Calcium Reactor

JeffDubya · 09-29-2007, 04:02 AM

So, I will be investing in a calcium reactor as the last piece of equipment for my project soon. I have been watching deals from various vendors as well as ebay.

Some questions for anyone and everyone...

Brand preference, do you have one?

Do you use an elecronic pH controller. This goodie adds lots of expense, what with the different lids, the controller, the fancier regulator, etc.

veriann · 09-29-2007, 04:24 AM

like anything bud, quality comes at a cost. options or added extra's dont always dictate better quality, more often than not its geared for semi automation.
Good question though, branding specifics & attachment options i'll leave to your american counter parts, pointless me exchanging punches between skippy brand 1 & skippy brand 2 if you know what i mean.

**CarmieJo** · 09-29-2007, 01:12 PM

I think that Manny http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/member.php?u=930 has made Ca Reactors. You might want to talk with him about DIY'ing one or if he could build one for you.

JeffDubya · 09-29-2007, 01:32 PM

Carmie, I actually thought about building one myself, I'm getting pretty darn good at the whole acrylic DIY thing, but when I explained the project to my wife, she actually made me promise that I would buy one instead of build one, in the off-hand chance the thing might fail and put a few (more) gallons of saltwater on my floor. (You see, this has happened a few times since the inception of the prop system, and I think my wife nearly pulled the plug on the venture the last time such a thing happened.)

As far as brands go, I have been looking mostly at the Korralin and the Knop. Each has its pros and cons but they seem to be extremely well regarded by enthusiasts I have a lot of respect for. We'll be chatting about brands, they will tell me what a good make/model is, and then I'll say something like "how does THAT compare to the Korralin 1502?" And then they say something like... "welllll, yeah, that's not even in the same league, it's a much nicer unit."

Honestly, with the reactor, I don't know what makes one better than the other. Probably quality of materials and quality of manufacturing. For example, in theory, the Coralife probably works very much the same, but the plastic is cheaper and thinner, and the production quality is such that I have read about seams leaking frequently. But hey - it's cheap.

About the only difference I can discern from my untrained eye is some have single chambers and others have duals. And from talking to people who own both, it kinda sounds like a coke vs. pepsi argument to me. Both have advantages and disadvantages. But I can't discern any major difference between the two that would make me choose one over the other, aside from price.

JeffDubya · 09-29-2007, 01:45 PM

Some of the items I am juggling right now are related to the solienoid for the co2 tank, and if the reactor is built to acommodate a controller probe.

Here are the two methods I understand of hooking one of these babies up. Let me know if I have got this wrong. If there is a power outage and co2 gas makes it into the tank, basically I end up nuking my livestock. Bad. The co2 is there to help break down the media. It does so by dropping the pH whish helps dissolve the media.

You can add a switch, also known as a solenoid, that can be installed it into the line between the co2 source and the reactor. If the power goes out, co2 is turned off, no gas gets into the tank to destabilize the pH.

That's the cheap way to go.

A fancier way to do it is to connect the solenoid valve to an electronic pH controller. A pH probe is housed inside the calcium reactor. The valve then switches the co2 on and off to maintain a constant pH level inside the reactor chamber.

Of course Option #2 is more expensive. I don't know if the solienoid is more expensive or not, but the controller sure is, anywhere from $120-200 more.

Is the solienoid the same?

Is the controller method and the accuracy it produces worth the extra expense?

JeffDubya · 09-29-2007, 02:20 PM

All three of these have everything but the controller...

New: $600

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...k~vendor~.html

Used 212.50

Calcium Reactor Korallin C-1502 - (eBay item 140161177497 end time Sep-30-07 15:31:57 PDT)

Used 177.50 (everything but the tank)

KORALLIN CALCIUM REACTOR 1502 (almost brand new) - (eBay item 300155611346 end time Oct-01-07 20:29:26 PDT)

Now... no bidding against me!

I can always buy without the contoller and then upgrade later...

JeffDubya · 09-29-2007, 02:23 PM

The new setup is spendy but the tank is so nice and shiny

**CarmieJo** · 09-29-2007, 08:49 PM

I don't have one so I really don't know much about them but I do know a little bit about chemistry. So, to me the pH controller is the most stable option and should give you the mores consistent results. Plus I think I remember reading that if the pH get too low the media turns to mush. But, what happens if the power goes out if you are using a pH controller? Does the CO2 keep going or does it fail closed?

**thesaent14** · 09-29-2007, 08:51 PM

if you like to get some idea this is my calc reactor

JeffDubya · 09-29-2007, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarmieJo

But, what happens if the power goes out if you are using a pH controller? Does the CO2 keep going or does it fail closed?

Well, there are two possibilities.

First, and what I would hope, the pH controller shuts everything off.

Second, you have to have a second controller, the same one you would use - sans pH controller.

Rob's Reef · 10-06-2007, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thesaent14

if you like to get some idea this is my calc reactor

Looks confusing...

JeffDubya · 10-06-2007, 01:08 PM

I think it looks amazingly professional.

I opted to NOT buy off of ebay. You know, I don't get eBay auctions, sometimes. People spend money like they are stupid. For a 2 year old calcium reactor package, I would not pay more than 1/2 of new. Sorry, just too many variables and unknowns. By the time this thing sold, it was $5 less than BRAND NEW! The "I gotta win" mentality is what drives eBay sales... I would really caution everyone to be aware of this (if you're not already) and be smart about bidding on that site.

Another aside in regards to eBay, I found the same pH controller I am going to buy there and considered placing a bid, but declined to after talking with the seller... and this really pissed me off... I asked him if the probe had been stored dry, if the tip had water in it, how long it had been out of service, etc. The unit was a pawn, had been out of service for a year and ad been stored dry.

Well for anyone who has never bought a pinpoint monitor, you will discover two things. First, the probes need to be REPLACED annually, and if they are taken out of service, they must be stored WET. If stored dry, they will not function properly (if at all, I'm not sure on that one) abd again, they will need to be replaced.

I asked the seller to include this information on his sale, that the buyer would have to purchase a new probe, and he either refused or simply ignored my two seperate emails to me. The controller sold for $50 less than new, but of course - after you add a new $60 pH probe, it's actually $10 more than new, not even accounting for shipping and handling. What's worse, what if whoever bought it immediately put it into service and got erroneous readings, and killed his livestock as a result???

Caveat Emptor my friends... remember that if a deal sounds too good to be true it probably is, and please research these things before bidding and truly know what a good deal on eBay is. If someone's going to be a sucker, please let it not be you.

Stepping off my soap box...

**CarmieJo** · 10-06-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffDubya

I opted to NOT buy off of ebay. You know, I don't get eBay auctions, sometimes. People spend money like they are stupid. For a 2 year old calcium reactor package, I would not pay more than 1/2 of new. Sorry, just too many variables and unknowns. By the time this thing sold, it was $5 less than BRAND NEW! The "I gotta win" mentality is what drives eBay sales... I would really caution everyone to be aware of this (if you're not already) and be smart about bidding on that site.

Like you, I am amazed at what people are willing to pay. I place my bid at my maximum and then rarely look at the auction until it is over.

Quote:

Another aside in regards to eBay, I found the same pH controller I am going to buy there and considered placing a bid, but declined to after talking with the seller... and this really pissed me off... I asked him if the probe had been stored dry, if the tip had water in it, how long it had been out of service, etc. The unit was a pawn, had been out of service for a year and ad been stored dry.

Well for anyone who has never bought a pinpoint monitor, you will discover two things. First, the probes need to be REPLACED annually, and if they are taken out of service, they must be stored WET. If stored dry, they will not function properly (if at all, I'm not sure on that one) abd again, they will need to be replaced.

I asked the seller to include this information on his sale, that the buyer would have to purchase a new probe, and he either refused or simply ignored my two seperate emails to me. The controller sold for $50 less than new, but of course - after you add a new $60 pH probe, it's actually $10 more than new, not even accounting for shipping and handling. What's worse, what if whoever bought it immediately put it into service and got erroneous readings, and killed his livestock as a result???

Caveat Emptor my friends... remember that if a deal sounds too good to be true it probably is, and please research these things before bidding and truly know what a good deal on eBay is. If someone's going to be a sucker, please let it not be you.

Stepping off my soap box...

It really bugs me when you run into sellers like that. I have educated people in the past and had the same experience. It makes me mad that you can't give feedback to these people.