unnecessary equipment but best investment

[littlesilvermax]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Calcium reactor on the other hand ... sure, you could argue it's not necessary, but I find it's one of the best bangs-for-buck there is.

I have a HUGE calcium reactor and would not have it any other way.

Chemicals that are gotten at the right price are significantly cheaper (I worked it out to 20% the cost) of using a reactor.

I bulk buy (100s of lbs at a time) calcium reactor media becaus I go through 2 lbs a month. It costs me a total of $6 per lb for media, about $60 a year for CO2 rental and gas, and about $950 for equipment to run it properly (54 inch reactor, dosing pump, externally run circulation pump, and head for dosing pump). I run my ph down to 6.3 and have an effluent dkh of over 65! All of this to keep my levels at 420 and 9.5.

Cost break down over 10 years:

-media $1440
-equipment $950 (assuming it lasts that long, already replaced a head for the dosing pump at $150)
-CO2 and rental fees $600

Total $2990!!!!!


Total cost of using chems (this is assuming same number of lbs of chems is required, though I think it is close):

$600


The only reason I use a reactor is because of convenience, and it takes less time. But as you can see I pay a lot for convenience!

[Delphinus]

Wow ... so much for that argument then. I still like my reactor better than dosing. So there!!

[littlesilvermax]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Wow ... so much for that argument then. I still like my reactor better than dosing. So there!!

Hey so do I, in fact I am rather proud of my DIY biggest I have yet seen calcium reactor.

I used to think that additives were the more then a reactor, that was when I was paying $26 for 2.2 lbs of calcium or carbonate alk. (+ tax)

Cost break down over 5 years for a simpler system (sans dosing pump and normal sized reactor) assuming 10 lbs of media used per year.

-media $300
-equipment $400
-CO2 and rental fees $490

Total $1190!!!!!


Total cost of using chems:

$125


There it is almost 10% the cost!


If I lost my job I would dose manually each day, assuming I could still even afford my tank at all!

[Snappy]

I have a chiller but voted for the controller. I think in an sps tank both are actually "necessary" but the awesome flow that the (Tunze) controller creates with the pulsing action makes a world of difference. The chiller will keep my stuff alive and looking good (with no rtn/stn) through the summer heat. Now I have these items I wouldn't give them up any more than I would stop using R/O filtered water. Next on the equipment list is a calcium reactor.

[Johnny Reefer]

Chiller here. Don't have a Ca reactor, wavysea or wavebox and the only controllers I have are 2 Tunze 7091's which hardly count. Have a Phosban reactor but it's sittin' in a closet doin' nothin' but nothin'. Need to get another chiller for the FOWLR before summa.

Cheers,