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View Full Version : CA reactor or ZEOvit reactor? which is better?


fishkid6692
07/08/2009, 05:35 PM
i can afford one of the two. but which one is better for sps? i wanted the CA reactor so my calcium levels would stay stable but i've heard that ZEOvit reactors are nice. which one is better? and what do i need to get started for both of them? thanks!

Reefer08
07/08/2009, 06:44 PM
They both do completely different things. Calcium reactor will add calcium/alkalinity to your tank, keeping your tank stable.


A zeovit reactor will do nothing unless your dosing basic 4 zeovit supplements. A zeovit reactor is a reactor that holds the zeo stones so that bacteria can accumulate on the rocks and twice a day your going to clean the rocks by pumping the reactor, which feeds your corals. The rocks will also process nitrates and phosphates.



I would suggest that you a two part doser such as a peristaltic doser on a timer. A calcium reactor is nice but its much better to do two part on a small tank, its easier to dial in the correct amount your tank needs. Also you won't add any phosphates or lower your ph like a calcium reactor would do.

fishkid6692
07/08/2009, 06:49 PM
it's going on my 195g system. i ordered the Geo 618 package. if it lowers my PH how can i keep it stable? thanks!

29reef
07/08/2009, 07:10 PM
Matt-You can and should use kalk mix in your top off, you can run your effulent into your refugium and possibly even add a second chamber to the ca reactor. This should take care of any ph issues; but always use a properly callibrated ph probe and controller on a ca reactor.

As stated earlier a zeo reactor and a ca reactor are totally different.

fishkid6692
07/08/2009, 07:52 PM
i know they are diff. and what they do but i was just wondering what is better for the corals. like if you had to pick one what would you choose? but i went with the calcium reactor and now i have to get a PH probe and everything.

dieselab
07/08/2009, 08:02 PM
they do 2 completely different things.
get a cal rx and a kalk rx (helps to maintain ph) or get a dosing pump and some supplements.

fishkid6692
07/08/2009, 08:08 PM
so i pretty much need a kalk rx if i have the CA rx? thanks!

stanlalee
07/08/2009, 08:12 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15327187#post15327187 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishkid6692
i know they are diff. and what they do but i was just wondering what is better for the corals. like if you had to pick one what would you choose? but i went with the calcium reactor and now i have to get a PH probe and everything.


thats like asking which would you get if you could only get one, a spoon or grass seeds. they are so unrelated "if you could only get one" doesn't apply. With a calcium reactor your either dosing daily or you NEED one. those are the only two options. the decision for that comes down to if you want to dose daily (automated or by hand) or not and should be unrelated to wether you should get a zeovit reactor.

Zeovit reactor, well thats completely optional with thousands of oppinions of its validity. IF you want to start on the zeovit or neo zeo system then, well thats part of the systems. Buying this should be based strictly on your desire to run the zeovit or zeo neo systems and unrelated to wether you should get a calcium reactor.

mpoletti
07/08/2009, 08:29 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15327304#post15327304 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishkid6692
so i pretty much need a kalk rx if i have the CA rx? thanks!

I know a few different people that do not need kalk reactors. I would start out with just the CA reactor and go from there.

fishkid6692
07/08/2009, 08:49 PM
ok thanks. and i'm new to the reactor stuff. i always just dosed 2 part.

plyle02
07/08/2009, 09:10 PM
dosing 2 part on a larger system would be demanding, so a CA reactor may be the better investment for stability. Many smaller systems fair well using the 2 part dosing, it is what I currently do, and I also run neo-zeo system, don't know if that helps, but you could still employ a ULNS type system on your larger tank, just might cost a bit of $... as stated above though, a zeo reactor would be intended for those desiring running a ULNS, not to be confused with a CA reactor designed to maintain calcium and alkalinity levels.
GL

Reefer08
07/08/2009, 09:54 PM
Hey Fishkid,
I thought this was going on your 34g solana. The GEO 618 is a great calcium reactor, I own one. I would suggest starting out with a calcium reactor and then getting a kalkwasser reactor after (same suggestion as Mpoletti).

fishkid6692
07/08/2009, 10:20 PM
am i eventually going to need the kalk reactor? i think i'm just going to get a controller instead of just the PH monitor. and what kalk reactor does everyone recommend? i was thinking about getting the new neptune aquacontroller apex system. any thoughts on that? thanks!

shaggy14
07/08/2009, 10:49 PM
my calcium reactor has not effected my ph in the tank whatsoever. but i have heard if you do start to have problems then run the effluent line near your protein skimmer. the bubbles in the skimmer will release any excess CO2.

stanlalee
07/09/2009, 07:50 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15328027#post15328027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishkid6692
am i eventually going to need the kalk reactor?

No. No one NEEDS a Kalc reactor. In fact a Kalc reactor wont even come close to keeping up with the calcium and alk demands of a heavily populated hard coral tank (cant be dissolved in high enough concentrations). Its more of a supplemental device or for aquarium with light ca and alk supplemental needs. If you buy the appropriate size calcium reactor all the kalc reactor will be is a toy to play around with or a paper weight.

Reefer08
07/09/2009, 03:08 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15328027#post15328027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishkid6692
am i eventually going to need the kalk reactor? i think i'm just going to get a controller instead of just the PH monitor. and what kalk reactor does everyone recommend? i was thinking about getting the new neptune aquacontroller apex system. any thoughts on that? thanks!

Just like everyone said, a kalkreactor is completely optional. But its something really good to have since it will help raise your ph and also bind phosphates out of your water. I prefer to go with a calcium reactor 1st before a kalkwasser reactor because you can control the amount of ca/alk the reactor releases, whereas a kalkreactor you have little to no control over the amount of ca/alk it releases sinces its all dependant upon your evaporation (Kalkwasser reactor replaces evaporated water with ca/alk rich kalkwasser water).