[Rovert]

Originally posted by rleechb
1 - No way you need 5 gallon jugs. A 2 x 5 gallon jugs would last you probably close to 8 months in a fully stocked 72g tank. My tank, although only 60g, has high ca/alk demands, and 1 gallon of each lasts over a month, probably closer to 2 months.

2 - You do have to replenish, but replenishing is a piece of cake. I always have a gallon on each on standby. When I'm out, I just pour the "reserves" into my jugs, and I'm done. Takes 2 minutes every couple months, tops.

3 - Definitely not twice per month. A dosing pump was far easier to setup than a ca reactor. Instead of counting bubbles with a stopwatch, measuring alk, bumping the bubbles/effluent up or down, measuring again, monitoring pH, etc., I just set the pump to a set rate, measure, tweak the rate. I found my "sweetspot" in 4 days, vs 2 weeks for a reactor.

4 - Just as stable with 2-part. I actually "prefer" the stability of 2-part + dosing pump, because I don't have to worry about pH going down too much. In a heavily stocked system, you can run issues with pH going too low (too much co2 going into your system). You can always add a second chamber or a kalk reactor, but then you run into the aforementioned space problems again.


HTH.

Good points.

I suppose it'd help if I mentioned that I've been looking at the Korallin reactor. My understanding is that not all reactors are created equal, and that this one seems to receive positive reviews across the board.

I'll consider your thoughts carefully, though I'm still inclined to think the reactor is the better way to go for me.

Thanks!