Aqua-Medic 1000 or Reg Grigg Reactor?

welcome to the forum. i am currently using the aquamedic and DIY (not Rex Grigg) type reactors on a couple tanks so i can offer some opinions. from a product feature standpoint, the only real difference is the clear plastic tubing on the aquamedic which is useful for debugging and peace of mind (knowing that bubbles leaving your bubble counter are entering the reactor and there are no leaks). the aquamedic also has a bleed valve which is useful for helping to start up the reactor, as initially it may be air locked. i find that pretty useful on occasion. make sure the RG reactor has one. i also put those on the reactors i build for myself. as for performance, i find that my aquamedic is better at dissolving CO2 than my DIY ones (which i do not fill with bio-balls). with the same bubble rate, i always find a build up of CO2 in the DIY reactor at the end of the day (i hear it gurgling), which is never the case with the aquamedic. i think the bioballs tend to break up the CO2 and provide more surface area for diffusion (at the expense of increased flow resistance). does all that warrant a higher price? i guess that depends on the individual. also, i've not had any problems with the connection of the 16/22 (5/8) tubing to the 1/2 barbed end (i'm also using tube clamps) in the 5-6 years i've had it running.