calcium reactor

JGoslee

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Lately I have been having problems keeping my ph/alk/Ca in check. So I decided to make my next big tank purchase a calaium reactor. If you have one what kind do you have? Was it easy to install? Are your parameters better now that you have a calcium reator? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


-Jesse
 

surfn

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what size tank do you have?

IME, i've never actually used a Ca reactor, but seen lots of local club members use them.

the big downside i see to them is that they lower the pH in the tank, and pretty much force you to also have a kalk stirrer/reactor/doser to counter that pH drop, by increasing the pH.

IMO, if you have a tank under about 120g which is not entirely sps, it is still very affordable to get a Liter Meter 3 and just dose calcium and sodium bicarbonate with 2 seperately controlled dosing pumps vs having to get a calcium reactor, plus some sort of kalk reactor/stirrer, PLUS a dosing pump for those 2 pieces of equipment anyways, and an auto top off if you want that.

just seems like too much equipment to hassel with, considering you can get a LM3 with 3 dosing pumps to take care of auto top off water, calcium, and alk all together.

but everyone has their opinion :)
 
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JGoslee

JGoslee

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Its a 58gal. The main reason for the calcium reactor is to lower may ph. I have an auto top off that doses kalk. My ph is 8.3 in the morning and 8.6 at night before the lights go out. Ive been getting advise in the RC reef chemistry forum and Ive been able to lower the ph but it is a real pain in the ****. I was thinking adding the calcium reactor would make everything alot easier and alot more stable.
Are you using a LM3 to dose your tank?
 

mbunaman

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A correctly setup Calcium reactor will not lower your PH. It all depends on what medium your using and how many bubbles you have in your counter. I like to use a PH controller on any Cal Reactor. If your using the Hard schuran media it requires more CO2 and your at risk with a lower PH. ARM is easier to disolve and you dont need that much Co2 to dissolve. Many people operate a second chamber to use up and left over Co2. Also the best way to dose from a Cal Reactor is through the skimmer. I have an Aqua C 180 with a John Guest Fitting and the skimmer will get rid of any residual Co2. I am going to upgrade and get a GeoReef reactor to me they are the best from what I have read. Hope I can be a help.
 

mschriskim

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Another tip to get rid of residual CO2 is drip your outlet form calcium reactor to your refuguim if you cannot do it with skimmer.

I use both Kalk + CA reactor this seems helping growth on both SPSs, Zoas. (I get more growth using both than using only CA reactor)

Using CA reactor is investment but over time this will pay off as cost for 2 part dosing is not cheap over time.

Jesse, since your tank is not over 100gallon you could use small size reactor which will cost less. knop-c used if you look around you could get one around $140.
I am using K2R on my SPSs, Zoa tank and knop-c on my LPSs, Sofies.

Good luck.
 

surfn

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yeah, i used to have a pH meter, but sold it to twon8 as i never found a good use for it on the reef tank. i dont have one now and really could care less what the pH is unless something major was happening to the tank (over dose on kalk for instance), but since i dont dose kalk i dont feel the need for one.

JGoslee, what is the alk and pH of your tap water? and what is it coming out of your RO/DI?
 
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JGoslee

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surfn said:
yeah, i used to have a pH meter, but sold it to twon8 as i never found a good use for it on the reef tank. i dont have one now and really could care less what the pH is unless something major was happening to the tank (over dose on kalk for instance), but since i dont dose kalk i dont feel the need for one.

JGoslee, what is the alk and pH of your tap water? and what is it coming out of your RO/DI?
I have no idea what the tap water readings are but the ro/di is ph 6.5 and the alk is 8 dkh. My tank parameters are ph 8.3 - 8.8, 10 dkh and Ca 410.
 

surfn

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JGoslee said:
surfn said:
yeah, i used to have a pH meter, but sold it to twon8 as i never found a good use for it on the reef tank. i dont have one now and really could care less what the pH is unless something major was happening to the tank (over dose on kalk for instance), but since i dont dose kalk i dont feel the need for one.

JGoslee, what is the alk and pH of your tap water? and what is it coming out of your RO/DI?
I have no idea what the tap water readings are but the ro/di is ph 6.5 and the alk is 8 dkh. My tank parameters are ph 8.3 - 8.8, 10 dkh and Ca 410.

8dkh coming out of the RO/DI? wow, some sps people would kill for something that high.

we have slightly acid, and very soft water around here from the municipal supply.

usually you find people with higher dkH are using well water up in the mountains, near lime deposits or something.

if it is worrying you that much, you could try a water softner pillow in your RO/DI water before you put it in the tank (may want to check in the chemistry forum to make sure you can do that with water for reef tanks, cant remember)

only real downside to having hard water from your tap or RO/DI is it possibly causing your pumps to seize up from calcium build up. but shouldnt be a problem if you clean them once in a while.
 
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JGoslee

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Yeah I really like where my alk is at I just dont like the high ph. From what I have read anything over 8.6 is considered bad.
 

surfn

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have you calibrated your pH meter lately?

i dont know about the whole open window thing. i could see that happening in a VERY large tank possibly, with a very strong breeze into the house, but for the avg reef keeper under 100g with no breeze coming in through the windows i find a pH change of that magnitude doubtfull in respect to blaming it on an open window.
 
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JGoslee

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surfn said:
have you calibrated your pH meter lately?

i dont know about the whole open window thing. i could see that happening in a VERY large tank possibly, with a very strong breeze into the house, but for the avg reef keeper under 100g with no breeze coming in through the windows i find a pH change of that magnitude doubtfull in respect to blaming it on an open window.
The tank is in the basement and gets no air flow from the outside when the windows are open. When the central air is on, air is being blown in from outside thru out the house. So when I turned the central air off the air flow in the basement was cut off. I actually double checked this by turning the central air back on and the ph of the tank went down to 7.8 at night and 8.3 when the lights are on. My ph meter was calibrated and I double checked the results with a salifert test kit.
 

surfn

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interesting...well, i can see that happening as your tank being in the basement is in a tightly controlled environment, so turning on the central air (regardless if the windows are open or not) would cause more air circulation downstairs, thus a greater exchange in O2/CO2 in your basement where the tank is.

i think for the avg reef keeper, if their tank is upstairs in the family room they would never see this difference though b/c there should already be ample air exchange/circulation due to the opening/closing of doors with the outside.

pretty interesting to know that though in case i ever have a basement lol
 
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