are calcium reactors outdated now?

[acropora4u]

There is a sump somewhere in there…right?

yep, icecap 36xl

 

[acropora4u]

Depends on size of tank, mineral demand from tank. I used two part dosing on my heavily populated 75G tank and just couldn’t keep up so added a CaRx and it’s plug and forget. Love my CaRx. I used to use Milwaukee pH controller plus dual gauge with solemoid but their product just just crap. Bought a much nicer dual stage and hooked up pH probe to spare PM1 module and CaRx is rock solid at 6.31. I do use co2 scrubber on skimmer intake and tank pH range is 7.90-8.1 not great but very stable.

yes, the lower ph is what i am trying to avoid, as without it hooked up i am getting to 8.4 PH during the day and sps corals are growing with nice PE.

 

[acropora4u]

Most people use the auto planted solenoids.
D

yes, i use this one :

 

[acropora4u]

Calcium reactors are an incredibly efficient way to run your aquariums parameters! Note - temp is up because 80 degree day in NY.

How do you keep PH up so high with CR running?

 

[PeterC99]

How do you keep PH up so high with CR running?

Media - Use TwoLiitleFishes Reborn. Doesn’t need as low pH to melt as other stuff. Always on back order but worth the wait. Also use a CO2 scrubber.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Hello, with all the emphasis on higher PH , and calcium reactors (CR) often have a negative effect on PH, are CRs really needed any longer with all the dosing pump reef additives on the market that accomplish better results with higher PH to boot. Plus i have a kalk reactor now that i have been using , BUT, i also have a geo dual reactor, a carbon regulator and the Kamoer FX-STP2 WiFi Peristaltic Dosing Pump that I am not using at the moment, but dont know if i should use it as i don't want PH to lower... i am good with PH and alk currently

Running a calcium reactor even with a second chamber used to depress my Ph substantially, into 7.7 area. I would almost be forced to dose kalkwasser to keep my corals alive and to avoid RTN every night. In search of higher Ph I added a third chamber to my reactor, that helped but barely, added a hose outside that ran to my skimmer, and that was somewhat an improvement. Got a larger skimmer, and that did barely anything. However what really turned things around was dosing my effluent directly into the skimmer chamber from the top. It only took me 4 years of breaking my head to finally try the most obvious solution. (Before anyone asks, this method completely bypassed skimmer pump internals and does not precipitate anything inside of the chamber.) just my .02

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Media - Use TwoLiitleFishes Reborn. Doesn’t need as low pH to melt as other stuff. Always on back order but worth the wait. Also use a CO2 scrubber.

Pro tip, some stores carry large grade reef tank substrate in a 50 lb polypropelene feed bags. It is almost identical to TLF Reborn and used to cost about $40-50, I switched to that after I ran out of my reborn media, and never looked back.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

They should be called alk reactors. Lol.
They are actually more stable imo than dosing. Just the needs need to be their to justify.
Meaning if the demand isn't their than no need for the supply.
D

How could they be more stable than appropriate dosing?

I see pros and cons to using a CaCO3/CO2 reactor, but stability compared to dosing using a dosing pump isn't one of them.

If anything, I think one could readily make the case that alk is less stable using one than dosing to match alk demand that varies by time of day (which is not usually done with a CaCO3/CO2 reactor, but could be).

 

[ReefChasers]

They are still useful. We have a couple 1200 gallon systems at the farm and at times the consumption can be quite high.

We prefer to rely on the hydroxide (Kalkwasser) primarily because of it's amazing effects on pH. However pumping 10+ gallons of kalk a day and thing can still be heading downward so we will supplement with some Soda Ash + bicarbonate...

Even still there has been times with the Kalk + Soda Ash + Bicarb that the Alk was still dropping. This is where having the calcium reactor is nice.

We basically use it as the third line of defense. We don't like it's negative effect on pH so we prefer not to have it run 24/7. We typically only run it on the low side of it's settings due to the negative effect on pH. If we can, we prefer to have it only running in the day time where the pH effect seems to be well off-set.

The calcium reactor offers a little additional benefit in restoring all of the trace elements rather then perhaps having to dose those with expensive additives.

So they still have a place, but probably not as much in the home-reef.

 

[Dburr1014]

Been using a carx for a couple years now with a Kalk reactor. Past couple months my PH has been pretty stable at 8.2~8.3 so I stopped adding Kalk. Outside air and carx injected into intake of skimmer has really helped.
I think carx are still viable, imo.

 

[ReefChasers]

Been using a carx for a couple years now with a Kalk reactor. Past couple months my PH has been pretty stable at 8.2~8.3 so I stopped adding Kalk. Outside air and carx injected into intake of skimmer has really helped.
I think carx are still viable, imo.

We haven't tried to dump the affluent directly into skimmer yet but have heard good things about that -- I suppose we need to.

We also pump in the outside air to our skimmer intake, definitely a noticeable bump in pH. We bought a Co2 monitor to test inside vs outside.

Inside the farm it's about 599-699 CO2 and outside is about 419 CO2

 

[DeniseAndy]

I guess I have never had an issue with pH. I do use outside air in my skimmer. It is a large skimmer. My Ca Rx is a two chamber large reactor.

 

[Labridaedicted]

I'm never going to not run a CaRx. Honestly never had a pH issue, keeps my Ca, Alk, Mg at near perfect and stable levels. Never had that when I dosed.

I'm running an absolute tank of a unit with my dual chamber MTC Reactor modified with a primary chamber pH probe and control the pH in it with my Apex to get even dissolution rates. I run a Trident too. Helps me confirm that my alk stays within .05 of where I maintain it, but I don't *rely* on it.

 

[acropora4u]

They are still useful. We have a couple 1200 gallon systems at the farm and at times the consumption can be quite high.

We prefer to rely on the hydroxide (Kalkwasser) primarily because of it's amazing effects on pH. However pumping 10+ gallons of kalk a day and thing can still be heading downward so we will supplement with some Soda Ash + bicarbonate...

Even still there has been times with the Kalk + Soda Ash + Bicarb that the Alk was still dropping. This is where having the calcium reactor is nice.

We basically use it as the third line of defense. We don't like it's negative effect on pH so we prefer not to have it run 24/7. We typically only run it on the low side of it's settings due to the negative effect on pH. If we can, we prefer to have it only running in the day time where the pH effect seems to be well off-set.

The calcium reactor offers a little additional benefit in restoring all of the trace elements rather then perhaps having to dose those with expensive additives.

So they still have a place, but probably not as much in the home-reef.

thank you! i agree, with my 225 reef there is really no need for the CR, i use a kalk stirrer for my needs, ill keep it that way...now, do i sell the CR...i think maybe its time

 

[Ultraman]

I’ve used calcium reactors for 22 years on 400 and 500 gallon reefs. They’re the most cost effective, long term, stable, indispensable item us folks that grow coral out of the water rely on. I’m sure you’ll sell your unit quickly And hope you don’t regret your choice in 6 months

 

[acropora4u]

thanks all reefers for your excellent information and comments.

 

[HuduVudu]

Running a calcium reactor even with a second chamber used to depress my Ph substantially, into 7.7 area. I would almost be forced to dose kalkwasser to keep my corals alive and to avoid RTN every night. In search of higher Ph I added a third chamber to my reactor, that helped but barely, added a hose outside that ran to my skimmer, and that was somewhat an improvement. Got a larger skimmer, and that did barely anything. However what really turned things around was dosing my effluent directly into the skimmer chamber from the top. It only took me 4 years of breaking my head to finally try the most obvious solution. (Before anyone asks, this method completely bypassed skimmer pump internals and does not precipitate anything inside of the chamber.) just my .02

Thought experiment for you. What happens if you carbonate just salt water and then let said water outgas. This is just a glass of salt water that you pulled from your tank.

What will be the pH of the water after ALL of the CO2 is outgassed?

 

[HuduVudu]

I am not understanding in this thread why there isn't a discussion of dosing pumps.

Dosing 2 part (or Balling) requires accurate pumps and I have yet to see a pump like that that wasn't medical grade and very expensive. Even then I would want to see how they perform IRL.

Two part has it's own issues and I don't get this obsession with it. Especially when I see posts often enough about drift and dump from the pumps. As an aside people are really confused that 2 part really means 2 parts. There are pros and cons to every method.

Please note IMO there is a seperate argument to be made for All for Reef type dosing but even then there things to deal with and consider.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thought experiment for you. What happens if you carbonate just salt water and then let said water outgas. This is just a glass of salt water that you pulled from your tank.

What will be the pH of the water after ALL of the CO2 is outgassed?

If you just mean removing all of the extra CO2 you added, the pH comes right back to where it started before adding CO2.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I am not understanding in this thread why there isn't a discussion of dosing pumps.

Dosing 2 part (or Balling) requires accurate pumps and I have yet to see a pump like that that wasn't medical grade and very expensive. Even then I would want to see how they perform IRL.

Two part has it's own issues and I don't get this obsession with it. Especially when I see posts often enough about drift and dump from the pumps. As an aside people are really confused that 2 part really means 2 parts. There are pros and cons to every method.

Please note IMO there is a seperate argument to be made for All for Reef type dosing but even then there things to deal with and consider.

I agree that dosing pumps can vary and that can lead to drift in values, but the same would be said about flow through a CaCO3/CO2 reactor being variable with variable delivery of alk and calcium at a fixed pH (if it is pH controlled).