2 part vs. Ca Reactor on large systems?

[diverdick]

Out of curiosity do you have a brownish/white crust all over your heaters or around pumps? That's a sign that your calcium & alk are not freely migrating into the tank and are binding too quickly, which often is a sign of lo//w magnesium (especially if you only dose 2 parts, and not a 3rd part ... magnesium ). I noticed that with my tank as well I'd put a ton of solution in and constantly had low values, brought the magnesium levels way up and problem was solved.

As to my mixture, I mix half strength solutions simply so there's no premature precipitation when hitting the tank. 200 mg anhydrous calcium chloride (pellets not flakes) per gallon of water, and 300 mg of Arm & Hammer baking soda (no baking, no pH issues) per gallon. 16 cups per gallon, so 7/8 of a gallon of water (and solution) per week.

While I wouldn't mind going with a calcium reactor too, there are so many more potential bad things that can happen with a calcium reactor from phosphate (algae) issues to pH issues if any of your equipment fails. Great thing about 2 part is even if something goes wrong it's not a critically bad mistake, I've had my controller stick on the on position, basically emptying my entire 4 gallon buckets of 2 part into the tank, woke up to a very white tank, it literally looked like it snowed, quite pretty actually with white on every rock surface (not on corals though), very nice contrast. From what I gathered there's a limit to how much calcium and alkalinity can actually get into a tank, the rest just precipitates into a white snowy mess.

Since everyone is different as far as how much stuff costs, go ahead and do a cost analysis of how much your 2 part solution costs you, vs a calcium reactor, not forgetting ph probe upgrades, the cost of replacing media, the cost of CO2, the cost of phosphate removing media (if you need to go there as well).

Thanks for your notes,

I am curious, have you seen phosphate levels increase with Calcium Reactors use? As I noted in the previous post, I have an ultra low nutrient system and try to keep it that way.

As for cost, that is not a concern at the moment, I want to build a good system that makes sense and maximizes growth/health.

The 2 part with my salinity shifts a bit due to high levels of addition. Mag is a pain in the but to blend and keep up with. At times I believe


-Rich

 

[diverdick]

I set my bubble magus Doser
Alkalinity @ 160 ml per day
Calcium @ 180 ml per day
Magnesium @ 100 ml per day

Alkalinity level 10.6
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1480

I have 5 gallon that last me a while
Baking soda is cheap
So as Epsom salt and magnesium chloride.

I am adding much more to my system which is why I am considering changing it up.

Thanks or the post!

 

[sarmo]

yes, calcium reactor can add phosphate depending on the media, i don't know which ones don't add phosphate.... since i no longer use my calcium reactor. my algae problem was in part due to the light getting into the tubes and my pre filter getting clogged up. if i were to set up another calcium reactor i would use only black tubing, and keep it in total darkness.

i just finished testing my levels. i too have a question of the Salifert Mag kit. my Mag also reads high 1500+. i haven't added any MgSO4 for over a month. i also noticed that this new test kit uses 5 drops of solution instead of 4 like before. i wonder if that is the problem with the numbers that i am getting???? anyone else with similar findings?

 

[sfsuphysics]

Thanks for your notes,

I am curious, have you seen phosphate levels increase with Calcium Reactors use? As I noted in the previous post, I have an ultra low nutrient system and try to keep it that way.

As for cost, that is not a concern at the moment, I want to build a good system that makes sense and maximizes growth/health.

The 2 part with my salinity shifts a bit due to high levels of addition. Mag is a pain in the but to blend and keep up with. At times I believe


-Rich

Phosphate will increase with calcium reactors, its a fact of life of what the media is made of, now different types of media will give different results mind you and depending upon what you feed your fish you could potentially be putting in much more phosphate with food.

Here's a quicky article
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/4/short

Sorry about the jump to the cost factor, it seemed that's what you were alluding to when mentioning if 2part was a good choice for larger tanks.

When you say salinity is shifting, what do you mean? So much 2 part is diluting your water? It really shouldn't do that, especially if it's basically topping off your evaporation levels. The chloride component shouldn't be an issue either as I don't think there are terribly many free sodium atoms that would make salts.

 

[sarmo]

it's not a big shift in salinity, 1.024 to 1.025 but it is something i have noticed. i have a RO ATO and i evaporate more than the two part that i put in. i'm not worried about the salinity change i just wonder if it is from the two part. CaCl2 + NaOH has to equal some NaCl + Ca +OH.... sorry if the numbers aren't right, high school chemistry was a looong time ago

 

[sfsuphysics]

Hope you don't put NaOH in your tank NaHCO3 is what you use. Although just forgot that's where the sodium comes from, but probably a better discussion for the chemistry forum.

 

[diverdick]

i just finished testing my levels. i too have a question of the Salifert Mag kit. my Mag also reads high 1500+. i haven't added any MgSO4 for over a month. i also noticed that this new test kit uses 5 drops of solution instead of 4 like before. i wonder if that is the problem with the numbers that i am getting???? anyone else with similar findings?

__________________________________

Yes, I have the same issue

 

[sarmo]

i wonder if the "5" is a misprint?

 

[sarmo]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1986944&highlight=salifert+mag+test+kit&page=2

check out the thread above. it talks about the weird numbers that people are getting with the Salifert Mag test kit.

sorry to hijack the thread

 

[on the spot]

...I have been 2 part dosing for several years. I am using allot of 2 part. I am beginning to wonder is the 2 part system makes sense for a large tank. I am tossing around the idea of a Ca Reactor.

Question: What are your thoughts, ideas & experiences.

I asked a similar question here.

A couple people suggested both dosing and a reactor, but the poll wasn't created for that. Overall, more dosers than reactors.

 

[amfynn]

I've used my own 2 part Ca and Alk mix for the better part of 4 years in my old system. Had huge success with SPS and was pretty much a stable tank with params in check. However I did notice a decline in coral health towards the end (shut the tank down), I attributed it to an imbalance in the chemical make up (ionic balance), corals started suffering. To rectify this I would had have to do massive water changes to sort of reset my system back to zero again. This was a 180G set up.

I moved all my stock to a sunlit reef set-up and has been going even stronger under the sun. This 660G set-up has a large CARX unit and I must say I am impressed with what I'm still able to achieve given that I don't have to still mix weekly containers of solution etc. Someone mentioned earlier problems with phosphates in a CARX set-up....well I can assure you mines are very low and my Elos test kit does not even register any nitrate or phosphate readings....and did I mention my whole SPS system is powered only by sunlight?

I think the important thing is to indicate what your tanks daily Ca and Alk usage is at and then decide from there. My CARX unit also has Mg media in it, so I kill three birds with one stone...able to to keep Alk at 8.5, Ca at 420 & Mg at 1400 perfectly in tune.

 

[dahenley]

i have never heard the phosphate thing either........
your mainly just disolving old corals so new ones can use them to grow.....

but, i can say that algae is a problem. (but mainly because most CA reactors are near lights like refugiums or what not.)
i just took some black construction paper from my wife's scrapbook collection, and wrapped it around the tube, and now all is gone. (plus it allows me to remove it whenever . and the acrylic looks just like new again)