Calcium reactor is kalkwasser necessary?

Duzzy · Aug 11, 2023

Hi there,

I’m planning on running an oversized calcium reactor (DELTEC CR Twin-Tech Calcium Reactor 10000) is kalkwasser still necessary? As in does kalkwasser do anything that a calcium reactor? I know it can affect ph but I was thinking that running skimmer through co2 scrubber and the calcium reactor output into the refugium should keep ph fairly stable in conjunction with the deleted controller.

regards Duzzy

blaxsun · Aug 11, 2023

They kind of do different things. Calcium reactors provide calcium so you don't really need to dose it. In terms of kalkwasser and Co2 scrubbers, it's kind of the chicken and the egg thing. Some people use one, some use both... It's really what's most cost effective and efficient for you.

I guess what it really boils down to is what are you trying to achieve with respect to your tank in terms of coral growth, etc.

Duzzy · Aug 11, 2023

mixed reef im thinking with quite a lot of sps

Jamie814 · Aug 11, 2023

Calcium reactors add calcium and alkalinity and sometimes magnesium if the media is also added into to the mix. The downside is a depressed ph from the effluent.

Kalkwasser also adds calcium and alkalinity but at a very high ph. But the amount you can add is limited to your evaporation rate.

Many use both to offset the depressed ph from injecting co2 into the calcium reactor.

To answer your question, no kalk is not necessary.

blaxsun · Aug 11, 2023

Duzzy said:
mixed reef im thinking with quite a lot of sps

I'm guessing this is for a new tank...?

Duzzy · Aug 12, 2023

blaxsun said:
I'm guessing this is for a new tank...?

Jamie814 said:
Calcium reactors add calcium and alkalinity and sometimes magnesium if the media is also added into to the mix. The downside is a depressed ph from the effluent.

Kalkwasser also adds calcium and alkalinity but at a very high ph. But the amount you can add is limited to your evaporation rate.

Many use both to offset the depressed ph from injecting co2 into the calcium reactor.

To answer your question, no kalk is not necessary.

limited if it’s in your ato. I’d planned on running it through a sock into ether refugium or pump chamber. I just see so many negatives on kal. I’m wondering if running the calcium reactor into skimmer with a CO2 scrubber will gas it of and level out the ph. or Into refugium where cheato will use the co2 and balance out ph by using the co2 hope that made sense

Thirstysreef · Aug 12, 2023

I have carx and kalkwasser. I mainly rely on kalkwasser as I believe the higher ph helps with growth

Duzzy · Aug 12, 2023

Thirstysreef said:
I have carx and kalkwasser. I mainly rely on kalkwasser as I believe the higher ph helps with growth

From everything I know higher the ph the better I just worry about how to add the kalk. As in with a calf stirrer you have to wait for it to settle is that correct? If I can get the Neptune to say - if kalk stirrer on then kalk feed off for 1 hr 3 times a day I’ll be right. I’m still at fairly early planning stages. Our house and fish room have just had slab poured I have time. But everything I’ve seen the most beautiful successful tanks are very well planned with redundancy after redundancy. Beautiful corals mate. I have freshwater and brackish as well and always will but this is my dream tank.

Thirstysreef · Aug 12, 2023

Duzzy said:
From everything I know higher the ph the better I just worry about how to add the kalk. As in with a calf stirrer you have to wait for it to settle is that correct? If I can get the Neptune to say - if kalk stirrer on then kalk feed off for 1 hr 3 times a day I’ll be right. I’m still at fairly early planning stages. Our house and fish room have just had slab poured I have time. But everything I’ve seen the most beautiful successful tanks are very well planned with redundancy after redundancy. Beautiful corals mate. I have freshwater and brackish as well and always will but this is my dream tank.I

I use a Kalk stirrer and I don’t worry about when it settles etc. I just dose it with my top off