My 120 gallon tank is going on 6 months and thanks to a lot of guys here I’ve acquired a number of SPS and LPS frags. I’ve been using kalk for my ATO, but have been thinking that down the road I might need to go to 2-part dosing or a calc reactor as my tanks demands increase. I’ve been going back and forth about doing 2-part or a calc reactor.
I’ve read a number of threads on here and a few other boards about the pros and cons of each. Like a lot of things there is differing opinions on both. It seems that both methods can get you to where you want to go… steady calcium and alkalinity levels and resulting happy corals.
What isn’t clear to me is if one is easier to implement than the other or if there is really is a point at which it becomes more cost effective to go with a calc reactor on larger tanks with higher demands. For the record I’m comparing a calcium reactor with 2-part using dosing pumps not manual dosing.
It seems like both would require the same amount of babysitting to get them dialed in and then monitoring. Cost wise I’ve read that once you get around 100 gallons or greater it becomes more cost effective to go with a calcium reactor, but for the most part it seems like those estimates are done with the assumption that you use pre-mixed 2-part. It seems like you can do it much, much cheaper if you mix it yourself going the BRS or DIY route.
The upfront costs of equipment seem to be clearer. I already have a reef angel controller, so for another $100 to $150 I can get dosing pumps and tubing to get me started with 2-part dosing. A calcium reactor on the other hand is going to put me back $500 to $800 to get started. If there were good reactors in the $300 to $400 range in might not be as clear cut. Is it really that expensive to do 2-part over the long haul that it makes more sense to pay the money up front for a good reactor?
Has anybody tired both that can give some insight? Hopefully I didn’t open up too big of a can of worms.
Thanks
Mike
I’ve read a number of threads on here and a few other boards about the pros and cons of each. Like a lot of things there is differing opinions on both. It seems that both methods can get you to where you want to go… steady calcium and alkalinity levels and resulting happy corals.
What isn’t clear to me is if one is easier to implement than the other or if there is really is a point at which it becomes more cost effective to go with a calc reactor on larger tanks with higher demands. For the record I’m comparing a calcium reactor with 2-part using dosing pumps not manual dosing.
It seems like both would require the same amount of babysitting to get them dialed in and then monitoring. Cost wise I’ve read that once you get around 100 gallons or greater it becomes more cost effective to go with a calcium reactor, but for the most part it seems like those estimates are done with the assumption that you use pre-mixed 2-part. It seems like you can do it much, much cheaper if you mix it yourself going the BRS or DIY route.
The upfront costs of equipment seem to be clearer. I already have a reef angel controller, so for another $100 to $150 I can get dosing pumps and tubing to get me started with 2-part dosing. A calcium reactor on the other hand is going to put me back $500 to $800 to get started. If there were good reactors in the $300 to $400 range in might not be as clear cut. Is it really that expensive to do 2-part over the long haul that it makes more sense to pay the money up front for a good reactor?
Has anybody tired both that can give some insight? Hopefully I didn’t open up too big of a can of worms.
Thanks
Mike
