| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Jeremyw 
Guest
Joined: April 09 2009
Location: Utah County
Status: Offline
Points: 8513
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: Doser or Reactor?
Posted: January 14 2015 at 8:20am |
I have had a lot of discussion over the last 2 months with hobbyist in stores and at meetings about this subject.
I am curious as to what everyone recommends. Do you dose with a doser if so pros and cons to it. Do you have a reactor... if so pros and cons. And if you dont thats okay too, I dont and I know the pros and cons but I am interested in the pros and cons of doser vs reactors....
My interest has been picked in this since Neptunes DOS... sweet little system but cost the same as a reactor... so not really saving money IMO.
Ready... Set.... GO
J
|
 |
LaRue
Guest
Joined: June 18 2013
Location: Roy
Status: Offline
Points: 907
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 9:06am |
|
I dose using the bubble mangus and have the expansion for it I love it because I can dose 7 different items and I don't have to try and remember to do it every day once it's set up I can forget it then I just have to check it periodicity to make sure the bottles are not empty.
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 10:49am |
My observation is that if you have the room and money for it, a Carbonate Reactor with it's CO2 bottle and automated controller, is the best way to go, otherwise simple timer dosing of Alk and possibly Ca, is much less costly and nearly as efficient.
Aloha, Mark  |
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
|
Shane H
Presidency
Joined: March 09 2003
Location: Brigham City
Status: Offline
Points: 7921
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 10:53am |
Jeremy -
I have a reactor you can buy on the cheap. When I set up my next, big system I will go with a dosing system. While the reactor served me quite well, I think they are more complicated, harder to dial in and involve more moving parts. The more parts and pieces, the more likely that something will fail.
Back in the day, I used a converted peristaltic pump (IV pump) for all my top-off (kalkwasser) and it worked flawlessly. Super simple, set it and forget it, yada..yada..yada.
|
|
Molli
Guest
Joined: June 28 2012
Location: Bountiful, Utah
Status: Offline
Points: 1109
|
Post Options
Thanks(1)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 1:55pm |
|
I use dosing and have only been in the hobby a few years. Have never used a Reactor. I will say this -- especially for the newbies -- neither of these choices takes the place of frequent testing for new tanks. With the growth I am seeing in my corals and with coraline algae growing and frequently adding more corals to my tank, dosing is going to require frequent tweaks.
|
|
Jeremyw
Guest
Joined: April 09 2009
Location: Utah County
Status: Offline
Points: 8513
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 2:52pm |
Keep bringing them.
I find this interesting. It seems more and more people are moving to Dosing....
Molli is right for both reactors and for Dosers... you still have to test!!! NO MATTER WHAT!
J
|
|
Krazie4Acans
Admin Group
Joined: December 17 2012
Location: Syracuse
Status: Offline
Points: 24177
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 3:01pm |
Have always done dosers butnow that I'm starting to do more SPS I'm considering a reactor. From my experience it all comes down to what your system is requiring to keep up with growth. If dosing is keeping up and not making filling jugs an often occurrence then why change? Once the jug filling pain threshold is reached then it makes sense to go reactor. Then again you could be like Tileman and be dosing on top of your reactor to try and keep your Alk up. So maybe both is the answer.  Krazie 
|
My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water Tank Thread:
|
|
Mike Savage
Guest
Joined: July 15 2005
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 19173
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 4:14pm |
|
A reactor for me was pretty much set it and forget it. With a doser I have to monitor the level in the containers. Both are much better than dosing by hand. Now that I am running smaller systems I just don't have room for a reactor.
|
|
|
|
Jeremyw
Guest
Joined: April 09 2009
Location: Utah County
Status: Offline
Points: 8513
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 4:26pm |
So those who have done both... does one save you money over the other in the long run. Im not talking about initial set up. Im talking about on going monthly. I know that it will vary due to tank and tanks needs... but what have you seen?
J
|
|
tileman
Guest
Joined: November 05 2003
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 5368
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 14 2015 at 4:41pm |
I have always run a big reactor. But I agree with both Shane and Mike. If you have a larger tank and the room, then a reactor is the way to go. After the setup, the only expense is the media and co2 . Very cheap . But a big reactor brings your ph down so to compensate for the lower ph, it's good to also run your top off through a kalk reactor.
|
|
335G Reef
TOTM.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/2/aquarium
ReefKeepers TOTM Feb. 2012
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month
&
|
|
Mark Peterson
Paid Member
Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
Status: Offline
Points: 21436
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 15 2015 at 8:23am |
Dosing with homemade solutions is definitely lower cost, especially when the material is bought in bulk. I buy the large bag of Armor Baking Soda at Costco and the gallon bottle of Prestone Driveway Heat at HD/Lowes. Hardly ever need to add Mg because a DSB of Utah Oolitic Sand adds Mg, Ca and Alk, in that order. At the bottom of the DSB the low pH does essentially the same thing as what CO2 does in the Carbonate Reactor. 
Aloha
|
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
|
|
Jeremyw
Guest
Joined: April 09 2009
Location: Utah County
Status: Offline
Points: 8513
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 15 2015 at 8:44am |
THank you mark and Brad.
So what about those that dont use homemade... Do you save money one over the other?
Brad What do you run? How many Reactors? Dose?
J
|
|
kody72
Guest
Joined: October 05 2009
Location: North Ogden
Status: Offline
Points: 1466
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 15 2015 at 9:13am |
|
I think your 6's either way a good doser is around $250 to $300. Calcium reactor for most systems is about $500 for the setup. You go through more 2 part additives then you go through media & co2. This is where you start to get your money back. Long term I give the edge to calcuim reactor because of the trace elements added it's not a ton but more than nothing. Just take a look at Brad's tank. So people do end up adding kalk reactor but not always necessary if you run a bigger reactor witch gives you even better stability as well.
Edited by kody72 - January 15 2015 at 9:15am
|
|
|
|
Crazy Tarzan
Guest
Joined: September 12 2003
Location: Riverton, WY
Status: Offline
Points: 1681
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: January 15 2015 at 11:32am |
|
I set up a doser system. For various reasons.
1) I do not have room for a reactor and Co2 bottle in the stand or aux cabinet
2) I had been dosing pretty constantly and can tweak the amounts as needed with the doser
3) It was relatively quick, easy and set it forget it other than testing tweaks.
4) I can fill the 1 gal bottles and put them back in and don't have to change anything.
I have used commercial packaged mixes (BRS two part), and done the home made stuff. $$ is saved with home made. But I prefer the simplicity of simply pouring the commercial stuff in the bottle and adding water. AND it tends to dissolve better and remain clear. I only paid around $100 for an off brand doser, but it works great and stores my settings if power goes off.
|
|
Was that in there yesterday? Casper--WY windier than ?
Down to a 20, soon to double or nothing
|
|
