Calcium Reactor questions...

[Mouse51180]

I have a few questions I cant seem to get answered clearly. I have always had a problem keeping my pH up as high as it needs to be and I am wanting to start keeping corals so I figured (from the research I have done) that a calcium reactor would be beneficial for both the pH issue and starting the corals. I have an 80 gallon bowfront tank.

I dont have very much room left in my sump for another piece of equipment. What part of a calcium reactor needs to be submerged if anything at all besides a pump?

Does anyone have any good web sites the might illistrate how water runs through these calcium reactors? There are so many tubes and lines and this CO2 bottle... cant keep track of it all from the limited amount of pics on the net.

My last question is I have been looking at a couple reactors. Some have 2 stages others just look like 1. Any recomendations as to a good one to get?

 

[Anonymous]

I have a few questions I cant seem to get answered clearly. I have always had a problem keeping my pH up as high as it needs to be and I am wanting to start keeping corals so I figured (from the research I have done) that a calcium reactor would be beneficial for both the pH issue and starting the corals. I have an 80 gallon bowfront tank.

I dont have very much room left in my sump for another piece of equipment. What part of a calcium reactor needs to be submerged if anything at all besides a pump?

Does anyone have any good web sites the might illistrate how water runs through these calcium reactors? There are so many tubes and lines and this CO2 bottle... cant keep track of it all from the limited amount of pics on the net.

My last question is I have been looking at a couple reactors. Some have 2 stages others just look like 1. Any recomendations as to a good one to get?

I have this reactor: http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... ct=ES33502 The only thing submerged is the feed pump. We have the body of the reactor sitting on a board that spans the sump to save space.

They all work on the idea that a bubble of CO2 is mixed with the water going into the reactor, which then flows through the media and into the tank water.

If you are having pH problems, and you are just starting out keeping corals, you might want to look into dosing kalkwasser, that might be a cheaper solution for ya!

 

[Mouse51180]

What is the difference between kalkwasser and a calcium reactor?

I have rea about some filter media that I thought would add trace elements and eleminate the need for kalkwasser, but I might have read the articale wrong.

Im not necessarily looking for the cheap solution, but the right solution to my problem.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, kalkwasser is just a powder you buy that you mix with RO water and drip in, or ad with a doser, preferably overnight as it does raise the pH some so you want to do it when your pH is at it's lowest. Some people just put it in their top off water. It adds calcium and alkalinity.

Some folks who use Ca Reactors still dose kalkwasser as well, because it is easy and cheap, and keeps your alkalinity high, but yes, a calcium reactor *properly dialed in* should do the same thing. You have to watch your pH more closely when running a reactor because if you are getting too much CO2 or it isn't properly dissipating, it can lower your tank pH.

As for your question about where all the tubes and lines go, I hear ya on that, I never could wrap my head around how the things worked until I got one!

What is the pH problem you are having?

I am going to pm a moderator to move this to the general reefkeeping section, it's really a little more advanced question for this forum!

 

[Len]

Hi Mouse, i moved your thread to the general discussion forum because it's a little more advanced and you'll likely get more responses here

There are some all-in-one solutions that "experts" have written about. You're probably thinking of two part solutions like b-ionic and cbalance, or perhaps Randy's article on Salifert's all-in-one where he says it supplies most of the Ca needs most hobbyist needs. IME, if you don't plan on keep many stony corals, these additives can suffice. But if you keep SPS and clams, you will most definitely want either a Ca reactor or kalkwasser drip/reactor to supplement your other additives. The rate of calcium use is staggering in these tanks.

 

[Mouse51180]

Well my pH problem really isnt a problem. The pH in my tank roughly stabilizes around 7.6. I have read this is ok, but if I wanted to do corals I should try and get it up around the 8.0-8.3 range.

I have used the powerders and liquids, but find that it raises my pH for a day...maybe two if im lucky and then drops back to 7.6. I ended up putting power in my sump every other day to try and keep the pH at the recommended area, but even doing that was still sketchy on hitting the right mark. I dont know if it is because of the water in my area or what, but I just cant get it to stay high enough without going to extreme measures. I was hoping a calcium reactor (once properly setup and adjusted) would get my pH to where it needed to be and then also add the trace elements that I add (or try to remember adding) every week.

Everyone with a good reef tank just seems to be running these things, so there has to be some great benefit to having them...right?

 

[Anonymous]

FYI if your pH is too low a calcium reactor will not fix your problem infact might make it worse. Do you have a skimmer? Proper airation? Open sumps etc are nice for that, I find that if anything my pH is too high ... now I just need to find the tank for said calcium reactor and I can get started

 

[Anonymous]

Everyone with a good reef tank just seems to be running these things, so there has to be some great benefit to having them...right?

I like calcium reactors but they do take some time to get running right. If you are going to be having stony corals and are not put off by the purchase price, go for it. Since they are kinda pricey (don't forget CO2 tank, regulator) I have found most folks do tend to wait until the calcium demands of their tank necessitate adding reactor.

BTW, I said that the feed pump on the reactor in my link is in the sump, I was confusing it with a past reactor I had. On the Coral life reactor, there is only a little hose that goes in the water to pull water into the reactor. I also think this would be a nice reactor for your size tank! But be sure to take your time before you decide.

 

[trido]

FYI if your pH is too low a calcium reactor will not fix your problem infact might make it worse. Do you have a skimmer? Proper airation? Open sumps etc are nice for that, I find that if anything my pH is too high ... now I just need to find the tank for said calcium reactor and I can get started

Alot of reefers with the SPS/clam tanks run kalk reactors or drip kalk to offset the PH lowering side affects of a calcium reactor. The calcium reactor lowers the PH and the Kalk raises it. I would bet that a calcium reactor is not the solution for you at this time. I would also ask, Do you have a skimmer? Are you using fans for cooling? Is your tank getting enough oxygen? Quite often, Low PH is due to lack of ventilation to the tank and its even possible the room it is in is too airtight. You should look into the real cause of the problem before trying to fix it another way.

 

[Mouse51180]

I have removed my glass covers, redesigned my sump, and have upgraded my skimmer to add as much ventilation as I could to my tank and still have not got the pH I desire.

Thank you for the info though. I guess I will look into the Kalk. reactors.

With the calcium reactors...where do you get the tanks refilled at and how often do you have to change the media and refill the CO2 canister? Trying to get an idea of the expense of running one of these.

 

[Mouse51180]

Ok...reading over the dosing pumps a little... I think this is more of what im looking for at this point in time.

I do have a few questions...

Which one does everyone suggest in using? I am debating on the Aqua Medic, Innovative Aquatics, and SpectraPure... or is there another that I have not found yet that is good?

Secondly...I thought that before adding any checmicals it was necessary to shake it up in the bottle first... how is this avoided when using a dosing pump?

 

[jumpincactus]

Duane has raised a good point on airtightness in your home many aquarist's have found that jsut by keeping some outdoor fresh air moving in the home will help with low Ph. Low Ph is caused by carbon dioxide or poor gas exchange. Remember that pets and humans throw off a lot of C02. With todays homes being so tight this is a common problem. A buddy of mine had low ph problems and he started keeping a few windows cracked and it alleviated his Ph issues. The problem gets even worse for people in colder climates when the winter sets in and they keep the windows shut tight due the colder weather. Another way is to create more gas exchange in your water column. Skimmers are a great way to do this. Adding some airstones to your sump will help i your not running a skimmer. Aslo aiming a power head or two so that you are creating surface turbulence at the top of your water level will help with gas exchange.

My Geo Calc reactor just got delivered today so I am going to spend a while getting it dialed in. Dripping kalk is a very cheap way way to keep your calc levels and your ph at good levels. Remember kalk has a ph of 12 so as stated before most people drip it at night. When I was dripping kalk I just used a plastic heavy one gallon jug. I drilled a hole in the bottom epoxied in a stainless steel nipple and ran flexible tubing to my sump. Keep the jug higher than your sump. I use a plastic needle valve to regulate the drip speed. Sure is a heck of a lot cheaper this way than purchasing peristaltic pumps or dosers. With my reactor I aniticipate that I may begin to experience a low Ph problem but if thats the case I will add a second effluent chamber to the rator to better outgas the excess Co2 or start dripping kalk in tandem with the reactor as Duane mentioned

Recomended speed is about a drip per second. Problem with dripping kalk is the tubing gets clogged and I was forever fussing with it. Not to mention you have to constantly be mixing new kalk solution. I use Mrs Wages pickling lime it is cheap as heck compared to reef items you get at your LFS. It is food grade and has next to no contaimenents. A pound of Mrs Wages is about 4.00 a pound . A pound of labeled reef kalk powder will cost about 40.00 for the same amount. Get it online. Use two teaspoons to one gallon of fresh water RO/DI or just plain RO or distilled water. Figure out what your evaporative loss is per day and drip that amount as your make up water.

Keep in mind kalkwasser will not raise your calcium to levels that you need it at, it just helps maintain those levels once you raise the calcium to where you want it with two part additives.

Almost forgot keep your supply of kalk away from the sump or main display tank a spilled gallon of kalk into your sump will nuke your tank and that would be sad indeed.