Larger calrx or second chamber?

[Dlealrious]

Hi All, I have a question regarding sizing a calcium reactor. My system is about 200g total water and will be sps only. Im looking at either getting a Geo CR618 with second chamber or CR624.
My thought behind having second chamber on smaller model is to increase ph but I'm unsure if this is true. Just looking for some feedback from people with experience. This will be my first calrx.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Hi All, I have a question regarding sizing a calcium reactor. My system is about 200g total water and will be sps only. Im looking at either getting a Geo CR618 with second chamber or CR624.
My thought behind having second chamber on smaller model is to increase ph but I'm unsure if this is true. Just looking for some feedback from people with experience. This will be my first calrx.

Second chambers are used for degassing C02, which can effect your tank PH.

 

[Dlealrious]

Thanks, does it so increase potency of the effluent? I was wondering if I did upgrade 1 day if having second chamber will help keep up with kh/cal demands or is it better to just get larger reactor now and see how ph goes.

 

[mtraylor]

I run a geo 618 no second chamber on my 255gal aquarium with 100 gallon sump and its more than enough for my system. Love it.
I run effluient into my refugium. Helps outgas co2. No problems with ph in system.

 

[ca1ore]

I would think the 618 would suffice for a 200 gallon tank. I personally like a second chamber as pH buffer, it more nice to have than must have. My ProCal secondary chamber dissolves the media very slowly, so it’s not a major addition to effluent potency but it does add some. There’s really no downside to a larger reactor, other than cost. Maybe worthwhile if you think you’ll get a big tank down the road.

 

[Dlealrious]

I run a geo 618 no second chamber on my 255gal aquarium with 100 gallon sump and its more than enough for my system. Love it.
I run effluient into my refugium. Helps outgas co2. No problems with ph in
I

Nice I was also going to run into my fuge

 

[Dlealrious]

I would think the 618 would suffice for a 200 gallon tank. I personally like a second chamber as pH buffer, it more nice to have than must have. My ProCal secondary chamber dissolves the media very slowly, so it’s not a major addition to effluent potency but it does add some. There’s really no downside to a larger reactor, other than cost. Maybe worthwhile if you think you’ll get a big tank down the road.

Thanks. I just wondered how their reccomendend size for reactor is made. As Sps dom system will eat more than a mix tank.

 

[ca1ore]

Who knows. Maybe it’s a WAG. I tend to ‘size’ mine based on half the media depleting in about 6 months (at which point I refill it). Materially faster than that and the unit is too small.

 

[jda]

A second chamber will not do anything if there is no excess co2 leaving your reactor. This means that it must be well tuned. A well tuned reactor will also not do much to the tank pH since there is no excess dissolved co2 to enter the water. Second chamber can work pretty well if you do not want to tune and just co2 dump using a pH probe.

Most of this depends on how you are going to run your reactor, and which one that you get. There are models that trap excess co2 to let you know that your tune is bad - Korallin is one. Most do not. If you tune for continuous running 24/7, this is really the only way to make sure that you do not have excess co2. If you use a pH probe and controller to turn a solenoid on/off, then you end up dumping co2 into the reactor and some of it will escape into the tank.

Any CaRx can keep up with any demand... the only main difference is how often you have to change the media. If a CaRx is not keeping up with demand and there is fresh media, then it is not tuned right.

 

[Dlealrious]

A second chamber will not do anything if there is no excess co2 leaving your reactor. This means that it must be well tuned. A well tuned reactor will also not do much to the tank pH since there is no excess dissolved co2 to enter the water. Second chamber can work pretty well if you do not want to tune and just co2 dump using a pH probe.

Most of this depends on how you are going to run your reactor, and which one that you get. There are models that trap excess co2 to let you know that your tune is bad - Korallin is one. Most do not. If you tune for continuous running 24/7, this is really the only way to make sure that you do not have excess co2. If you use a pH probe and controller to turn a solenoid on/off, then you end up dumping co2 into the reactor and some of it will escape into the tank.

Any CaRx can keep up with any demand... the only main difference is how often you have to change the media. If a CaRx is not keeping up with demand and there is fresh media, then it is not tuned right.

That's jda, I have read your details on this and was going to try this method. Was actually going to message you once I get it all set up for more details