Doser or Reactor?
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Forum Name: Equipment
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=74394
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Topic: Doser or Reactor?
Posted By: Jeremyw
Subject: Doser or Reactor?
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 8:20am
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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 ------------- Next meeting: |
Replies:
Posted By: LaRue
Date 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. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 10:49am
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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 
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Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 10:53am
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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.
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Posted By: Molli
Date 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. |
Posted By: Jeremyw
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 2:52pm
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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 ------------- Next meeting: |
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 3:01pm
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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 http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 4:14pm
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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. -------------  |
Posted By: Jeremyw
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 4:26pm
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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 ------------- Next meeting: |
Posted By: tileman
Date Posted: January 14 2015 at 4:41pm
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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 & |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date 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
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Posted By: Jeremyw
Date Posted: January 15 2015 at 8:44am
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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 ------------- Next meeting: |
Posted By: kody72
Date Posted: January 15 2015 at 9:13am
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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. ------------- http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=60612&title=kody72-fishroom" rel="nofollow - KODY72 FISHROOM BUILD 281g DT 187g Rimless Frag ATI PM lighting SRO DSCR-300ext 8013908179 |
Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: January 15 2015 at 11:32am
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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 |