Why should I get a calcium reactor? Add your tip!

[revhtree]

Besides the fact that I am totally messing up the whole 2 part dosing regimen why would you suggest a Calcium Reactor for me or anyone else?

 

[805reef]

following. I am in the same boat as you in that I plan to keep dosing 2 part with my Dos but now thinking I may need to switch to a ca rx some day. looking forward to the replies here.

 

[Salty_Box_Reef]

Only do it if your willing to invest in quality equipment. Personally I wouldnt have one without the aquarium plant carbon doser regulator(or better) and a masterflex/cole parmer feed pump. Without a quality regulator and quality feed pump its just not worth it and I would stick with a simple balling method.

 

[Maacc]

Stability, plus you are really doing balling method without all the additional supplements as the skeletons you are melting have the additional trace elements in them. This is definitely where you want quality equipment and failsafes though.
It will be a pain to balance up front but once running and stable you dont have to mess with it except for twice yearly cleaning and alk tests to alert you to adjustments

 

[Liquid360]

Side note, I LOVE hardware made by Geosreef. I have a fluidized reactor I just bought and it's beautiful! In Time, I hope to buy a sump from them and another reactor.

 

[GoVols]

On and big reef like you have it can be very cost effective compared to 2 part dosing after the initial setup cost.
It also provides trace elements from the old coral media that some 2 part brands don't have in their mix.
I'd have to go with the aquariumplants.com / BRS digital C02 doser with a 2 stage cal reactor like the new GEO 2 stage to help with ph drop.

I'd already have the GEO 2 stage if I was for sure that I would not have to drip kalk to keep the PH up.

You have the reef in your basement and that could play a factor in keeping the PH up.

But for the best advise to your question and the +'s and -'s of a cal reactor then I'd like @hybridazn to join in and we can "all" get his incite.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Stability, plus you are really doing balling method without all the additional supplements as the skeletons you are melting have the additional trace elements in them.

Not so fast. It has elements deposited in skeletons, but not tissues, such as iron, potassium, etc.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The only reason I'd use a CaCO3/CO2 reactor over other methods is cost on a very big reef.

I compare methods here:

The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/the-many-methods-for-supplementing-calcium-and-alkalinity

 

[GoVols]

Not so fast. It has elements deposited in skeletons, but not tissues, such as iron, potassium, etc.

Duly Noted.

Thank You!

 

[Salty_Box_Reef]

Not so fast. It has elements deposited in skeletons, but not tissues, such as iron, potassium, etc.

So for the guys who are using calrx is there normally certain trace elements we should be testing for and paying attention to that are not in the media? I'm using reborn and when I started dosing kz trace elements I noticed some coloring up of some stuff.... that wasn't the only change though so I can't say with certainty it was the cause of it.

 

[Maacc]

Not so fast. It has elements deposited in skeletons, but not tissues, such as iron, potassium, etc.

Very true, Randy, I was a bit quick on the response and left out some details, but Rev's reef is 480 gallons and he's burning 100's of mls per day of two part currently.

 

[GoVols]

On a possible downside...
You would get some good trace elements from the natural media, but you should expect to get other goodies like stored in phos. too.

 

[hybridazn]

When I switched to a CaRX i was scared I'm not going to lie. Bubble counting, flow rates and co2 all scared me. But after I learned that you can use this effective means of "dosing" easier I was sold.

First, get a good reactor. I recommend the appropriate sized Geo's Reef reactor. Second, good media. I use TLF Reborn media that won't leach phosphates and is very clean right out of the bag. It only took me 2 minutes to rinse it before putting it in my reactors. Third, get a regulator that has a good solenoid. While the carbon dosers are nice I don't feel it's totally necessary the way I run my reactor. Fourth, make sure you have a controller lol. And last, just get a decent feed pump. Peristaltic pumps are nice but pricy and aren't really needed IMO if you run your setup this certain way.

Forbthe ph drop concerns add a 2nd chamber. I was having low ph when I just ran the CaRX alone. My ph was regularly between 7.9-8.1. After I added the 2nd chamber my ph has been back to its "normal" 8.1-8.4 range. So that's an easy "fix".

Now for the fun part, how to run the system. This version is easy, you adjust the ph in the reactor not the bubble count or effluent. You want the flow out of the effluent to be a slow, steady flow. A little faster than when you can see the tiny bubble formations be almost uniformed. You start the ph in the reactor around 7.08as your low setting and then your high would be 7.18. You then test your alk to see if it dropped, if it did then lower the ph by .01 on your controller to turn your regulator on and off. Here is the video I used to set up initially.



And here is a quick walkthru video of my setup



I also know some ppl have issues with magnesium being low, but you can add the appropriate amount of magnesium to the reactor as well to help with this. I've never had an issue with it since I use salts that have higher amounts of mag already so it barely moves at all weekly

 

[GoVols]

The above method is absolutely brilliant!!!

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I just added one two week ago. I have gotten more growth in those weeks then in the last two months. I follow the video's method and have a PH of 7.3 on the high side and 7.2 on the low. I started at 6.9 on the high side and 6.8 on the low, however my ALK and calcium rose to quickly.

 

[GoVols]

I follow the video's method

 

[vanpire]

I just added one two week ago. I have gotten more growth in those weeks then in the last two months. I follow the video's method and have a PH of 7.3 on the high side and 7.2 on the low. I started at 6.9 on the high side and 6.8 on the low, however my ALK and calcium rose to quickly.

Wow. I do the same thing and measure the PH because it is so much simpler. Anyway, mine is at 6.3 on the low and 6.4 on the high side, but I am measuring my PH inside first chamber where the CO2 is actually added. I am surprised you are getting much ALK at 7.3 because I didn't think much medium dissolve when PH is greater than 7.

 

[G8trBait16]

I am following this as well, since I am working on my dream tank a 250g (96x24x25), which will be mostly SPS. I am trying to figure out s it better to start off with a calcium reactor set up or just do 2 part from my doser until I have a substantial need for the reactor.

 

[GoVols]

Wow. I do the same thing and measure the PH because it is so much simpler. Anyway, mine is at 6.3 on the low and 6.4 on the high side, but I am measuring my PH inside first chamber where the CO2 is actually added. I am surprised you are getting much ALK at 7.3 because I didn't think much medium dissolve when PH is greater than 7.

Do you run your reactor as the video's posted above?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Wow. I do the same thing and measure the PH because it is so much simpler. Anyway, mine is at 6.3 on the low and 6.4 on the high side, but I am measuring my PH inside first chamber where the CO2 is actually added. I am surprised you are getting much ALK at 7.3 because I didn't think much medium dissolve when PH is greater than 7.

It normally was 8.2, it's around 9.2 now.