complex FTOTM's

[Delphinus]

You want my honest opinion? I think calcium reactors are great but they are an idea whose time peaked about say 3-4 years ago. I still run a calcium reactor because I have one, and plan to run one for a while to come (hey, it's paid for, it does the job). But ... if I had absolutely nothing and was looking for getting something, I would skip the reactor and just go straight to an automated Balling (or 2-part, or 3-part) solution. Two or three peristaltic pumps (since you don't need the lab grade controllable flowrate for this), some timers, and away we go - and you have a solution that is likely superior to a calcium reactor, and by far cheaper in the long run. AND, for what it's worth, has a smaller carbon footprint.

My prediction is that reactors will be something we see less of in the future, and more Balling or just simple 2-part/3-part dosings.

I'm not sure that I agree that a wavebox makes a system "more complicated or complex". It's a water movement device, nothing more. You have to have something that moves water ... waveboxes make for a nice effect in a long enough tank but aren't a prerequisite for an SPS tank by any stretch. However what IS a prerequisite is adequate flow, which is, IMO, something that tends to be underestimated by many in the "quest" for an SPS tank. (I include myself in that broad paintbrush stroke .. I have SPS in my 75 and I feel the flow is wholly inadequate .. however I hope to not have that issue in my 280g .. whenever I can manage to finish that little ridiculous long standing project .. let's not go there ).

Greg might not have a "wavebox", but he does have appropriate flow conditions in his tank. And there is a wave like effect happening in his tank. When it comes down to it, flow is probably the most important aspect to a tank like this (lighting and nutrient management and parameter levels do count as very close seconds though). I don't know what his total volume turnover is but it has to be fairly significant.

Zeovit, compound lighting .. ah .. well ... no, none of it is specifically mandatory but the end results that they provide kind of are. I don't mean to say that a dosing system like Zeovit or Polyplaps is mandatory, it's just a tool in the arsenal against nutrient buildup. If you can manage it otherwise, then you're set. However one nice thing about those systems is that they have the side effect of feeding the corals AND making a low nutrient system. So, no it's not mandatory, but boy is it addictive when you see what you can achieve with it.

Anyhow there's my $0.02 on this