Which Calcium Reactor to go with?

[tgionet]

DaStaCo or Masterflex/Carbon Doser/Geo's reactor. What's the quality of the DaStaCo regulator and peristaltic pump? Are they comparable to the Masterflex pumps and carbon doser regulator? Ease of maintenance on each setup?

 

[Diesel]

To many bells and whistles can have a future fail on hand.
I used the dastaco for about a year on the frag system and wasn't impressed about it.
I have used always the GEO reactors, sturdy in the build, and ease to clean and it has all it needs to be a good reliable reactor.
The use of a peristaltic pump as the Cole Parmer you can't go wrong on the accurately for the effluence, just make sure you set it to pull the water from the reactor.
For large tanks I suggest also a dual chamber in order to waste all Co2 before it enters the system.

 

[mlb75]

The Geo's have been around a long time and many many people that could buy anything they want still go that route so that should tell you something. I don't have any experience with the others so I can't speak to how they will hold up in the long run and maybe they are the next greatest thing that everyone will be going to, hard to say.

If you're talking about a CA reactor the second chamber that was mentioned above if you have the room for it they're a great thing on any size tank, I'd argue even more so on a smaller tank since the leftover CO2 can have a bigger effect on a smaller volume of water. They also have no downsides that I've ever heard of other than space. If your talking about a media / carbon reactor the second chamber just allows you to have more or different media with a single pump.

 

[mtraylor]

I will chime in here as well. I have a GEO and have never had any other. Been working for a decade and no issues. I highly recommend.

 

[jda]

GEO is nice - solid, proven design. I use Korallin as well - unchanged since the 1990s. The Korallin traps excess CO2 in the top and allows you to tune better - this is nice, but not the best thing since sliced bread.

If you have reverse flow and an ehiem pump (can handle the little bits of dissolved media), then that is good enough.

I don't touch either one of mine until the medial needs changes and then they get a little rinse, refill and off to work. My first Ehiem pump lasted more than 15 years.