Calcium reactor recommendations
- Thread starter ksed
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You probably know the usual suspects like Geo, Korallin, RO, etc. The reactor just circulates water and most are very similar, but the regulator and feed method are important too.
I have used a bunch of different reactors, regulators and feed methods, but if I had to buy new stuff right now, I would get a Korallin with a Tunze Regulator and use a main line T to feed it. I have Carbondosers on dual stage victors regulators and they are not any more reliable or easy to set/tune than a Tunze that I have... at 4-5x the price. I used to use continuous duty peri pumps, but found that they don't work any better for me than main line T. I will say that tuning a reactor is no problem for me, so perahps this contributes to my lack of need for the fine grain tuning of a Peri pump or Carbondoser.
Just about any reverse flow reactor will work fine for me and I prefer those that trap excess co2 in the top so that I can tell if it needs adjustment.
I have used a bunch of different reactors, regulators and feed methods, but if I had to buy new stuff right now, I would get a Korallin with a Tunze Regulator and use a main line T to feed it. I have Carbondosers on dual stage victors regulators and they are not any more reliable or easy to set/tune than a Tunze that I have... at 4-5x the price. I used to use continuous duty peri pumps, but found that they don't work any better for me than main line T. I will say that tuning a reactor is no problem for me, so perahps this contributes to my lack of need for the fine grain tuning of a Peri pump or Carbondoser.
Just about any reverse flow reactor will work fine for me and I prefer those that trap excess co2 in the top so that I can tell if it needs adjustment.
Travis Wagner
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I just purchased my first calcium reactor and went with Avast’s SeaBones reactor. I’ve only been running it for about a month but it was very easy to install and has been fairly forgiving with tuning. It does a continuous drip into the tank so not needing a more expensive peristaltic pump was what let me towards it.
C. Eymann
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because Korallins sip CO2 unlike other reactors/dont need as much to produce potent effluent, build quality is excellent, small footprint, no uniseals to leak/fail
joseserrano
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I like the Tunze units
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ReefGeezer
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I don't think there is much difference between the quality brands i.e. Tunze, Geo, and reactors from Reef Octopus or even Skimz. That said, the regular will be the key to your system. Buy a good one, a dual zone, with an accurate needle valve. The stability of the water fed the reactor is also important. If you have the discipline to check and adjust the feed regularly, power heads, tee from the return pump, or gravity fed will work. If you want it to be set and forget, a dosing pump will help.
I bought a dual zone regulator and Kamoer dosing pump. So far, once dialed in per Jda's instructions, it has run flawlessly.
I bought a dual zone regulator and Kamoer dosing pump. So far, once dialed in per Jda's instructions, it has run flawlessly.
ESH
Valuable Member
I have a lifereef calcium reactor and if you can get on their build schedule or find a used one I'd highly recommend them. What's nice is if you start with a smaller sized one and then get a larger tank, you can extend the reactor tube increasing the media capacity. I've had this setup for over 2 years now and only had 1 issue, which was really just poor maintenance on my part. These can be used in sump or external, and it really comes down to which pump you have built with this system.
The mentioned issue I ran into was that I had a clogged drip line. After 2 years this could happen to any system. You can get quick disconnect valves built into this system, so all you have to do is pop the line off, run hot water through it to clean it out and you are back in operation soon after.
The mentioned issue I ran into was that I had a clogged drip line. After 2 years this could happen to any system. You can get quick disconnect valves built into this system, so all you have to do is pop the line off, run hot water through it to clean it out and you are back in operation soon after.
zoomonster
Valuable Member
The GEO has worked well for me with an exception I'm sure most have and that's the recirculation pump. It may have changed but most GEO's are setup for a Eheim universal pump universal 1048 if remember right. I have gone through numerous pumps and impellers. They just don't last.
Blue Spot Octopus
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I would try to get a reactor that ran an Eheim pump or a Pan World pump, I have a Deltec one with the old Aqua Bee pump, nope bad idea. Horrible pump.
