Reef nutrition

What is your ideal Calcium Reactor set up

How big is your tank again? You sure you're looking at the right model?

uniquecorals.com

DaStaCo Compact C2 Calcium Reactor (NEW, Best Seller)

Price includes shipping. Takes 5kg of media. Please follow specific instructions included with reactor on chamber filling heights. The DaStaCo reactor is a state of the art fully automated Calcium and Alkalinity Reactor for SPS dominant reef aquariums where a consistent, heavy, and reliable...
uniquecorals.com uniquecorals.com
"only" $1399 for this one rated 85-171 gallons


note: I have no idea if this is any good or not, just looking at that site for "the cost to maintain" add $70 for the media for this guy
 
sfsuphysics said:
How big is your tank again? You sure you're looking at the right model?

uniquecorals.com

DaStaCo Compact C2 Calcium Reactor (NEW, Best Seller)

Price includes shipping. Takes 5kg of media. Please follow specific instructions included with reactor on chamber filling heights. The DaStaCo reactor is a state of the art fully automated Calcium and Alkalinity Reactor for SPS dominant reef aquariums where a consistent, heavy, and reliable...
uniquecorals.com uniquecorals.com
"only" $1399 for this one rated 85-171 gallons


note: I have no idea if this is any good or not, just looking at that site for "the cost to maintain" add $70 for the media for this guy
Click to expand...
One thing I will say, just like all European brands out there, take their sizing seriously. Do not oversize. I would even argue undersize a bit. My A2 is way bigger than I need and regret not getting the A1 or even the C...
 
Mine is about 150 gallons total volume, but has a high demand. I assume that one would be too small. Or maybe I'm wrong.

Honestly, that price isn't too bad...if its large enough for my tank.
 
Rostato said:
Mine is about 150 gallons total volume, but has a high demand. I assume that one would be too small. Or maybe I'm wrong.

Honestly, that price isn't too bad...if its large enough for my tank.
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The C2 will be more than you need regardless of your demand.
Dastaco have setting where you can kick dosing in to overdrive and output humungous amount of alk/ca..
 
If you do not mind the extra, you can also go with the A1. That's rated for 200g.
Keep in mind these companies account for water volume not tank size. Meaning my 175g dt+40g sump had an actual water volume of less than 160g.
The A2 I have was so much oversized I have been using it on the absolute lowest setting for 2 years... am on setting 1, while the dial has up to 10..just for reference
 
Ahh, then the C2 should be plenty. I only have a max of 150G...probably more like 120G. And I will not be upgrading...ever. You said they come with the 240V-120V converter?
 
Just couple things for info completeness. Dastaco cannot use dead skeleton based media. They use pure media like their media or Triton media. Dastaco operate on lower ph point than regular reactors so if you use dead skeleton media it will melt and break down fast.
Some ppl would argue that dead skeleton based media is good cause it give trace elements, I personally do not buy that and do not believe it. Further more, some have suggested that a traces of po4 is released when using dead skeleton based media. But that's something to consider.
My experience is that media last more with dastaco compared to regular reactors especially when using their media. One bucket lasted me 1.5 years and I would have not bought if they did not recommend changing the whole media once a year to avoid bacterial accumulation and to clean the reactor so I did
 
ofzakaria said:
Just couple things for info completeness. Dastaco cannot use FedEx skeleton based media. They use pure media like their media or Triton media. Dastaco operate on lower ph point than regular reactors so if you use dead skeleton media it will melt and break down fast.
Some ppl would argue that dead skeleton based media is good cause it give trace elements, I personally do not buy that and do not believe it. Further more, some have suggested that a traces of po4 is released when using dead skeleton based media. But that's something to consider.
My experience is that media last more with dastaco especially when using their media. One bucket lasted me 1.5 years and I would have not bought if they did not recommend changing the whole media once a year to avoid bacterial accumulation and to clean the reactor so I did
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So, adding ReMag to the chamber is a no go with DaStaco?
 
ofzakaria said:
I wonder how often do you need to change the ph prob or mantain it?
I have found the reactors that do not depend on ph probs with its cost on the long run.
My dastaco was set and forget every year I need to change media amd that's it compared to other reactors.
Cause all the other parts that need replacment (peri pump, circulating pump) is the same on all reactors.
I think the piece of mind, no need for tinkering and less parts to chase in reactors like dastaco and DD justify their price..
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I also have never really had to do much with my pH probe. In the beginning I calibrated it periodically, but I haven’t in a couple years. Truth is, as long as the alk is stable, the pH probe doesn’t have to be accurate. There are multiple failsafes to ensure you don’t melt all the media and dump alk into your tank. #1 is a consistent and accurate co2 reg, that you have tuned in so that your pH probe doesn’t need to shut down the co2 often. And #2 is the pH probe, which will shut off the co2 of the carx pH gets too low.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Look like it should be ok cause this media dosnot react to ph level.
www.reef2reef.com

Magnesium and other trace elements.

I will be running a dastaco calcium reactor which runs at a ph of 6.0. Is this too low for two little fishies ReMag? If it is I will put the remag in a different reactor and use the enfluent ph to dissolve it. How can I add other trace elements such as strontium, iron ect other then water...
www.reef2reef.com www.reef2reef.com
 
Gablami said:
I also have never really had to do much with my pH probe. In the beginning I calibrated it periodically, but I haven’t in a couple years. Truth is, as long as the alk is stable, the pH probe doesn’t have to be accurate. There are multiple failsafes to ensure you don’t melt all the media and dump alk into your tank. #1 is a consistent and accurate co2 reg, that you have tuned in so that your pH probe doesn’t need to shut down the co2 often. And #2 is the pH probe, which will shut off the co2 of the carx pH gets too low.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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You see to apply these conditions you describing, I have found that you end up needing to buy the best regulator out there, the best dosing pump out there..ect. then on top of that the ph prob that I just do not know how can anyone be sure it will not screw up one day given the reactor operation depend on its reading..
When I did the above calculations it came so close to the cost of the dastaco package that get you all these high end components in one package and controlled using their controller yo get the guess work out of the picture..
 
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ofzakaria said:
Just couple things for info completeness. Dastaco cannot use dead skeleton based media. They use pure media like their media or Triton media. Dastaco operate on lower ph point than regular reactors so if you use dead skeleton media it will melt and break down fast.
Some ppl would argue that dead skeleton based media is good cause it give trace elements, I personally do not buy that and do not believe it. Further more, some have suggested that a traces of po4 is released when using dead skeleton based media. But that's something to consider.
My experience is that media last more with dastaco especially when using their media. One bucket lasted me 1.5 years and I would have not bought if they did not recommend changing the whole media once a year to avoid bacterial accumulation and to clean the reactor so I did
Click to expand...

Leaching phosphates is just hearsay unless proven otherwise. I haven’t notice a significant amount of phosphate in my tanks that are all run below 0.09 (usually around 0.05). Much to the same basis of your argument about trace elements.

the length your media last will be dependent on your uptake and I’m sure that the coarser media will last longer (e.g. ARM extra course) than smaller skeleton media like two little fishies reborn.
 
RandyC said:
Leaching phosphates is just hearsay unless proven otherwise. I haven’t notice a significant amount of phosphate I. My tanks that are all run below 0.09 (usually around 0.05). Much to the same basis of your argument about trace elements.

the length your media last will be dependent on your uptake and I’m sure that the coarser media will last longer (e.g. ARM extra course) ca smaller skeleton like two little fishies reborn.
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Agreed I honestly do not buy most of these claims that's why i said claims..
That being said, for the same reason you described we cannot say just because ur po4 is low is an indication your carx is not adding po4 and simply your tank is processing it..;)
Hence, to me, using pure media just seemed the safest since I do not know..
 
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