Calcium Reactor recommendation?

Cozen89 · #1 10/19/2007, 12:43 AM

I'm new to calcium reactors and looking for a suggestion for a easy to set up and maintain yet effective reactor. Also has to be cost conscious.

I was looking in to getting this deluxe calcium reactor package to get everything but the reactor in one. http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=1189

Does that look like a pretty decent deal or can I get most of this stuff cheaper elsewhere?

Thanks in advance.

JetCat USA · #2 10/19/2007, 07:40 AM

a Korallin 1502 is a great first reactor, Marine Depot sells them in a full package deal too.

Cozen89 · #3 10/19/2007, 03:04 PM

thanks for the suggestion. I'll look in to it. Anyone else?

edandsandy · #4 10/19/2007, 03:53 PM

JetCat USA,
what reactor do you have?

orangekush4 · #5 10/19/2007, 04:08 PM

korallin is the worst reactor i have used.Go with a GEO.

JetCat USA · #6 10/19/2007, 07:28 PM

i use Korallins, they are one of the top reactors, I've used about every one out there, i do like the Schuran but ever one on the boards likes to knock em because of part availability but you hardly ever need parts but any time you suggest one you have the bashers who jump on a bandwagon about it so i avoided it.

emorales · #7 10/19/2007, 07:35 PM

GEO is just a cheap copy of Koralline 1502....go with the German state of the art reactor.

BAB43 · #8 10/19/2007, 07:51 PM

In my experience the GEO is a great reactor we run one at my shop and I know several people that use them and have nothing but nice things to say.

slovan · #9 10/19/2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by emorales
GEO is just a cheap copy of Koralline 1502....go with the German state of the art reactor.

I'm not touching this one!

However, I have owned a Schuran JS1 and a Deltect PF601S. I think their both great reactors but I also would've been completely happy with a GEO.

Cozen89 · #10 10/19/2007, 08:44 PM

How about the K2R? I ask because I know a few ppl selling these. Please factor in ease of set up and maintenance too please because I am a complete calc reactor noob =)

JetCat USA · #11 10/19/2007, 08:51 PM

the K2R is way over rated on it's tank size but pretty much any reactor works. down flows like the Knop are poor choices if you use fine media but work OK with the large grain media, they aren't the most efficient with CO2 usage but they'll get the job done. the Schuran is the best for performance vs size with excellent CO2 efficiency. the GEOs are good reactors but i prefer the Korallin over the GEO myself, YMMV.

old salty · #12 10/20/2007, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by emorales
GEO is just a cheap copy of Koralline 1502....go with the German state of the art reactor.

As an owner of a 1983 Mercedes Benz 300 Turbo Diesel, I am very much aware of German engineering at it's finest, and I would put my money on a GEO being better built than a Korallin any day of the week.

JetCat USA · #13 10/20/2007, 12:09 AM

i have nothing bad to say about GEO reactors but better built then the Korallin they are not, and it's by a good measure that they aren't.

orangekush4 · #14 10/20/2007, 01:54 AM

GEO comes with a PH prob holder and is revers flow.When i had my Korallin back in 2000 it would trap co2 all the time.

ATB USA · #15 10/20/2007, 02:41 AM

I've had a reeftek, korallin, and a schuran out of all of them I would rate the reeftek as the best, set and forget would not have to adjust maybe a couple of times in the first week and that was it. The schuran was the worst hard to setup and constant adjustments. I have no idea why people say its so good probably because they never had one.

Cozen89 · #16 10/20/2007, 04:20 AM

Any more input on the K2R? I know of 2 used ones locally in my area.

JetCat USA · #17 10/20/2007, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by orangekush4
GEO comes with a PH prob holder and is revers flow.When i had my Korallin back in 2000 it would trap co2 all the time.

the Korallin has the option for a probe holder as well, and if you take the effluent from the lid of the reactor there is no chance of a build up of bubbles, setup to take effluent from the recirc plumbing it's supposed to build up the bubble, that's the safety feature of the reactor and it did exactly what you set it up to do.

iwantone · #18 10/20/2007, 09:23 AM

That's precisely why I bought my Korralin a few weeks ago to set-up on my new tank!

Randy1 · #19 10/24/2007, 06:08 PM

I won't bash you. I'm considering buying the schuran jet stream 1 have you used one?

Quote:

Originally posted by JetCat USA
i use Korallins, they are one of the top reactors, I've used about every one out there, i do like the Schuran but ever one on the boards likes to knock em because of part availability but you hardly ever need parts but any time you suggest one you have the bashers who jump on a bandwagon about it so i avoided it.

Randy1 · #20 10/24/2007, 06:12 PM

You liked the reeftek the best uh. Cool because thats is also one I'm considering. Do I really need a ph controler with it?

Quote:

Originally posted by victor90
I've had a reeftek, korallin, and a schuran out of all of them I would rate the reeftek as the best, set and forget would not have to adjust maybe a couple of times in the first week and that was it. The schuran was the worst hard to setup and constant adjustments. I have no idea why people say its so good probably because they never had one.

ATB USA · #21 10/24/2007, 06:23 PM

The schuran jetstream one was very hard to setup and constant adjustments. No you don't need a ph controller but i would recommend it. That way your co2 will shut off if something goes wrong.

Suzukibusa06 · #22 10/25/2007, 07:50 AM

I can tell you from in the field experience since I work with almost all these brands in field there is no comparison between GEO Calcium reactors and the ones you are talking about. GEO's are that much better built. Its much better built then those German "Pop Cans". Also there is no "Options" on Georges reactors. He includes it all. Probe holder, tubing, check valves, bubble counters the who sha bang a bang. He does us however use a german Ehiem pump! haa
Again if you go with a Geo you wont be sorry but choose your C02 regulator carefully as well as your Ph Controller since they are what dial in your reactor percisely.

Randy1 · #23 10/25/2007, 04:46 PM

Thanks. Can you name a brand reg. and controller for us?

chris4869 · #24 10/27/2007, 01:27 AM

I did run into a lot of trapped air under the Korallin lid too, but that was just a sign to cut back on the CO2 even more.

The Korallins and GEO's are really good reactors, but IMO I have to say the Korallins are built better. I do like the fact that the GEOs come with PH probe holder.

hahnmeister · #25 10/27/2007, 02:41 AM

Okay, a few things to address here.

1. I have a Korallin 1502, and I almost consider it 'moron-proof'. Its very well built, very efficient, etc. I have the special lid with the probe holder, and I have since realized that you dont really need it unless you want to have your solenoid controlled by the pH probe. They are both built well... the GEO with cast acrylic, and the Korallin with PVC. Honestly, the Korallin is most likely a more durable unit. I could see it taking a much taller fall w/o breaking, but thats partly because PVC is more durable than acrylic.

2. GEO based many of his design features on the Korallin, so arguing which is better designed is pretty useless. The 'built in trouble free bubble counter' that GEO uses is right off a Korallin. The 'upflow' principle isnt 100% uncommon, but both share this as well. Both use eheims now as well. The only major difference is that the GEO puts the pump on the side, and Korallin puts the pump on the top (many EU brands try to save space by doing this or having an underslung pump like H&S).

3. Relates to 1, but the reason you dont need the probe, is because of the way the reactor is designed. pH in the reactor can only go down to 6.5... no lower. If you get a pocket of air at the top, it is because you are adding too much CO2, and you need to cut it back because you arent going to have a lower pH... and the extra CO2 wont dissolve. So the reactor has a sort of built-in pH monitor. Your job as the owner is to adjust your CO2 rate to match this, ideally, maybe you end up with a little bit of a pocket every day or so that you have to bleed off. This is why there is that extra 1/4" outlet on the top of the reactor. If you dont care about this, you can just use this secondary output as the reactor output, and any excess CO2 will exit here as well... but then you do lose that 'built in pH monitor'.

4. Korallins are self feeding. You dont need a aqualifter or feed pump. The inlet is on the suction side of the pump, and the outlet is on the output of the pump (if you use the primary one), so the main pump itself serves a dual purpose. Not needing an Aqualifter is a great bonus.

5. I dont see why people rag on Korallins. They are idiot proof IMO. If you follow the directions, or use a pH probe at first at least to 'get it just right', its pretty much set & forget. I think some look at the pump placement and think it must be a PITA to open/close... its not really. And to 'bleed' the air inside the pump when it turns on, you can just tip the reactor a little, or use the output hose as an air bleed. The pump on the top is really easy though. Think about it, Deltecs use this same thing, and you dont hear deltec owners ragging about it. Besides... how often are you going to open this thing anyways? Does it really mater?

I have a Deltec and a Korallin. I like both, but honestly, I feel the Korallin is the better value, and the Deltec is the 'monster output' one. One thing I like about the Korallin, and if you really dont like the CO2 pocket it can get (which is a good thing because it prevents the pump from running dry with CO2), you can simply add a small piece of 1/4" airline to one of the holes on the pump intake, and curve it up so that it sucks in CO2 from the top. There, for less than a penny, you just converted this reactor into the same system that Schuran uses by recirculating the CO2.

The Deltec is a monster on the output end... so much so that I only run it when the lights are on. The media & fluidizing system give the Deltec a higher output than any other. Is this that important? Maybe not.

I dont think you can go wrong with a GEO or a Korallin, or a Deltec, or H&S... etc. Those are all very good values and strong performers. I would avoid Schuran, KNOP, Coralife, and some other 'smaller brands'.

One thing I will add is that the regulator is the one thing that you CANT skimp out on. Often times, the cheap regs that they include in packages arent worth it. Head on over to www.aqarium-plants.com, and get their custom 'in-house' CO2 regulator. Its better than the JBJ, Gen-X, Milwaukee, AquaMedic, and maybe even better than the ReefFanatic regulators. Cheap regulators tend to leak, have actual consistency problems, etc. So at that, I try to avoid packages unless they can remove the regulator for a credit. All that the package usually includes in addition to the reg and reactor is a some media (usually not the best anyways), a CO2 bottle... and thats it really. You can score some of that Gen-X crushed coral media cheap (good stuff really), a CO2 bottle easily from a local supplier for much cheaper than having the bulky thing shipped to you... you get the picture. Some packages give you Milwaukee pH controllers... but you can just get that seperate for $90-100 anyways... so its not a huge deal. You might want to get a Pinpoint or use a controller anyways.