From 2 part (Aqua Forest) to Calcium Reactor Questions

[Peter K]

Hi all,

I wanted to preface this by saying that I love using the aqua forest component 1/2/3+ and have had great results, however, I am going through $80-$100 of additives a month right now and am constantly having to refill my dosing containers every few days. So I was planning on switching to a calcium reactor, and a very oversized one at that due to an tank upgrade occurring in the next year. I am still new to calcium reactors and had a few questions for you all far more knowledgeable than myself:

1. We are upgrading to a 450 gallon tank (total 650 gallons - few frag tanks plumbed in) in a few months so I was planning on going with Geo CR818 along with a secondary chamber from Geo as well. Is there any issue running this large of a reactor on a 200 gallon system (SPS dom)? Theoretically could I just keep the internal PH in the reactor around 7 since I won't be using hardly any of the capacity of the reactor? Should I even both filling it up all the way with media for right now?

2. I'm assuming a cold turkey approach to swapping from 2 part to the reactor will be very hard on the corals if I can't keep my alk stable so how much of a gradual swap is needed?

Thank you all in advanced!

 

[GoVols]

I run an two stage GEO too.

GEO helped me out. to nail my spec's.. ;Singing ;Singing ;Singing

Running the constant streaming method and love it.

Not off my manifold, but using a Sicce for the "stream's" feed pump and you need Apex Fusion to go this way.




You might want to call or send an PM to @geo

 

[Peter K]

I met the Geo folks at MACNA this year and they were super helpful, would have bought the reactor there but they were sold out of the one I needed.

I've never heard of that constant streaming method and it seems a lot easier. Thank you for that video! I think running at that higher PH to start will also help with transitioning over especially with such a massive reactor for my current system.
My only issue is that my reefkeeper sl1 ph box crapped out on me last month and I'm still deciding on what controller to go with or if I just want to go with a milwaukee controller for now, but that can only be set at above or below. I already have the carbondoser regulator so I'm wondering if I can still do this method to some extent with a bit more tinkering.

I really appreciate the input on this, calcium reactors still scare me a bit as I've been dosing 2 part for years now.

 

[GoVols]

I met the Geo folks at MACNA this year and they were super helpful, would have bought the reactor there but they were sold out of the one I needed.

I've never heard of that constant streaming method and it seems a lot easier. Thank you for that video! I think running at that higher PH to start will also help with transitioning over especially with such a massive reactor for my current system.
My only issue is that my reefkeeper sl1 ph box crapped out on me last month and I'm still deciding on what controller to go with or if I just want to go with a milwaukee controller for now, but that can only be set at above or below. I already have the carbondoser regulator so I'm wondering if I can still do this method to some extent with a bit more tinkering.

I really appreciate the input on this, calcium reactors still scare me a bit as I've been dosing 2 part for years now.

I was researching ;Bookworm and hit this...

"Another common problem when setting up a calcium reactor is getting a correct balance between calcium and alkalinity."

"It is also worth noting that you may have difficulty achieving natural calcium and alkalinity levels if your salinity is less than natural seawater (35ppt) (Holmes-Farley 1998)"

;Wideyed

....... ;Writing

__________________________________

Also, Per GEO

Running the large Reborn Media with 10% ZEOmag in Stage one and the small ARM media in stage two.

Hope that helps.

 

[GoVols]

I met the Geo folks at MACNA this year and they were super helpful, would have bought the reactor there but they were sold out of the one I needed.

I've never heard of that constant streaming method and it seems a lot easier. Thank you for that video! I think running at that higher PH to start will also help with transitioning over especially with such a massive reactor for my current system.
My only issue is that my reefkeeper sl1 ph box crapped out on me last month and I'm still deciding on what controller to go with or if I just want to go with a milwaukee controller for now, but that can only be set at above or below. I already have the carbondoser regulator so I'm wondering if I can still do this method to some extent with a bit more tinkering.

I really appreciate the input on this, calcium reactors still scare me a bit as I've been dosing 2 part for years now.

I used to run Comp 1+ 2+ 3+ too, when it first hit the US. It was a great product.

You need a controller that maps out the ph inside the reactor to really pull off that method.

Watch the video, over and over until you get it down.

When I was locking in the on and off settings, I took my time to dial it in. My alk would drop. I would dose pure alk to bump it up and lower the melting point. Then it tuned in. I did not use the cal reactor to raise my alk, because it would have overshot my final tuning #'s.

If you have the carbon doser, you'll be just fine.

Just follow the video.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I personally would use slower flow through the rector rather than just higher pH (if possible) because higher pH is less efficient in CO2 and may lead to lower tank pH, but both work out in terms of the delivery of alk and calcium..

 

[GoVols]

I personally would use slower flow through the rector rather than just higher pH (if possible) because higher pH is less efficient in CO2 and may lead to lower tank pH, but both work out in terms of the delivery of alk and calcium..

Randy,
Do you see any issues with Peter going with an oversized cal reactor?

Thanks, Freddie

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy,
Do you see any issues with Peter going with an oversized cal reactor?

Thanks, Freddie

If you can control the flow to a slower effluent rate, no.

If you cannot reduce the flow through it, then it may become inefficient (in terms of CO2 usage and potentially lower tank pH) to run it 24/7 with just a little CO2.

 

[Peter K]

Thanks Randy! I really appreciate the help, I think I’m going to go with a peristaltic pump to control the flow through so I should be able to dial it down quite a bit.

Do you think I dial it in slowly over a period of a few weeks to ease off two part?

 

[GoVols]

Thanks Randy! I really appreciate the help, I think I’m going to go with a peristaltic pump to control the flow through so I should be able to dial it down quite a bit.

Good Call!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That sounds good to me. [emoji3]

 

[Peter K]

One more question for you Randy if you don’t mind, what is your “ideal” ph for a calcium reactor? I’ve read anywhere between 6.4-7.4 but that range seems awfully big to me. I realize that lowering it, up to a point, can increase the amount of elements you can dose to the tank but is there a set point you recommend starting off with?

Thank you both for your help and input on this, r2r is a great community and the expertise you all have is an amazing resource.

 

[GoVols]

That sounds good to me. [emoji3]

(lol)
This might be my next upgrade:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/fx-stp-peristaltic-dosing-pump-kamoer.html

That's a nice price point.

 

[Peter K]

(lol)
This might be my next upgrade:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/fx-stp-peristaltic-dosing-pump-kamoer.html

That's a nice price point.

That’s the one I was going to get to start off with, I haven’t heard much regarding the longevity of the pump but initial impressions are good it seems. Hoping a good maintenance schedule on it will keep it working consistently for a while, don’t really want to spend double or triple hell even thousands for a medical grade one.

 

[GoVols]

That’s the one I was going to get to start off with, I haven’t heard much regarding the longevity of the pump but initial impressions are good it seems. Hoping a good maintenance schedule on it will keep it working consistently for a while, don’t really want to spend double or triple hell even thousands for a medical grade one.

Well,
Doing an total break down on my cal reactor next month, for yearly maintenance.

Might pull the trigger on that pump too.

If it jacks up my main display's ph (lower melting point), then I'd go back to streaming.

Got about 3 weeks to sleep on it...

 

[GoVols]

Well,
Talked to GEO reguarding the above... pump, when we break down the reactor.

(lol)
They said:

"If it’s not broken don’t fix it!"

We'll keep on streaming.