be and by the time I actually begin building I'll have read it all over again more than once. ??? ....there's no way I would ever pay $300 for that when I have the proper tools and skill to do it myself for less than $200. If I don't use a mag 2 it will be less than $150.00.