Reef Maniacs Calcium Reactor

[Rocky99]

I post as another satisfied user of a similar product that has recently been reviewed, the RM calcium reactor.

Intro

Setting up a calcium reactor system, admittedly, has been the most expensive part of this hobby. In addition to the main unit, a CO2 cylinder, a regulator and plenty of media are needed for the most basic setup like mine. However, the benefits of running one, especially for a big or heavily stocked tank easily justify its cost. I no longer have to spend every 3 evenings premixing and decanting kalkwasser, dosing trace elements, buffer and other additives, or worry about ionic imbalance and skin contact with these chemical irritants, etc, etc.

And so, 2 weeks after I confirmed my order, Joe arrived at my doorstep to do the installation. He gave a clear explanation for operating his product and gladly answered my queries on reefkeeping. This is excellent service which I commend, but I always thought a product manual with diagrams and useful troubleshooting tips will certainly come in useful.

[Rocky99]

The CR

This is the RM unit I bought.

Specs: 28”x 7” diameter. Quietone 1200 pump, optional JohnGuest probe holder. I opted for the normal blue colored airline connector over the grey colored JGspeedfit because I find blue is a better match for the black acrylic. It’s quite a giant considering that my 25lb bag of Rowalith C+ fills less than 2/3 of the chamber. I also bought 2 extra add-ons to hang by the side, but unfortunately I do not have enough media for the time being to fill them up. Thick acrylic, slick thumbscrews, high quality pipings, polished edges and nice curves - My impression - this is a beautifully handcrafted set, so much so that I deviated from my original plan of hiding it inside the tank cabinet like my other equipment, to have it sit outside like any piece of furniture. This was also the advice that Joe gave, so that I won’t have to break my back when it comes to maintenance.

With regards to media selection, I chose Rowalith C+ over ARM because the former dissolves completely when exhausted. So all you need is to top up the reactor chamber constantly, instead of having to scoop out depleted media out or question if it’s the right time to replace it.

[Rocky99]

Concerns

One problem that I face is noise coming from the not-so-quiet quietone pump. It can be quite audible at night when the TV and lights are off. I have yet to contact Joe to fix this problem. For those thinking of having a different pump, as far as I know, it’s not possible to have the more reliable eheim in this design. The 2 options available are the quietone and maxijet. On aesthetics, I hope a nicer airline tee could be used, not the bright green type that does not match this black color set.

Very compact Quietone pump. Would have loved it if it's silent

[Rocky99]

Very presentable piece of equipment. My parents didn't mind the sight of it in the dining room.

[Rocky99]

Tuning

Tuning is a breeze I find. If I remember correctly, you can find instructions in the Rowalith bag. Set the bubble count to 1 drop/sec and effluent rate to 1-2 drop/ sec, you will most likely end up with an effluent kH of 40-60, which was what I got on first attempt. My effluent pH measures about 6.5; no need for expensive pH monitor, controller, expensive needle valve. These accessories easily add up to an extra 500bucks. With just a reliable kH test kit that tells you that effluent kH is within range, you’ll know the CR is properly tuned. This is just a guide, as you’d need to do some tweaking later on according to your tank needs and depending on the size of your unit

My CO2 cylinder and Regulator. Joe has generously provided me with a big roll of airline, to connect and hide them at the most inconspicuous corner.

[Rocky99]

Pros

One strong point of this CR is it features CO2 recirculation, which ensures that no drop of undissolved CO2 is released and wasted, or accumulates in the gas collecting chamber or under the lid, compromising performance. The other useful feature is the probe holder which allows you to measure the internal pH and connect to a monitor or controller.

Performance

Prior to the CR setup, I have difficulty maintaining kH above 7 unless I dose 2 tsp of buffer every other day, probably because of mine is a 200+G tank. But over the course of 5 weeks, kH rose to and maintained at 11, and calcium at 450mg/L.

Contrary to what some expect, instead of depressing pH, the CR has helped to raise it, previously from about 7.9 to 8.3. It has also reduced day-night pH fluctuations. As for concerns of media meltdown during a power interruption, a fail-close solenoid might be the solution.

The Probe Holder

[Rocky99]

Summary

Overall this is a quality product well worth investing. It's a cost effective replacement for bottles and bottles of trace elements, buffer, kalkwasser, etc. It helps to maintain constant water parameters and most importantly eliminates the hassles of frequent dosing.

I never enjoyed dosing my water, but my favorite part of this hobby is feeding my fish...

[hotlemond]

Concerns

One problem that I face is noise coming from the not-so-quiet quietone pump. It can be quite audible at night when the TV and lights are off. I have yet to contact Joe to fix this problem. For those thinking of having a different pump, as far as I know, it’s not possible to have the more reliable eheim in this design. The 2 options available are the quietone and maxijet. On aesthetics, I hope a nicer airline tee could be used, not the bright green type that does not match this black color set.

Very compact Quietone pump. Would have loved it if it's silent

rocky99,

nice review there. a cool piece of hardware. yah, i would also prefer the QuietOne over the maxi.

Jusy curious, you mentioned its noisy when lights off. Do you not run it only during lighting period cos of the potential low PH effect?

[Tigger]

Bro, Wat is the damage to yr wallet???

[Rocky99]

rocky99,

nice review there. a cool piece of hardware. yah, i would also prefer the QuietOne over the maxi.

Jusy curious, you mentioned its noisy when lights off. Do you not run it only during lighting period cos of the potential low PH effect?

bro, what i meant was that the humming sound becomes more obvious when i off the TV and ceiling light. sorry for the confusion.

[hotlemond]

no problem bro. roger and out

[Rocky99]

Bro, Wat is the damage to yr wallet???

total setup cost is less than half of getting the branded chiller to cool down the water.

[loster]

Concerns

One problem that I face is noise coming from the not-so-quiet quietone pump. It can be quite audible at night when the TV and lights are off. I have yet to contact Joe to fix this problem. For those thinking of having a different pump, as far as I know, it’s not possible to have the more reliable eheim in this design. The 2 options available are the quietone and maxijet. On aesthetics, I hope a nicer airline tee could be used, not the bright green type that does not match this black color set.

Very compact Quietone pump. Would have loved it if it's silent

i have the same unit as yours. i like it looks and design. but i am facing the same problem with this "quietone pump". really can't stand the noise...

[Joe_P]

i have the same unit as yours. i like it looks and design. but i am facing the same problem with this "quietone pump". really can't stand the noise...

Let me know if you guys are interested in Maxijets as replacements.

[hotlemond]

izzit the vibration extending to the piping? try holding the piping??

[loster]

hi rocky99, i managed to get the "quietone" pump quiet

what i did was that i "on", "off" the pump for many times till the pump get quiet. i managed to get it quiet this monrning. hope that it helps

ya true, i also like the compact pump look. anyway, this is the great product and my tank+sump = only 100g. i guess i don't know how long i will be able to finish up the media.

big thx to Joe_P to let you guys know, i find that the CR is rather very easy to install (may be it is me) only the tuning needs time to tune

[huanjie]

Nice review !

I got myself a unit from Joe a week ago.

What else can I say,

Great product ! good service !

[Rocky99]

Replaced the 23W quietone pump with this compact and efficient 12W Maxijet that joe passed to me. This pump runs silent, and vibration is minimal. excellent pump.

just to clarify, maxijets are the recommended and mainstream pumps of the current series of RM CR.

Pump color blends into the CR SCH80 pipings.

[Tigger]

wats the damage to the wallet??

[hotlemond]

looks neat. and i tot maxi are for in tank use only.

nevertheless, they are good workhorse product.

think "QuietOne" got to change thier name here.

[loster]

looks neat. and i tot maxi are for in tank use only.

nevertheless, they are good workhorse product.

think "QuietOne" got to change thier name here.

wow maxijet is small looking and lesser watt

anyway, i still stay with my "quietone" the hole in my pocket still big... needs some time to get it "heal" anyway, the quietone is quiet already wish i can add one more 2nd chamber