So it's 2010 now. Who still uses a calcium reactor and who's all on 2-part dosing?

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by MitchM

Electrical plug-ins were at a premium and I needed 3 for a calcium reactor. 1 each for recirc pump in the reactor, supply pump for the reactor and 1 for the solenoid. With a dosing setup I only need one plug-in for 4 dosing pumps.

That's a good point. I had forgotten how much of an irritant the mess of electrical wires was no matter how "tidy" I tried to make it.

Don't get me wrong: I dose. I sold my reactors and my spare cylinders and regs, just kept one of each and threw them on my FW planted tank. For two years or so I never looked back. I can't bring myself to pony up the $300 or $400 for a multihead unit, but I'm using the smaller single head units and other than the increased time to figure out an ideal timing cycle it's been fine enough.

But as I stare at my empty dosing reservoirs and think "Man, I need to refill those" I am fighting an overwhelming sense of "UGH." 1) Didn't I just do that 2 or 3 weeks ago??? 2) Geeeeze it's a messy job. If I don't have any prebaked baking soda, I go get a couple boxes, spread them into a cookie sheet and bake it for the required hour. Then I go get a gallon or so of RO/DI and put it into a kettle. Because the baked baking soda is roughly as soluble in water as silica sand, and mixing it in hot water helps a tiny little bit. So then I take my prescribed amount of baked baking soda, 2 and a bit cups, and then I have to add it to the water about a teaspoon at a time, mixing for at least 10 seconds in between. 2 and a bit of cups divided by teaspoons equals approximately a billion. If I add it any faster or in any larger amount at a time, it does one of either two things: 1) Clumps together rock hard and becomes completely insoluble, or 2) the entire mixture congeals into a gel like substance and the only way to reliquidify is to add more water to the mix (other than it's a complete PITA because I'm trying to mix my alk additive, it's actually quite a bizarrely interesting phenomenon). Anything that spills make a huge mess because wet baking soda is just messy like that. So my alk mixing is at the very least about a hour commitment, more if I have to prebake any amount.

Calcium is nowhere near as bad but it makes a brown gross slimey liquid so the reservoir at the very least needs cleaning in between fills and I wonder if I should be purging my 1/4" lines periodically as well because it stands to reason they'll be covered with that residue as well over time.

I mean, seriously, this is the "better way to dose" ?? I don't think so. Before I started using the peri pumps I just took my powdered additives and mixed up enough each day to dose that day's amount. THAT was really the "best way" for me as it was nearly effortless but the problem is it's really difficult to automate the process.

I'm using Chemmaster for the Calcium and Magnesium and just baking soda from Costco for the Alk. Maybe it's time for me to step it up and start buying from BRS or other places because if this process isn't normal for everyone else then there's something wrong with what *I'm* doing and I can't really see what I'm doing wrong procedurally so that really leaves, by process of elimination, the ingredients themselves that must be the difference.

I'm all for hearing suggestions on how to make this mixing process suck a little less..

[Aquattro]

My reactor gets fiddled with twice a year. It's large, so no problems keeping up, and I don't use a solenoid, so no issues there. Dosing may be a suitable alternative, but it's money I don't need to spend already owning a reactor.

[MitchM]

Tony,
I use extra 2 litre plastic bottles that I bought from Industrial Paint and Plastics for my reservoirs. I just pre-fill them and swap them out when it comes time to refill. I haven't experienced the brown goo..?
I use either a Kalkwasser stirrer for my top up depending on PH levels, or straight R/O water.
That mixing procedure does sound like a PITR.

Mitch

[andestang]

I spent some dough on a good reactor years back. Had some issues for first little while such as water supply to reactor, clogged lines and such but after addressing everything its been relatively hassle free. I like the appeal of the new dosers as I have a good controller to run one and they look neat but can't see spending money in this area of the tank right now when I have something that works OK. As for the saved real-estate I can't see it being much better for a doser as you still need to have you containers for dosing and all the containers for mixing and such laying around. But maybe one day in the future.

[Dez]

Never had dosers, I've always been happy with a calcium reactor. I used to hate manually adjusting the bubble count/effluent rate, but now that I have a controller, the ph in my calcium reactor is always between 6.6 - 6.7 with the controller controlling the amount of C02 going in. The best thing that I have done is "T" off of my return line to feed the reactor. I used to gravity siphon feed but it wasn't as consistent. Now it is truly a set and forget item. I couldn't imagine the regular labour of 2 part dosing. I am so lazy that I cringe at changing my carbon once a month even though it only takes 10 minutes. I cringe at changing my zeo rocks once every 2 months....

So I guess my vote is Calcium reactor all the way!

[kien]

This has been an interesting thread. For being such a labour intensive/cringe inducing/pain in the arse method, most people seem to prefer it.

I can't say that I prefer it over Calcium Reactors since I have never used a calcium reactor so have nothing to compare it to. I am lazy and even I don't really mind the chore though. There is nothing that I have to do on a daily basis. The frequency for me with dosing seems to be weekly top ups which I can live with.

Again, different strokes for different folks right? Lots of people are fine with shaking zeo rocks and dropping additives every day (or so), while others may think that is way too much work. I find it fascinating where people draw the line in the sand bed when determining what commitment they are welling to invest.

[fkshiu]

I've used both methods. Currently I've got a GEO reactor and it has been set and forget. Change the media and add CO2 every 7 or 8 months. The only issue has been a faulty needle valve which was replaced.

I got tired of manually dosing 3-part. I could've gone with a auto-doser but a reactor seemed more mad scientist-like. I remember reading a RHF article comparing various methods and their cost. I think that somewhere around the 125 gallon mark a calcium reactor becomes more economical in the long run than dosing.

Like was said: two ways to the same result - there's more than one way to skin a cat.

[Tracey2]

Mitch, thank you for taking the time to explain. I still have many questions but will try to do a little more research first.

Ok, maybe 1 question, I have a co2 tank on my planted tank and have a hard time keeping the co2 consistant, I have a bubble counter and I have to play with it every few days. Is there a regulator that works better or do you use a regulator at all?

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by fkshiu

I remember reading a RHF article comparing various methods and their cost. I think that somewhere around the 125 gallon mark a calcium reactor becomes more economical in the long run than dosing.

I think this is what you were thinking of. Great read.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...1&postcount=27

Although if I ever have a large tank again I will still dose.