2 Dose or to React?

[Johnson556]

I'm coming up on making a big decision for my new tank, whether to switch to a calcium reactor or continue to dose 2-Part. Last week I upgraded from a 90G mixed reef to what will become a 180G SPS and Zoa tank. On my 90G I used two BRS dosers with ESV Bionic and it was rock solid. Stable for its life at 8.0dKH and 420PPM with PH staying between 8.2-8.25 over a 24 hour period. I no longer have my dosing amounts on my Apex but I believe I was dosing about 65Ml a day of each.

I'm leaning towards maintaining my previous maintenance style for this tank, dose 2 part and 15% water change every 2 weeks (RS Blue Bucket). The tank runs an ATS, Skimmer, and Filter sock for mechanical filtration. The tank is currently being dosed about 92Ml of each a day, however its too much. I'm still in the midst of calibrating the tank as its only a week old. With its current stock i'm estimating it will be about consuming about 75-80Ml of Alk a day to maintain 8.0dKH and 420PPM Calc.

Cost aside, what will be the most beneficial and easy to use for my tanks future. I'm a big advocate of KISS. I have no experience with Ca reactors. What are the pro's and cons? I have one person saying they refuse to ever go back to a reactor because dosing is so easy now, and not wanting excess CO2 in their tanks. Another telling me two part is crap and reactors are all the rage.

To dose 2 part or to calcium react, that is the question?

 

[RobZilla04]

If it were my upgrade I would seriously consider switching to a Calcium reactor. I have no experience with one but I understand there is a learning curve. From what my research has led me to believe is that once they are dialed in they are rock solid on maintaining Alk and Cal levels. With the volume of dosing you are potentially looking at, a reactor has my vote. Hopefully you get some solid responses here.

 

[Johnson556]

I'm hoping so two. If I do go calcium reactor it would most likely be a Geo's reef. The reactor just has more con's for initial set up, size, cost, placement (wouldn't fit under my stand). For dosing I would just upgrade to either a DOS or other high quality dosing device and build a acrylic dosing container with float switches to let me know when they're running low.

 

[Caravanshaka]

I've been running a calcium reactor for about 6-7 months now, and I am switching to dosing with the upgrade I am implementing now. Even with high-end equipment (carbon doser regulator, masterflex peristaltic effluent pump, vertex reactor), I couldn't get the reactor to keep both Calcium and Alk stable together. Right now my Alk is rock solid at about 7.8, but my Calcium is rising 10ppm a week. I've tried 3 different medias now and am still having the issue, so I've decided it is time to go dosing. My concern with dosing has always been trace elements, but there are systems in place now that contain those traces in the dosing. I've decided that the ATI essentials setup is what I want to go with.

There are people in both parties here, some that swear by their reactor and some that swear by their dosing setups. The reality is that there is quality equipment for both setups to attain stability. I think my issue is that my tank is still not terribly mature and is consuming Alk at a weird rate when compared to calcium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The advantage of a two part is you have more control (or at least more easily attained control) over the timing of the doses to match demand, and you will have a higher pH overall.

IMO, those advantages make it more attractive.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If it were my upgrade I would seriously consider switching to a Calcium reactor. I have no experience with one but I understand there is a learning curve. From what my research has led me to believe is that once they are dialed in they are rock solid on maintaining Alk and Cal levels. With the volume of dosing you are potentially looking at, a reactor has my vote. Hopefully you get some solid responses here.

It's hard (impossible for me, actually) to imagine how a CaCO3/CO2 reactor could be more stable than two part dosing with appropriate dosing pumps. Both might be adequately stable, or even more than adequate, but I can't see how the reactor could be more stable.

 

[Johnson556]

Whelp, that settles that. Now the question is, what shall I dose with?

Randy, I've been reading your material like a madman since I got into the hobby 10 months ago. Just seeing now you're local. I'm in Wakefield a stones throw away from Greg H (assuming you know who i'm speaking of). Would love to meet you at some point, Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Whelp, that settles that. Now the question is, what shall I dose with?

Randy, I've been reading your material like a madman since I got into the hobby 10 months ago. Just seeing now you're local. I'm in Wakefield a stones throw away from Greg H (assuming you know who i'm speaking of). Would love to meet you at some point, Thanks

Thanks, I’m glad you found the articles useful. [emoji3]

When I took my tank down a bit ago, Greg got my favorite creature, a big blue H. gigantea carpet anemone. I hope it is still alive. [emoji3]

 

[Johnson556]

Last time I saw his tank was in January, let me know if you can spot it haha. Greg’s got a little bit of growth going on in that thing.....

 

[RobZilla04]

It's hard (impossible for me, actually) to imagine how a CaCO3/CO2 reactor could be more stable than two part dosing with appropriate dosing pumps. Both might be adequately stable, or even more than adequate, but I can't see how the reactor could be more stable.

Well there ya have it, I should have know to only speak from experience and not unconfirmed info I've read.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well there ya have it, I should have know to only speak from experience and not unconfirmed info I've read.

Folks using the new autotitrators have shown us a lot about daily alk demand, and how most of it happens during the day. Using dosing pumps, folks can dose to offset the demand and keep alk super stable. Some even let the device stabilize dosing for them based on alk measurements.

I think the usual statements relating to great stability of reactors really derived before most people used dosing pumps for two parts.