Hi,I am in the planning stages of my new 125 g reef tank and was wondering if a calcium reactor is an essential piece of equipment or can you do without?
Calcium reactor?
- Thread starter ClownieandBilly
- Start date
No, a calc reactor is not an essential piece of equipment. You can manage your calcium and alkalinity through the addition of a kalk drip, additives, buffers, etc.
However, a calc reactor would make all this a lot easier and is probably cheaper in the long run (???)
I don't have one yet $$$$
However, a calc reactor would make all this a lot easier and is probably cheaper in the long run (???)
I don't have one yet $$$$
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I prefer kalk reactors over calcium reactors.
they have a couple benefits over calcium reactors, but cost about the same to purchase.
they have a couple benefits over calcium reactors, but cost about the same to purchase.
Slip - what do you know about, or think of, Knop reactors? I can't seem to get their english web site to work. Thanks.
there great reactors....
but alot of $$
www.myreefcreations.com makes ones that are just as good for alot less. (he makes kalk reactors too if anyones interested, just look under "new products")
but alot of $$
www.myreefcreations.com makes ones that are just as good for alot less. (he makes kalk reactors too if anyones interested, just look under "new products")
kalk reactors are usually used for top-off water, its pumped through the reactor then into the tank (or sump)
kalk reactors just use a spinning stirrer or a pump to mix the kalk and water. you need to add new kalk to the reactor around once a week depending on how much top-off water you use, and how well it mixes it up.
kalk will raise the Ph of makeup water to about 12.5, which will help counteract the normal tendancy for tanks to lower Ph overtime. kalk also will "lock up" phosphates in your top-off water, and help prevent algae blooms. Many people run kalk reactors at nighttime with a dosing pump to prevent the nightly Ph swings most tanks encounter.
calcium reactors use acidic C02 gas to dissolve calcium carbonate into the water.
kalk reactors just use a spinning stirrer or a pump to mix the kalk and water. you need to add new kalk to the reactor around once a week depending on how much top-off water you use, and how well it mixes it up.
kalk will raise the Ph of makeup water to about 12.5, which will help counteract the normal tendancy for tanks to lower Ph overtime. kalk also will "lock up" phosphates in your top-off water, and help prevent algae blooms. Many people run kalk reactors at nighttime with a dosing pump to prevent the nightly Ph swings most tanks encounter.
calcium reactors use acidic C02 gas to dissolve calcium carbonate into the water.
Its just a matter of calcium demand and or how much time your willing to spend putting into it. I found that using the two part additive didn't work even on my smaller 55 gal LPS tank.
I now have a full blown SPS tank and use both a Cal and Kalk reactor. I could probably get by with just the Cal reactor but I would hate to pass up the added benefits of Kalk. There's no way I could get by with just the Kalk reactor.
I now have a full blown SPS tank and use both a Cal and Kalk reactor. I could probably get by with just the Cal reactor but I would hate to pass up the added benefits of Kalk. There's no way I could get by with just the Kalk reactor.