er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 *What's the best calcium reactor for a 120g?* i'm in the market for some shiney new equipment for my 120g, specifically a calcium reactor. if you had $600-$700 to spend, what reactor would be the best to get? Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Is this just the reactor alone or with everything? Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 everything? Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 when your tank gets fully stocked, you might have problems with a reactor you can get for that much. solenoid/regulator+ co2 is going to be like 250. If you go with a pH controller, thats about 150ish. 300 for a reactor of that size is kinda rough, unless you diy. Anyway, I like the schurans. I use the pico, the schuran 1 might be good for you. So are the Barr reactors. I'd contact toecutter for a custom reactor. I guess you could also dose kalkwasser or get a kalk reactor. Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 i have a pH controller that's attached to my ACJR... can i use that? i'll look into schurans. does MD carry them? ick... kalk... Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Oh than ya its all good then. As I think more about it, I think any of the more trusted reactors will work for your cause. Look into the brands you like, like deltec and marine technical concepts (great great reactors), as well as precision marine. And definitely contact toecutter. After you pick a few reactors you like, post them and people can chime in. It's always hard when you're narrowing down choices. My recommendations are: 1. toecutter special 2. schuran 3. marine technical concept (japanese favorites) 4. deltec. I personally don't like the mrc and coralife's. hth http://www.aquaristic.net/shop/shop.php/si...988d60.72579099 some of the reactors on aquaristic makes me drool so badly. I almost forgot that h and s makes reactors too http://finsreef.com/home.php?cat=250 And here's barr aquatic's page http://www.barraquatic.com/cal.php OMG and growtech. hmmmm http://www.captiveoceans.com/mm5/merchant....ry_Code=GroTech Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 the schuran pico is rated up to 150g, but it's probably too little for my tank huh? how about korallin? knop? Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Korallin can be picky to adjust. Theres too many damn tubes. Thats the one I was going to trade you but I got lazy to go to the warehouse. And Imma say no on the KNOP, its basically just the cylinder. You could probably go with the pico. To be honest with you, efficiency is dependent on how much co2 is used up. Don't worry too much about what it's rated for. As if a reactor that were 24in high would magically give you more calcium per co2 molecule. It's BS. They basically just hold more media so you don't gotta change your substrate as often. If you want technical advice on how well a reactor circulates co2, and what makes one reactor more efficient than another, and what not, shoot toecutter a pm. or find him in chat. shoot me one too I guess, it's too much to post here and I work better answer questions. anyway, a lot of people like the geos too. For you, I guess the pico would work, I had mine on a much smaller tank and to be honest, I had a hard time adjusting it because my tank was too small for the calcium load. I think it will be fine for you. The company doesn't overshoot their ratings much. http://www.schuran.com/index_seawater_e.htm But I still encourage you to look around some more. Maybe a bigger reactor might be better. It might cost about 100 or 200 more but as your tank grows in/you upgrade, whatever (reads gets too lazy to regularly change media) the bigger reactor will be more convenient. Plus they might be a little easier to control. Bigger volume= more co2 needed to change pH. A regulator is nowhere as precise as you'd imagine. HTH Nips p.s. I hope I've earned enough brownie points for a discount when you sell chit Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 lol you got it Link to comment
mvite Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Don't get the MRC anything IMO. I am still battling with the flow slowing down/stopping even after changing the valves. It's gotten better--but still a hassle. I think $700 is way cool for that---If I had it to do over again, I would get the same old reg/sol everyone has for $80, and then the rest on the reactor. The Korallin is very shiny and blue. Who cares about the adjustments on something that looks as cool as those?!!!! Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 i had the MRC beckett skimmer thing and it was pretty good up until it started spitting out microbubbles and could never get it to stop. i switched over to trigger systems and haven't looked back from your other thread i don't think i'll be getting an mrc skimmer... lol i just called my lfs and he has a very good deal on the korallin 1502 reactor right now $550 brand new with co2 tank, which i believe beats marine depot... a lot to think about. Link to comment
mvite Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 i just called my lfs and he has a very good deal on the korallin 1502 reactor right now $550 brand new with co2 tank, which i believe beats marine depot... That's the bigger one, right? That includes the pump--You know you wanna.... Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 it's the one rated up to 400g. i know i wanna... i put aside money for it, so i'll probably pick it up over the weekend so i have something to fiddle with on my days off next week before school starts again. or go hunting for a schuran..... but the g/f is expecting a trip to puerto rico come spring break so i have to save up... if she sees me spending money oooooooooooh man.... lol Link to comment
mvite Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 but the g/f is expecting a trip to puerto rico come spring break so i have to save up... if she sees me spending money oooooooooooh man.... lol Well if she's the one....... You'll find the right way to hide it from her...... Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 The korallin might be a little hard for you to adjust. I found it difficult to control the drip rate without an aqualift pump. Also, ask what brand the regulator is. A lot of people have had problems with milwaukee regulators in the past. Some regulators have better controls than others. This is the one component I would never skimp on. As for the tank, careful cause some co2 places don't refill, they trade in and give you a cruddy ugly tank. As for size, the difference between filling a 10g tank vs 5 is like a buck. Just some other things to keep in mind, when you're deciding whether or not to pursue this "bargain" Link to comment
stallen Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Well if she's the one.......You'll find the right way to hide it from her...... That's good stuff Link to comment
Reefer Addict Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Here is my set up. A korallin is actually easy to adjust if you mod the sheot out of it. Replaced all the tubing (RO tubing) and valves (gate valve)...It is being fed with a mj1200 whick I also modded.. Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 that looks so complicated it hurts my head. But at least it isn't as bad as a stock korallin Link to comment
Reefer Addict Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 that looks so complicated it hurts my head. But at least it isn't as bad as a stock korallin are you talking about the korallin or the whole set up? LOL Not alot of room to make things look pretty. Ampmaster pump, phosban reactor, Co2 tank with regulator and solenoid, etc... Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 both. I feel like I should be getting tentacle raped by your tank Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 Well if she's the one.......You'll find the right way to hide it from her...... under the stand where she never looks because the "fish poop machine is down there". that's where i hide my booty magazines too. lol The korallin might be a little hard for you to adjust. I found it difficult to control the drip rate without an aqualift pump. Also, ask what brand the regulator is. A lot of people have had problems with milwaukee regulators in the past. Some regulators have better controls than others. This is the one component I would never skimp on. As for the tank, careful cause some co2 places don't refill, they trade in and give you a cruddy ugly tank. As for size, the difference between filling a 10g tank vs 5 is like a buck. Just some other things to keep in mind, when you're deciding whether or not to pursue this "bargain" i'll keep that in mind. i think the regulator maybe JBJ? i'm not too sure, but i'll ask. which reg would you recommend? how does a full 5#co2 tanks weigh? 10#? i can get cheap refills on CO2 because a buddy of mine works at this air/gas place where i get my paintball HPA and CO2 tanks filled and serviced, but i'm worried about driving it home and having to cram it under the stand. Link to comment
Reefer Addict Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 LOL.. It's actually not as bad as it looks... Some guy over at RC did a write up on how to do the mod. Pretty darn simple. Just replace the tubing (RO tubing is less likely to kink due to it being so rigid) and valves (can't get any more acurate than a gate valve). Plus the addition of a modded MJ1200. I have had no problems with it what so ever.. Link to comment
supernip Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 JBJ should be okay. I think a lot of fw people use it. I use the reeffanatic one myself, and also hear good things about the M3. Since you're using a pH controller though, the solenoid is the more important part. You can adjust Ca output with it, and the regulator won't have to be adjusted all too much. I think a 5lb tank holds 5lb+ weight of tank itself. Same deal with the 10. I got a 10 and I think it's like 20-25lb for the tank alone. Don't forget to soak your media in ro water before adding it to the tank. You might need a PO4 absorberererererer now that you're using a calcium reactor and some macro to control pH. reefer addict: really it didn't come with ro tubing? My schuran came with it. But i want to switch out for a gate valve though. The ball valve sucks grrr Link to comment
Reefer Addict Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Yep. It came with flimsy green air like tubing... Talk about a kink waiting to happen.... And get the gate valves.. Adjusting is a snap with those things.. Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 nips: macro as in macro algae for in-sump and reverse light cycle? RA: where did you get the gate valves? Link to comment
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