Tunze 3171 Calcium Reactor

[ReefCowboy]

Was looking into this reactor and was amazed with its simplicity. Self priming(no peristaltic pump needed), drip rate regulated at the intake hose to avoid clogging, and super small capable of tanks up to 250 gals.

I could fit this into my sump and make things very simple. Does anyone have info on this? Was set on dosing but this reactor is changing my mind.

Here is a video that features the reactor at 06:17"

https://youtu.be/lmqzaS8zGKE

[abhishek@1985]

Am looking at the same reactor as I nee it to be installed in my sump .

Here's a review talking about the leak at the pH port . Looking for more insights before i pull the trigger.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2643208

Regards,
Abhishek

[ReefCowboy]

Originally Posted by abhishek@1985

Am looking at the same reactor as I nee it to be installed in my sump .

Here's a review talking about the leak at the pH port . Looking for more insights before i pull the trigger.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2643208

Regards,
Abhishek

Yeah I actually contacted the person who posted this thread about more details. Hopefully I will get some feedback.
I guess the leak at the port could be an issue with his specific unit, like any other reactor. The fact that no pump to dose is needed is a huge thing for me, in addition to the fact it is so small with the main body and some clear tubbing. So small also and capable of tanks up to 225 gal!

They do not recommend the use of coarse coral skeleton media (Two little fishes' "Reborn") as they are not pure Ca Carbonate and can leave mush behind clogging it. I guess that is an issue with any reactor?

My whole point of going with a reactor vs dosing is the advantage of dosing calcium and trace from coral skeletons...but if I use pure calcium media, Im essentially dosing the same elements I would be adding with with a doser and two part, which is a much simpler method. Im a bit on the wall about a reactor now.

[VJV]

Originally Posted by ReefCowboy

Yeah I actually contacted the person who posted this thread about more details. Hopefully I will get some feedback.
I guess the leak at the port could be an issue with his specific unit, like any other reactor. The fact that no pump to dose is needed is a huge thing for me, in addition to the fact it is so small with the main body and some clear tubbing. So small also and capable of tanks up to 225 gal!

They do not recommend the use of coarse coral skeleton media (Two little fishes' "Reborn") as they are not pure Ca Carbonate and can leave mush behind clogging it. I guess that is an issue with any reactor?

My whole point of going with a reactor vs dosing is the advantage of dosing calcium and trace from coral skeletons...but if I use pure calcium media, Im essentially dosing the same elements I would be adding with with a doser and two part, which is a much simpler method. Im a bit on the wall about a reactor now.

Hey Reefcomboy, wondering if you ended up pulling the trigger on this or not. I did, and have one for about a month and I must confess it is not working for me. I have a 180g that is not packed with SPS but have some very large montipora seriatopora and stylophora colonies which were consuming 380ml of Aquaforest KH buffer a day (which equates to a daily Alk consumption of around 1,5dKH).

I am using Caribsea ARM coarse media and in order to be able to compensate this level of consumption I need to have the reactor at 6,0pH AND dose kalk in the ATO, AND run a very high effluent rate.

As a result of a high effluent and very low pH my tanks pH has dropped to a minimum of 7,50 vs previous 7,90, in spite of the fact that I am using kalk now and before I was not...

Needless to say I am not very happy but have ordered Tunze own media to test if for any reason the reactor is optimized for their own media. I believe the ratings are over optimisticand 1,85L of media is perhaps a bit too low for 120g and up. A larger volume of media shouldn't require such low pH to keep up with the demands which in turn should have a positive impact in e tanks pH.