Calcium reactor or dosing pumps?

[phiber_optikx]

I am really at a loss here. I have a 55 gallon with a 15 gallon sump. tek 4x54 t5ho. Koralia 2 and 4, and an ocean runner 5600. A local reefer is donating me some sps frags and I assumed maybe 1-5 frags. I check with him the other day and it seems that he is wanting to give me 20-40 frags. This is more than a 10% weekly water change can handle. I am trying to weigh the pros and cons of a calcium reactor and dosing pumps. The calcium reactor will have a much higher initial cost. Even the cheaper ones I have found will run me to around $500 after the co2 tank and the regulator. But after it is said and done it should take me about 30 minutes a year to control. Dosing the tank with a cheap dosing pump and addatives from bulk reef supply will be much more cost effective in the short term (and may even almost break even with the reactor) but take much more attention. Although I suppose that after I get the levels figured out I just need to refill the containers.... I am really at a loss. Can anyone give some good advice?

[dtfleming]

do you plan on keeping sps and alot of it?

[phiber_optikx]

do you plan on keeping sps and alot of it?

Yeah sorry, Edited it to correct my mistake. It is 20-40 frags of SPS not lps.

[dtfleming]

2-part dosing is the cheaper way now, but cal reactor might be easier in the long run.

 

two dosing pumps with 2-part and adding kalk to your topoff water should keep the lvls in check.

[phiber_optikx]

Even with 20-40 frags in a 55 gallon?

[dtfleming]

yes, remember that you have to figure out how much cal and alk are being used by the tank first. So you may end up dosing a good amt of 2-part.

 

So it really boils down to, do you what to go through alot of 2-part or run a reactor.

[bdare]

I use a Litermeter III to dose my 40B SPS tank. These cost pretty close to what a Ca reactor will run you after you buy the second dosing pump. Works great and it helps keep Ph up where a Ca reactor will drop your Ph.

[vangvace]

I stole this from another forum, but it gives you something else to chew on.

 

Unless you are at 180 gallons or more, then you can save signifcant money with 2 part over calcium reactor(and then all the other things that go along with Reactor, like low PH, so adding a Kalk reactor).

 

You can automate the process for a responsble cost by using a dosing pump that has 2 outlets, then just dial in the amount per 24 hours (even better precision if you have a Controller like a Neptune Aquacontroller 3 or jr.)

 

Here is another thread where I have links to the dosing pump I use. and for 120 gallons of water, minus the cost of the pump, I only spent $79 for the year on CA and ALK. (your mileage will vary)