Which Reactor: GEO or Schuran?

Dwarf Seahorses · 04/07/2007, 08:39 PM

In your opinion, which is the better reactor: GEO or Schuran? I am thinking about doing an SPS system around 120 gallons and can't decide which one would be better. Whats the difference?

I am really interested in the Schuran Jetstream Pico reactor, looks like all the reviews everywhere are nothing but good ones. What's this reactor like?

jamesdawson · 04/07/2007, 10:24 PM

Pico is going to be too small for a fully stocked 120 with SPS.

Both Schuran and Geo are nice, but I reccomend the Brett Barr reactor now license-built by Austin Oceans,

http://www.austinoceans.com/products...alciumreactors

You cannot get a better dual-chamber reactor considering its design/features/build quality/price. Comes with everything you need except the C02 tank and regulator. Has a PH probe port and this is an excellent option so you can easily monitor the reactor and control it with a PH controller.

Best of all, a CR100 (or larger) reactor can grow with your system. With a feed pump-it will easily maintain a 200-300 gallon system.

It pays in the long run to buy the best equipment in its price range in this hobby. It can save your system and grow with it as it grows.

James

powdertang05 · 04/07/2007, 11:00 PM

ive just purchased the middle one for 800 gals also have 4 other friends that have this same reactor and say it works like nothing else they have tried. also have a friend that has the geo he likes it but likes his pm better.

Casshern · 04/07/2007, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jamesdawson
Pico is going to be too small for a fully stocked 120 with SPS.

Both Schuran and Geo are nice, but I reccomend the Brett Barr reactor now license-built by Austin Oceans,

http://www.austinoceans.com/products...alciumreactors

You cannot get a better dual-chamber reactor considering its design/features/build quality/price. Comes with everything you need except the C02 tank and regulator. Has a PH probe port and this is an excellent option so you can easily monitor the reactor and control it with a PH controller.

Best of all, a CR100 (or larger) reactor can grow with your system. With a feed pump-it will easily maintain a 200-300 gallon system.

It pays in the long run to buy the best equipment in its price range in this hobby. It can save your system and grow with it as it grows.

James

Can you elaborate on what you mean by too small for a 120? The only thing I can think of is that you'd have to replace the media more often.

But I second that barr recommendation

Dwarf Seahorses · 04/08/2007, 10:35 AM

The actual display tank won't be 120 gallons, it will be 100 gallons but with a 40 gallon refugium/sump filled with 20 gallons of water.

jamesdawson · 04/08/2007, 01:14 PM

I see the Pico is rated for up to 150G. However, most people on the boards here are using the JS1 on tanks over 100 gallons and report that Schuran somewhat over-rates their load capacity. The biggest issue I have heard about with Schuran is that its almost impossible to get replacement parts in the US.

James

Dwarf Seahorses · 04/08/2007, 07:35 PM

Don't all CA reactors (and skimmers) overrate their capacities though?

Eight · 04/08/2007, 08:19 PM

The Schuran Pico was very hard for me to tune. Ended up buying a Geo. The Pico does have a really nice small footprint though.

Dwarf Seahorses · 04/09/2007, 12:31 PM

What do you mean by "tune"?

marsh · 04/10/2007, 08:42 AM

I use a GEO and am very happy with it....very easy to set up. The Shuran seems to have a smaller footprint but there seems to be problems mention on RC regarding setup. Once it is "set up" it works like a charm according to users. I was debating between the same reactors also but ended up going with the GEO. Shuran folks once set up also seem happy.

What ever reactor you get I would highly recommend getting a Ph controller. It makes the "tuning" very very easy. The Ph probe is bathed in the reactor fluid. It maintains the reactor fluid (effluent) at your set Ph (~6.5 or so) and turns off your CO2 when the Ph gets to low and turns it on when too high. No fiddling with accurately setting the "bubble rate". All you need to do then is measure the Alk of the effluent and set the effluent drip rate. Maybe the problem people have with the Shuran is for those without a Ph controller.

As for setting up a reactor...get your Ca++, Mg++, and Alk up to correct levels first using Randy's "two part" or other...http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html Get good test kits for this.

Then use the online Calcium reactor calculator to set your drip rate given the effluent Alk, etc http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html
This process will take a week or two but generally only involves setting the Ca reactor drip rate (with known effluent Alk) and measuring the tank Alk at 48 hr intervals.

jamesdawson · 04/10/2007, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dwarf Seahorses
Don't all CA reactors (and skimmers) overrate their capacities though?

Somewhat, AO/Barr reactors show a range for each of their models. If anything, they under rate their capacities.

James

Dwarf Seahorses · 04/10/2007, 03:42 PM

Thanks everyone.

I think I'll go with the Schuran over the Geo because I heard some other people say that the Schuran works slightly better than the Geo once you get everything fiddled around with.

jcraft · 04/10/2007, 05:23 PM

Be prepared to buy a peristaltic pump to complement your Schuran and make your life less frustrating.

As a previous owner of a Pico, I ended up selling it for a Geo and have never looked back. It is tough to get tuned, and if you read the big thread here on RC, you will see that the majority of people end up having backpressure problems due to its design and inevitably the efluent stops, CO2 builds up (wont happen with a controller...cept that there is no compression fittings for the Pico) Because of this, you will be forced to purge the reactor of excess CO2, and start the process of dialing it in all over again.

Schuran owners combat this problem by putting a pump on the effluent line to "pull" the water through the reactor at a steady pace. This works, but at an additional cost, its really not worth it.

HTH

Dwarf Seahorses · 04/10/2007, 06:36 PM

I'm getting the Schuran Jetstream 1, not the pico. Will I still have that problem?

jcraft · 04/10/2007, 11:46 PM

yep, the backpressure is a result of the design that Schuran used and is present in all of their reactors. Don't get me wrong, the Schuran is a very nice piece of equipment (u would have been fine with the pico btw, i had mine on a 120 SPS and it kept up no problems) What the JS1 has that the pico does not, however, is the compression fitting so that you can put a pH controller on to keep the effluent pH in check.

What i did that helped keep the effluent going was to make sure the effluent line stays above the reactor (i just ran the line to the display) this helped some, but i was still having to fiddle with the reactor every 4-5 days or so. After about 2 months of that, i was fed up

04/07/2007, 08:39 PM	#1
Dwarf Seahorses Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 310	Which Reactor: GEO or Schuran? In your opinion, which is the better reactor: GEO or Schuran? I am thinking about doing an SPS system around 120 gallons and can't decide which one would be better. Whats the difference? I am really interested in the Schuran Jetstream Pico reactor, looks like all the reviews everywhere are nothing but good ones. What's this reactor like?

04/07/2007, 10:24 PM	#2
jamesdawson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: I AM THE SEA Posts: 1,303	Pico is going to be too small for a fully stocked 120 with SPS. Both Schuran and Geo are nice, but I reccomend the Brett Barr reactor now license-built by Austin Oceans, http://www.austinoceans.com/products...alciumreactors You cannot get a better dual-chamber reactor considering its design/features/build quality/price. Comes with everything you need except the C02 tank and regulator. Has a PH probe port and this is an excellent option so you can easily monitor the reactor and control it with a PH controller. Best of all, a CR100 (or larger) reactor can grow with your system. With a feed pump-it will easily maintain a 200-300 gallon system. It pays in the long run to buy the best equipment in its price range in this hobby. It can save your system and grow with it as it grows. James __________________ Old Reefers Never Die, they just...join the crew! Current Tank Info: I'm expanding my reach

04/08/2007, 01:14 PM	#6
jamesdawson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: I AM THE SEA Posts: 1,303	I see the Pico is rated for up to 150G. However, most people on the boards here are using the JS1 on tanks over 100 gallons and report that Schuran somewhat over-rates their load capacity. The biggest issue I have heard about with Schuran is that its almost impossible to get replacement parts in the US. James __________________ Old Reefers Never Die, they just...join the crew! Current Tank Info: I'm expanding my reach

04/08/2007, 08:19 PM	#8
Eight Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 470	The Schuran Pico was very hard for me to tune. Ended up buying a Geo. The Pico does have a really nice small footprint though. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 170G LeeMar Inwall, BubbleKing Mini 180, 3 x 250w Reeflux 20k, 2 x Vortech MP40Ws, 1 x Tunze 6000, Geo 618 Ca Reactor, 45G frag tank, 35G sump

04/07/2007, 11:00 PM	#3
powdertang05 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hayward, CA Posts: 613	ive just purchased the middle one for 800 gals also have 4 other friends that have this same reactor and say it works like nothing else they have tried. also have a friend that has the geo he likes it but likes his pm better.

04/08/2007, 10:35 AM	#5
Dwarf Seahorses Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 310	The actual display tank won't be 120 gallons, it will be 100 gallons but with a 40 gallon refugium/sump filled with 20 gallons of water.

04/08/2007, 07:35 PM	#7
Dwarf Seahorses Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 310	Don't all CA reactors (and skimmers) overrate their capacities though?

04/09/2007, 12:31 PM	#9
Dwarf Seahorses Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 310	What do you mean by "tune"?

04/10/2007, 08:42 AM	#10
marsh Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 404	I use a GEO and am very happy with it....very easy to set up. The Shuran seems to have a smaller footprint but there seems to be problems mention on RC regarding setup. Once it is "set up" it works like a charm according to users. I was debating between the same reactors also but ended up going with the GEO. Shuran folks once set up also seem happy. What ever reactor you get I would highly recommend getting a Ph controller. It makes the "tuning" very very easy. The Ph probe is bathed in the reactor fluid. It maintains the reactor fluid (effluent) at your set Ph (~6.5 or so) and turns off your CO2 when the Ph gets to low and turns it on when too high. No fiddling with accurately setting the "bubble rate". All you need to do then is measure the Alk of the effluent and set the effluent drip rate. Maybe the problem people have with the Shuran is for those without a Ph controller. As for setting up a reactor...get your Ca++, Mg++, and Alk up to correct levels first using Randy's "two part" or other...http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html Get good test kits for this. Then use the online Calcium reactor calculator to set your drip rate given the effluent Alk, etc http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html This process will take a week or two but generally only involves setting the Ca reactor drip rate (with known effluent Alk) and measuring the tank Alk at 48 hr intervals.

04/10/2007, 03:42 PM	#12
Dwarf Seahorses Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 310	Thanks everyone. I think I'll go with the Schuran over the Geo because I heard some other people say that the Schuran works slightly better than the Geo once you get everything fiddled around with.

04/10/2007, 05:23 PM	#13
jcraft Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Baton Rouge, La Posts: 274	Be prepared to buy a peristaltic pump to complement your Schuran and make your life less frustrating. As a previous owner of a Pico, I ended up selling it for a Geo and have never looked back. It is tough to get tuned, and if you read the big thread here on RC, you will see that the majority of people end up having backpressure problems due to its design and inevitably the efluent stops, CO2 builds up (wont happen with a controller...cept that there is no compression fittings for the Pico) Because of this, you will be forced to purge the reactor of excess CO2, and start the process of dialing it in all over again. Schuran owners combat this problem by putting a pump on the effluent line to "pull" the water through the reactor at a steady pace. This works, but at an additional cost, its really not worth it. HTH

04/10/2007, 06:36 PM	#14
Dwarf Seahorses Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 310	I'm getting the Schuran Jetstream 1, not the pico. Will I still have that problem?

04/10/2007, 11:46 PM	#15
jcraft Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Baton Rouge, La Posts: 274	yep, the backpressure is a result of the design that Schuran used and is present in all of their reactors. Don't get me wrong, the Schuran is a very nice piece of equipment (u would have been fine with the pico btw, i had mine on a 120 SPS and it kept up no problems) What the JS1 has that the pico does not, however, is the compression fitting so that you can put a pH controller on to keep the effluent pH in check. What i did that helped keep the effluent going was to make sure the effluent line stays above the reactor (i just ran the line to the display) this helped some, but i was still having to fiddle with the reactor every 4-5 days or so. After about 2 months of that, i was fed up