CA reactor or Dosing?

[e46er]

i bought a double dosing pump for about $310 bux after taxes
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=am-d370105
I never ran a reactor but i was stuck in the middle i had 30 pounds of dry dosing products and a full co2 set up front an old planted tank. the decision was made based on my already full stand with a 3 footsump and closed loop pump in a stand with an inside total length of 40 " so i was going to have something sitting outside the stand..........2-1G jugs or a co2 tank/regulator and a calcium reactor pump ect..........

i hung the pump unit in the stand and have 2-1G jugs that are between a chair and the stand so you barely notice them

I always found it was a severe pain in the ass for me to get my co2 tank filled as i work close to home and the closest/decent priced fill was 45 min in rush hour.

so i figured from my situation the reactor was uglyier noiser and more expensive to set up some people say set and forget some have to tinker none stop

dosing I throw some baking soda on a baking sheet bake for an hour fill a 1 g jug with the baking soda and water shake and im done calcium is measure and pour into jug and shake done.
im lazy so i throw it in a 5 G pail with a powerhead for a couple min to mix but shaking works as well.
I go through just over a pound of Ca and a pound of baking soda a month so costs for chemicals are under $5 a month and maybe 4 pounds Mag a year

i ordered dry chemicals 20 lbs at a time and shipping isnt too bad

[mark]

Originally Posted by GMGQ

Well I can get a triple pump doser with individual built in timers/displays for $170.

care to share where?

[GMGQ]

eBay

Originally Posted by mark

care to share where?

[GMGQ]

If the water is just streaming out of the reactor, then the pH in the reactor would not be low enough to break down the aragonite. Doesn't the pH have to be around 6.5 in the reactor?

If it's just streaming through the reactor, it would be closer to the level of ur tank, which is around 8.2.

Originally Posted by Aquattro

My setup is really easy. I have a stream coming out of the reactor, no drip rate. I run CO2 full time at a bubble per second, and control output via flow. More flow = less contact with CO2. I tweak it about every 3 months as growth rate expands, and fill it every 8 or 9 months.

[amoreira]

I don't steadily bubble in the CO2, but let it bubble in at a good rate for 9 minutes every hour. The amount of CO2 in the water becomes saturated in the column. Some excess CO2 gets blown off, but the amount of CO2 in the water is the same every time as it's saturated. The pressure in the column rises to the point were the flow of water through it stops. Eventually, enough CO2 gets blown off or dissolves in the water that the pressure drops and the flow through it resumes. The pH drops and a good amount of aragonite gets dissolved. This method gives me stable Ca/alk parameters. Maybe I'm using too much CO2, but it's not a big waste in my opinion.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by GMGQ

If the water is just streaming out of the reactor, then the pH in the reactor would not be low enough to break down the aragonite. Doesn't the pH have to be around 6.5 in the reactor?

If it's just streaming through the reactor, it would be closer to the level of ur tank, which is around 8.2.

In theory, but with CO2 running full time, contact time is enough to dissolve the media. I'm down about 1.5 inches in 2 months, 6" dia. reaction chamber. Flow is through an micro irrigation drip valve, so not a huge stream, but it is a constant flow.

[abcha0s]

Originally Posted by GMGQ

Well I can get a triple pump doser with individual built in timers/displays for $170.

Be careful here. Not all paristaltic pumps are created equal.

I've owned several peristaltic pumps including the aquamedic and spectrapure litermeter pumps. I can tell you that you get what you pay for. I would never dose with anything of lesser quality than a profilux.

Perhaps your problem is with your reactor. You already own the co2 hardware. Maybe you should just upgrade to a better reactor? Possibly add pH control?

I personally really like my vertex rx6 duo calcium reactor. I previously owned a Deltec which I paid more for and really didn't like. I guess you don't always get what you pay for

[Dez]

I've only every run a reactor and for me it's set and forget. I haven't tested anything in my tank in about half a year now and I run a full blown sps tank. I get good growth and I'm a relatively lazy reefer who doesn't do much for maintenance. I've never tried a doser so I can't compare. I just run the reactor with a steady stream coming out and control the ph within the reactor with my aquacontroller III. Hope this helps.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by GMGQ

Yes I find it's iffy to dial in te drip rate and bubble count, as it doesn't stay consistent. After a while the tubing would get hard and clogged so than affect drip rate.

are you using a needle valve for your adjustment? also a flow meter is way way better than a presure only unit, shouldn't have any issue dialing it in. for your tubing you need to use CO2 grade tubing. I have had my CO2 running on my freshwater tank for over 10 years on the same tubing.

Originally Posted by GMGQ

The reactor and Co2 cylinder are big and bulky. Whereas there are triple pump dosers with buIlt in timers, so I could mount that on the wall and have 3 jugs on the floor.

youll find the 3 jugs on the floor take up a larger area than a reactor and co2, not by much mind you.

Originally Posted by GMGQ

As far as cost, I could sell the reactor setup and invest in dosing equipment.

Hmmmmmmm....

yup you could.. ever seen what a used reactor set up goes for ... not much.


but for the record so I don't seam pro reactor and anti dosing, my new set up will be dosing, but only because I don't have a reactor right now, well thats not realy true.. I have a 3/4 finnished DIY one and I still have all my hardware for it.

but I am building my own controler and dosing pump set up which is also going to have a larger capacity pump installed in it for water top off also.

Steve

[Haloreef]

I have to agree with Russ! Last year I was having all sorts of problems with my reactor, I could not keep anything stable. I eventually tracked it down to a faulty pump. Instead of fixing or buying a new reactor I thought I would try the dosing pumps. I think you would be hard pressed to get me to change back. A little trial and error was needed to dial them in but once I was at the levels I was aiming for things have been rock solid. I mixed up 5 gallons of each liquid so 5 minutes tops every month to top of the jars and thats it. I have only been running the pumps for 6 months but, so far, I am sold on dosing.
Keith.