Which Calc Reactor?

[Dominican]

Ok, so I'm trying to get my crap together. I've got an established 150gal long with fish and softies mostly. I'd like to get into sps, and recently broke down on a great deal for a CO2 kit from Aquacave. Now I just need the Calc Reactor. I'm interested in hearing what everyone thinks is the best brand in terms of bang for the buck. Looking to spend no more than $350 and am definitely trolling for used eqpt in very good shape. Let me know, thanks..

[Jonthefishguy]

Most soft corals are very aggressive to other species and can knock out sps corals easily. Soft corals release pheromones into the water and can cause other corals to become stunned, ill, or die. Keeping carbon running in your tank will curb it but not entirely but also pulls out elements that corals require for healthy growth. Having a calcium reactor is overkill in a tank that has mainly soft corals. Corals that benefit from a large amount of calcium are corals such as Acropora. For soft corals, keeping up with your additives such as Iodine are more beneficial than the calcium reactor. Also, the food needs change when adding SPS corals. Soft corals feed on phytoplankton and now you will need to feed zooplankton for the SPS. Nearly all SPS eat zooplankton and not phyto.

[rz1a]

you can think about just dosing two-part and maintaining with kalkwasser

[CoryDude]

The Korallin 1502 is a good unit that is around $350-$400. Pretty solid construction, but it's a pain to change media since the Eheim pump is situated on top of the reaction chamber. But, it has a large media chamber w/a small footprint.

[reeferRob]

I'm getting ready to do the same, gonna ride along on this. I was looking at that 1502, even added it to my cart, just haven't hit the BUY button!

Rob

[JeffCo]

I really like the GEO's, very easy to use, solid construction, and a descent price.

[DrMark]

great to know.
Just got one to run on the SPS tank setting up.
mark


I really like the GEO's, very easy to use, solid construction, and a descent price.

[Dominican]

Thanks for the input everyone. I have been leaning toward the Goesreef 612, so sounds like I'm on the right track! :)

Jonthefishguy: I appreciate the extra info. I've got star polyps, sun coral, bunch of shrooms, bubble, elegance, a sebae, 1 leather, and a number of others... They are all on the lower half of the tank. I intend to add some addl LR and put all the SPS on the upper half. The reactor will be for the SPS. I've dosed iodine to this point, and will continue for the softies. Does it sound like I'll have probs mixing soft/hard, considering my plan? Anyone?

[JeffCo]

Good choice on the Geo, I ran the 612 for 2 years on my 375, I just had to replace the media pretty often, just recently upgraded to the 818.

You should be fine with the mixing, only thing I would look at now is where some of your softies are placed. The green star and shrooms can really take over your tank and grow over everything, including your SPS. So, plan on their placement wisely, maybe on an island by themselves.

[rz1a]

how much calcium and alkalinity are you depleting currently?

[Dominican]

Alk ~ 2.8 meq/l, and Calcium ~ 380ppm. Thats what it trends toward if I slack on dosing...

JeffCo: How often did you have to replace the media on your 612?

[aimaike]

Get Ace to build you one of his "duallies" with kalk and calc on the same platform. I have been running one on my 210 for about a year.

[Dominican]

Who is this ubiquitous "Ace"? :) Do I just look him up on the list of members? I've heard of Ace-built all kindsa stuff. I think he builds sumps too?

[ACE]

His username is "Hobogato", his real name is Ace Shedd.

[Dominican]

Ahah! So THAT's whose wife spoke to us at the June meeting! :) Thanks for the info. Any relation to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago?

[hobogato]

i wish :D


Any relation to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago?

[JeffCo]

I had to fill mine up every 2-3 months, but I was running it pretty hard.