Calcium Reactor vs doser. Which would you use? Why? Are there scenarios when you'd change it up?

[PedroYoung]

Think a lot of people would disagree - perhaps a certain high end tenuis hoarder. Myself as well. I’ve used both and just went back to dosing and couldn’t be happier and I only keep SPS.

what drove you to switch back to 2 part?

 

[Rich Klein]

OK. Let's talk about maintaining elements/chemistry in your tank. I'm debating using a calcium reactor or just going with a doser. It seems to me to kind of break down this way:

Calcium Rx

Cons:

• More complicated to set up
• More expensive initially
• More possible points of failure
• More maintenance

Pros:

• Less expensive longterm
• Better able to get ALL trace elements maintained
• Potentially more stable
• If failure happens usually less drastic of a problem in the tank

Doser

Cons:

• More expensive longterm
• While it has fewer points of failure, a fail on a dosing pump can be catastrophic for the reef (i.e. dumping alk into the system)

Pros:

• Simpler to set up and maintain
• Less expensive to set up initially

Which would you use? Why? Are there scenarios when you'd change it up?

Ran a CR for several years, but recently moved to dosing All4Reef single part and am so glad I did. My corals and other are very happy (SPS, LPS, Anemones, you name it). My PH is of course way up, to the point that I programmed my Apex to turn-off my skimmer after 8.40. I am so happy not to worry about all of the CR equipment (CR, carbon doser, CO2, PH probe), have much more room in my cabinet and all my numbers are very stable and easier to control.

 

[gobble]

Does the opinion on using a calcium reactor change with the lack of media available these days? I have used the Two Little Fishies media for a couple years but it looks like it's now out of stock or lesser quality. What are people using in their calcium reactors?

 

[jasonrusso]

Does the opinion on using a calcium reactor change with the lack of media available these days? I have used the Two Little Fishies media for a couple years but it looks like it's now out of stock or lesser quality. What are people using in their calcium reactors?

1 Gallon ARM Reactor Media - Extra Coarse

ARM Coarse Reactor Media contains calcium, carbonate, and trace elements. Nearly 50x the Strontium of other brands (7390ppm) Precision grading allows for maximum carbon dioxide penetration No gastropod shells mean the lowest phosphate content (less than 1/10th of 1ppm) The highest solubility of...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[X-37B]

Does the opinion on using a calcium reactor change with the lack of media available these days? I have used the Two Little Fishies media for a couple years but it looks like it's now out of stock or lesser quality. What are people using in their calcium reactors?

When I run out of bones, I have about 80lbs left, I will switch to Tunze manmade media. I have alot left from my 120. I used it for 1 year. Very clean and works well

 

[gobble]

In reading this thread and a few others over the last 2 days while looking for media, I've seen comments about calcium reactor media adding phosphates. I've really been struggling with phosphates the last couple years and I now realize the timing may be tied to me adding a calcium reactor with Two Little Fishies media.

If my new Red Sea test kit is accurate, I have phosphates around .16 with zero nitrate.

This has always been a mystery to me with my water running through RO, cation, anion, pro mixed bed and regular mixed bed resins.

Does anyone think switching to a different media could help?

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

Ive never ran dosers. I almost tried dosing on a new tank setup , bought all the gear and never was brave enough to turn it on.

I run large calcium reator and a smaller calcium reactor filled with magnesium and kalkreactor on my sps system 30+ years. Never saw any advantage to dosing. Dosing probably makes sense on small tanks. My smallest tank is 300 gallons.

anyone pretending a calcium reactor is affecting their display PH most likely has never used one.
with modern pumps running a reactor has never been more simple.

 

[X-37B]

In reading this thread and a few others over the last 2 days while looking for media, I've seen comments about calcium reactor media adding phosphates. I've really been struggling with phosphates the last couple years and I now realize the timing may be tied to me adding a calcium reactor with Two Little Fishies media.

If my new Red Sea test kit is accurate, I have phosphates around .16 with zero nitrate.

This has always been a mystery to me with my water running through RO, cation, anion, pro mixed bed and regular mixed bed resins.

Does anyone think switching to a different media could help?

What is the po4 comming out of your reactor? With bones my effluent is .03 higher than the tank so it adds a small amount.
Never been a problem. I keep my po4 at <.1 so .16 is not bad. I have been as high as .3 with little to no effect. Colors are better in my system at <.1. Higher po4 fades color in my system.
If your worried about po4 use manmade media as it only replaces alk and ca. You can then dose trace elements to keep them at the levels you want.

 

[X-37B]

Ive never ran dosers. I almost tried dosing on a new tank setup , bought all the gear and never was brave enough to turn it on.

I run large calcium reator and a smaller calcium reactor filled with magnesium and kalkreactor on my sps system 30+ years. Never saw any advantage to dosing. Dosing probably makes sense on small tanks. My smallest tank is 300 gallons.

anyone pretending a calcium reactor is affecting their display PH most likely has never used one.
with modern pumps running a reactor has never been more simple.

Agree as most make it harder than it needs to be. I dose 2 tanks by hand and my carx is by far much simpler to opereate. I use no ph probe or controller.
A properly setup carx will not affect your systems ph.

 

[gobble]

Good idea to measure off the reactor. I just found this though which probably answers the question https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/brstv-investigates-phosphate-factory-calcium-reactor

I'm going to order some Caribsea ARM.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

In reading this thread and a few others over the last 2 days while looking for media, I've seen comments about calcium reactor media adding phosphates. I've really been struggling with phosphates the last couple years and I now realize the timing may be tied to me adding a calcium reactor with Two Little Fishies media.

If my new Red Sea test kit is accurate, I have phosphates around .16 with zero nitrate.

This has always been a mystery to me with my water running through RO, cation, anion, pro mixed bed and regular mixed bed resins.

Does anyone think switching to a different media could help?

as far as media i used Reborn for many years but it has not been the same quality the last couple years. I have not had any complaints using ARM media besides i go thru C02 a little bit more often . I use about 20Lbs every 6 months and i was going about 8 months between media refills my reactor holds 90-100 lbs.

 

[X-37B]

Good idea to measure off the reactor. I just found this though which probably answers the question https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/brstv-investigates-phosphate-factory-calcium-reactor

I'm going to order some Caribsea ARM.

Yea arm is what alot use here.
The problem with real bones is no one knows the po4 level as all corals pick it up at different rates.
When I run out of bones I will just use manmade.
A small amout of po4 like I have seen running bones is insignificant on my system. Po4 is always below .1 and closer to zero on my carx system.