Coralife Calcium Reactor ?
- Thread starter bullitr
- Start date
reefforbrains
Active Member
The coralife ones are completly over-rated. Usually by about double.
The 125 model I would suggest for a 65, the 250 model for a 125g an so on.
The reactors are simple and easy. What makes or breaks a good reactor is a nice controller to turn off the C02 if PH goes too far.
Any cheapy regulator will work, but the better quality for fine tuning the better.
So the advertised 50.00 reactors dont come with tanks, regulators or controllers. Thats the expensive part. You can run without a controller but its risky because nothing to stop your PH from going Chernobyl and melting everything into mush.
The 125 model I would suggest for a 65, the 250 model for a 125g an so on.
The reactors are simple and easy. What makes or breaks a good reactor is a nice controller to turn off the C02 if PH goes too far.
Any cheapy regulator will work, but the better quality for fine tuning the better.
So the advertised 50.00 reactors dont come with tanks, regulators or controllers. Thats the expensive part. You can run without a controller but its risky because nothing to stop your PH from going Chernobyl and melting everything into mush.
sharkbait9
Active Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
The coralife ones are completly over-rated. Usually by about double.
The 125 model I would suggest for a 65, the 250 model for a 125g an so on.
The reactors are simple and easy. What makes or breaks a good reactor is a nice controller to turn off the C02 if PH goes too far.
Any cheapy regulator will work, but the better quality for fine tuning the better.
So the advertised 50.00 reactors dont come with tanks, regulators or controllers. Thats the expensive part. You can run without a controller but its risky because nothing to stop your PH from going Chernobyl and melting everything into mush.
I have to disagree here with you RFB. I use the coralife ca reactors with Genx regs on all my tank have had no problem with them keeping my ca right on target> 480
IMO i think if you are using a quality salt to begin with and a CA to help keep levels on target you wont have many problems.
I will how ever go on record and say set up is a pain in the ass. You have to set up, run test and then 24 hours later test again and turn up or back off, wait test again and then test 24 hours later.
I was testing every other day to make sure the levels were on target and were staying.
Once you have it pin pointed and tuned they work fine.
You need to test when you refill the canister and make sure the media is dissolving at the same rate and not being forced to dissolve( by the co2 injection)
RFB is right with the controller. If you are going by manual injection you are taking a huge risk, melt down is almost inevitable.
A CA reactor is one of those pieces of equipment like a skimmer you CAN NOT GO CHEAP ON.
These pieces of equipment can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
If your tank is a high demanding tank then its something to really think about and get the best. By best I mean controller and reg/injector with needle valves. The canister is just that a canister that hold the media.
The coralife ones are completly over-rated. Usually by about double.
The 125 model I would suggest for a 65, the 250 model for a 125g an so on.
The reactors are simple and easy. What makes or breaks a good reactor is a nice controller to turn off the C02 if PH goes too far.
Any cheapy regulator will work, but the better quality for fine tuning the better.
So the advertised 50.00 reactors dont come with tanks, regulators or controllers. Thats the expensive part. You can run without a controller but its risky because nothing to stop your PH from going Chernobyl and melting everything into mush.
I have to disagree here with you RFB. I use the coralife ca reactors with Genx regs on all my tank have had no problem with them keeping my ca right on target> 480
IMO i think if you are using a quality salt to begin with and a CA to help keep levels on target you wont have many problems.
I will how ever go on record and say set up is a pain in the ass. You have to set up, run test and then 24 hours later test again and turn up or back off, wait test again and then test 24 hours later.
I was testing every other day to make sure the levels were on target and were staying.
Once you have it pin pointed and tuned they work fine.
You need to test when you refill the canister and make sure the media is dissolving at the same rate and not being forced to dissolve( by the co2 injection)
RFB is right with the controller. If you are going by manual injection you are taking a huge risk, melt down is almost inevitable.
A CA reactor is one of those pieces of equipment like a skimmer you CAN NOT GO CHEAP ON.
These pieces of equipment can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
If your tank is a high demanding tank then its something to really think about and get the best. By best I mean controller and reg/injector with needle valves. The canister is just that a canister that hold the media.
reefforbrains
Active Member
How heavily stocked is your tank? I wouldnt take coralife at face value for thier Gallon rating.
Not trying to just argue but I really have never seen one perform under load at the rating they list.
-JMO
Not trying to just argue but I really have never seen one perform under load at the rating they list.
-JMO
sharkbait9
Active Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
How heavily stocked is your tank? I wouldnt take coralife at face value for thier Gallon rating.
Not trying to just argue but I really have never seen one perform under load at the rating they list.
-JMO
No, i don't think you are arguing either, just having a discussion...that all.
Any way in my grow out tank alone (quick list) Three clams, two branching fine grape coral, two lobos, Yellow and black sun coral, three big candy canes, three acan, alien eye chalice, small blasto, one 3" poker star monti, 4" red monti, 3" slim green monti, and green brown monti (that grows like fire) med green tip branching torch and a med purple tip branching torch
1 6" pearl bubble coral and a 4" green bubble coral.
That’s some of my calcium demanding corals in my 125 grow out tank.
All my show/display coral are in my 265 gallon with a coralife CA reactor and that tank suck my calcium down like no ones business and my coralife hold strong.
Now I’ll grant you that I could and should get a bigger ca reactor but on the flip side "if it aint broke, don't fix it"
I started with a lot of coralife products and will back up coralife if the product works, if it don’t then I’ll be the first to throw that product under the bus.
Shoot I still think and like the coralife skimmers. I would agree they are over rated on size capacity handling but they still handle their own for a beginner/ not so hard core keeper.
How heavily stocked is your tank? I wouldnt take coralife at face value for thier Gallon rating.
Not trying to just argue but I really have never seen one perform under load at the rating they list.
-JMO
No, i don't think you are arguing either, just having a discussion...that all.
Any way in my grow out tank alone (quick list) Three clams, two branching fine grape coral, two lobos, Yellow and black sun coral, three big candy canes, three acan, alien eye chalice, small blasto, one 3" poker star monti, 4" red monti, 3" slim green monti, and green brown monti (that grows like fire) med green tip branching torch and a med purple tip branching torch
1 6" pearl bubble coral and a 4" green bubble coral.
That’s some of my calcium demanding corals in my 125 grow out tank.
All my show/display coral are in my 265 gallon with a coralife CA reactor and that tank suck my calcium down like no ones business and my coralife hold strong.
Now I’ll grant you that I could and should get a bigger ca reactor but on the flip side "if it aint broke, don't fix it"
I started with a lot of coralife products and will back up coralife if the product works, if it don’t then I’ll be the first to throw that product under the bus.
Shoot I still think and like the coralife skimmers. I would agree they are over rated on size capacity handling but they still handle their own for a beginner/ not so hard core keeper.
bullitr
Active Member
i don't have a lot of ca absorber but 2 clams and maybe turbo snails? i have lots on colts, leathers frogspawn and green star polyps. i thinking of getting a coralife 500 on my 225 g tank . it is very difficult to set up what else do i need co2?i think my ph are already low 8.1 do i need it? in need my ph to be high right 8.4 on the main tank . i read something that co2 decreased ph to dissolved ca?
thank you
sharkbait9
Active Member
Originally Posted by bullitr
i don't have a lot of ca absorber but 2 clams and maybe turbo snails? i have lots on colts, leathers frogspawn and green star polyps. i thinking of getting a coralife 500 on my 225 g tank . it is very difficult to set up what else do i need co2?i think my ph are already low 8.1 do i need it? in need my ph to be high right 8.4 on the main tank . i read something that co2 decreased ph to dissolved ca?
thank you
They are not hard to set up, but a pain to dial in.
You will need a ca canister, co2 bottle, ph controller and a co2 reg with needle valve injection.
All can be bought on e8ay cheap.
Yes tlo co2 lowers ph and that desolves your media
i don't have a lot of ca absorber but 2 clams and maybe turbo snails? i have lots on colts, leathers frogspawn and green star polyps. i thinking of getting a coralife 500 on my 225 g tank . it is very difficult to set up what else do i need co2?i think my ph are already low 8.1 do i need it? in need my ph to be high right 8.4 on the main tank . i read something that co2 decreased ph to dissolved ca?
They are not hard to set up, but a pain to dial in.
You will need a ca canister, co2 bottle, ph controller and a co2 reg with needle valve injection.
All can be bought on e8ay cheap.
Yes tlo co2 lowers ph and that desolves your media
cgrant
Active Member
I have a geo setup and it was not hard to setup or dial in!
I highly recommend!
I have the geo 618, genx reg, pinpoint ph controller, maxijet 1200 for feed pump, i would also recommend the larger schuran sytle media.
I hooked up my stuff and got everything dialed in and wooking great, I would highly recommend the ph controller, makes it alot easier to dial in!
I highly recommend!
I have the geo 618, genx reg, pinpoint ph controller, maxijet 1200 for feed pump, i would also recommend the larger schuran sytle media.
I hooked up my stuff and got everything dialed in and wooking great, I would highly recommend the ph controller, makes it alot easier to dial in!