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

[MitchM]

You're welcome

I have a freshwater setup as well, and I use a Red Sea (I think) regulator on that, but I find the bubble control pretty consistant with it.

Mitch

[Aqua-Digital]

FM balling with trace elements with GHL doser, install and forget

[PoonTang]

So then I guess I am really old school. Kalkwasser in the ATO bucket with a little bit of 2 part dosed manually every week if need be to keep everything within my targets.

[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.

[gobytron]

good poll.

The thing that really gets me about this hobby is how people just jump on new technology because its new...lol

Solaris anyone?

lol


I think that it's all about personal preference and how much time and effort you have to put into whichever given task the equipment in question is supposed to make possible or easier for you.


I like having a ca reactor cuz they look bad ass.

non aquarists are always blown away by it when they see it and that makes me feel good...lol

[Delphinus]

Since starting the poll I still haven't found the time or the energy or the enthusiasm to refill my empty dosing jugs. It's not that I don't have better things to do (truly, it is one of the more important things I should be doing), it's just that I'd rather do so many other things, and that includes scraping fossilized cat poo off the floor where the one cat in particular who has irritable bowel syndrome missed her cat box. Yes, I would rather scrape poo than mix up the additives. (And for the record, I hate poo too.) Did I mention I hate mixing up the additives? Because I hate mixing up the additives and particularly I hate making and mixing the soda ash one. Water changes, changing carbon, fiddle faddling with pellets, maybe some more water changes, what the heck, I'm doing (and have done) all those but those dosing jugs sit empty, taunting me with their foul crusty residues. "Refill us! Hahaha! Your parameters are going down like poo in the toilet! So what are YOU gonna do tonight chump? Look at all those boxes of baking soda that need baking. Teehee!"

Did I mention I hate mixing up additives?

Calcium reactors did definitely have their place. Well, unless you had problems with them I guess, nothing like a finicky reactor to tank high in the suckage category but when they were working right I really miss the set-and-forget (and I do mean forget for like 6 months, other than the ongoing testing of params) aspect of them. AND, it was nice to only test for Alk, because the Ca and Alk were always in proportion to one another..

[Zoaelite]

My additive containers talk to me all the time too tony .

[marie]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

......

Calcium reactors did definitely have their place. Well, unless you had problems with them I guess, nothing like a finicky reactor to tank high in the suckage category but when they were working right I really miss the set-and-forget (and I do mean forget for like 6 months, other than the ongoing testing of params) aspect of them. AND, it was nice to only test for Alk, because the Ca and Alk were always in proportion to one another..

I haven't bothered testing my calcium in over 2 years

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

fiddle faddling with pellets

LMAO. Tony I think the kids need to be moved out and you need to be 20+ years older before you qualify to 'fiddle faddle' with anything haha. You can tinker for now!

Dosing certainly isn't a new fad or trend though. It's been done pretty much everywhere else besides North America for a lot longer based on what I've read.

And Tony I don't think you'd hate mixing the BRS stuff. It's so clean and no baking either. There's no way the fossilized feline sharts should be more fun than prepping chemicals! I've done that many a time myself.

[Lance]

Originally Posted by lastlight

And Tony I don't think you'd hate mixing the BRS stuff. It's so clean and no baking either. There's no way the fossilized feline sharts should be more fun than prepping chemicals! I've done that many a time myself.

Yup, what Brett says.
BRS stuff is very easy to mix. I bought three one-gallon water containers with spigots from Safeway. Mark each with a magic marker; fill with RO water; pour in the stuff; shake it; do a little jig and presto it's done!