Ah, I know another Grad student zoa junkie on this board.
Yes, drop the marriage talk. It's like mentioning the nameless one...
Trust me brother, I'm married and I love my wife and RUN!
I couldn't agree with you more on the simple part. I get made fun of all the time because my tank is so simple, but only because it's simple, not because how it looks.
Reactors are great, but really it's hard to justify the cost if you don't have a really large tank. Otherwise dosing a large tank will cost you more in one year then a reactor would cost to buy. Oh, and don't think you can get away with using baking soda in a large tank either. The amount of baking soda you'll need and the mess it'll make.
If you can swing it, use a two part system, you'll be shocked how much nicer your corals will look. I went back to b-ionic a while ago and won't change until I get another big tank. Then I'll just buy a reactor.
Hey, I want to see your reef.
Bill