Considering a calcium reactor

[Nick Shades]

I have a couple of projects on my timeline, and am currebtly moving them around. After i purchase my next return pump, i plan on purchasing a co2 injection calcium reactor, but rather than piece it together, i am interested in buying as close to an all in one system as possible.

I currently am running a 90 gallon display tank and have a total water volume of any 96 gallons. In approximately 18 months it will be a 120 to 160 gallon total volume system.

Can anyone recommend to me a great all in one co2 injection calcium reactor system that is very simple to piece together, purchase wise?

I have done co2 for my fw planted tanks, so understanding the bubble counter/solenoid, etc is not foreign to me, but I would like to get it as closely in its same sandbox as every other component of it is my main desire.

Thank you, in advance.

 

[reefes pieces]

Can you elaborate as what you mean all in one? Like a setup that includes the CO2 pressure regulator, tank, and all that?

 

[Nick Shades]

As close to an all in one package as possible. If i can avoid purchasing the solenoid, 320 adapter, regulator, bubble counter separate from eachother, as well as the reactor, it will save me luxury headaches

 

[Nick Shades]

For instance :

All in one

https://www.marinedepot.com/Koralli...F0Ep0EQf5oQ5n3ouJ_5X26Zm-CH-iU8oaAjtnEALw_wcB

 

[Smite]

Not sure I like the reactor linked. I just did a quick glance over and it doesn't seem like that great of a deal to me. Not sure it has a fitting on top for a pH probe or not? Also the regulator looks very basic to me and thats the heart of a Co2 system.

Most of what you don't want to hunt for has to do with the regulator set up. I'd suggest buying a complete dual stage regulator setup and pairing with a quality calcium reactor. Planted tank setups like GLA ect work alright. Another option is to have someone build you a regulator. I was referred to Alan Le by a member here and could not be happier with my co2 setup. I was in the same boat, wanted something I could rely on but didn't want to hunt down all the parts.

With that out of the way you can base your calcium reactor purchase off reviews/price points. I'd be looking at ReefOctopus, AquaMaxx or Georeef for the actual reactor. Something that has compression fitting up top for pH probe, unions in the plumbing for easy cleaning and a decent pump driving the system. I also like having a secondary media chamber to buffer the pH back up before it enters the sump. The secondary chamber helps me more because I don't focus on effluent drip rate. I set it at a steady stream and adjust the pH range inside to the reactor to adjust the system.

 

[Nick Shades]

I am not against having a "professional" build mine, as it was what i did for my very first one.

Who is Alan Le?

 

[five.five-six]

Korallin makes top notch reactors, they and Knop were the pioneers. That link isn't really a AIO, it's a package that was put together.

Top of the line "regulator" is called "carbondoser" make sure you are sitting down when you look at the price but it's the bee's knees.

Alan Le is a guy who makes custom regulators and they rival the carbondoser

 

[babyjess210]

https://aquariumplants.com/collecti...ate-co2-system-best-performance-best-warranty

I contact them and the owner is really cool.

 

[five.five-six]

https://aquariumplants.com/collecti...ate-co2-system-best-performance-best-warranty

I contact them and the owner is really cool.

Really cool is an understatement. I contacted him about one of his units that I was considering buying used via email and he called me and talked with me about it for 1/2 hour. We settled on that used unit was in too poor of shape to buy and that maybe some day I might buy one but the owner was just really helpful and didn’t try to push a sale or anything.. just helping fellow aquarist out.

The carbon doser is very differant than a regulator. The bubble counter doesn’t even factor in. Instead of just having a bubble rate, the carbondoser has a “dose rate” which will consist of one or more bubbles per dose. You adjust the number of doses per minute and the size of the doses. It’s very differant than a regulator.

 

[Smite]

I am not against having a "professional" build mine, as it was what i did for my very first one.

Who is Alan Le?

A reefer who builds really nice regulators. He also has a good how to build co2 regulators on ReefCentral and Reef2Reef. If you don't want to hunt down and assemble everything yourself you can have him build one for you. He put together a SS setup for me and was at my door in about a week. PM me if you want his number. Search for him on other forums to see some of his builds as well.

I just saw GEO has 10% off calcium reactors. New ones look pretty cool with a nice needle valve plumbed into the effluent line and driven by sicce pumps.

 

[Smite]

http://www.socalireefs.com/index.ph...s-every-map-deal-available-is-now-live.93683/