Dosing Pump or CA Reactor

Edison

Edison

Member
My tank's inhabitants have a keen hunger for CA and KH and it's gotten to the point that I'm dosing 30 ML twice a day of these two additives.

I was all set to buy a dosing pump but as always fate intervened -I got an email from Jeff at Lifereef and he was asking about another computer he'd like me to build & mentioned he'd be willing to barter for one of his calcium reactors.

So now I'm wondering which would be best for my RSM?

I see a slight advantage with the dosing pump because it can dose up to 4 additives but for now, I just need CA, KH and MG.

Any comments, suggestion...heck I don't know which to get :coffee:

Thanks!!!!
 
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bawla47

New Member
i ran a calcium reactor on a larger tank, but since downgrading, i went the dosing pump route.

i absolutely love dosing pumps over the reactor. unless you buy a very nice one, theres just so much variables with it that it becomes a headache. along with the lower ph that comes with it.

dosing pumps are so easygoing, wouldnt have it any other way now. anything under 75g water i think is def the way to go. theres a ton of tank of the month tanks that are even larger, that can attest that the system DOES work.
 
DBrinson

DBrinson

Member
A Knop "C" reactor. You won't regret it.

Yeah, initially it's a pain to figure out where to get CO2 from, how to set it, and to ultimately hook up a ph controller to it.

But that's what this forum is for ;) Make a thread and monitor dKH, calcium, magnesium, and let us coach you through it.

If you've never done it, it's worth the trouble just to learn, and get comfortable with, a smaller 75 gallon tank is small enough, you can pick up alkalinity changes in the water (based on what you do with your reactor) very quickly. Once you have it down, you will never, ever go back to a dosing pump for calcium/hardness supplementation. (unless you're bawla47 heh heh)

A dosing pump is a great thing. But it's better utilized to slowly change a gallon of water every day in a tank that size. (And do check out the Liter Meter by Spectrapure, if you go to get one)
 
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bawla47

New Member
I dont think the initial pain in setting it up is a problem, its the variables that comes along with it, mainly the efflulent rate getting clogged randomly. i think theres more people that have gone to dosing pump from calc reactors, that have been happier, check around!

I can help you get setup in whichever route you do take though.

I ran a Knop S IV with ph controller. and can guide you threw all the dif ways you can set it up(cheap to exp).

that controller you posted is VERY NICE! def the top dog of dosing pumps. You can also look into the bubble magus setups, there a good bang for your buck.

GL!!
 
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