Anyone still use a Ca Reactor?

[shih87]

I love using a reactor. The bottle lasts me 6-9 months. I only need to replace the media every 3-5 months. Check to make sure that the check valve is not clogged every so often and thats it. I dont mess with the reactor at all. Easy. Peacefull.

Indeed. Ca reactor is one best investment for most reefers after a skimmer IMHO. Most reefers should be happy with a ca reactor.
However, those easy things such as check value clogged, adjust drops due to KH change become impossible when you out of town for months. Dosing pump last longer for these regular requirements.

Cheers.

 

[stancfii]

Is a 40br too small for a calcium reactor? I travel extensively for work (sometimes up to three weeks at a time), and would like something better than ato dosing of limewater. I like the idea of stability of the ca reactor.

 

[Lurking]

Is a 40br too small for a calcium reactor? I travel extensively for work (sometimes up to three weeks at a time), and would like something better than ato dosing of limewater. I like the idea of stability of the ca reactor.

IMO smaller tanks its best to use dosing pumps. Larger tanks its makes more sense to run a reactor.

 

[childress5tyler]

Nothing beats a GEO, I'm too lazy to manually dose!

 

[NaClTDog]

Yep home made, fun with acrylic. 200 gal. Sps, 11/18 Red Sea test
Mag 1500
Ca 480
dKH 10.6
Bali slimmer grows at least 1mm a day or so.

 

[cumbeje]

I have a 715 mixed tank and use both a reactor and 2 part with dosing pump. I can't seem to get enough calcium out of my Reactor alone for the tank.

 

[prop-frags]

We have a 300g heavily stocked SPS system, and we use a dual-chamber calcium reactor, along with a kalkwasser reactor. Both are being switched with a controller, in order to alternate their dosing schedule (Ca Rx on during "daytime" hours, kalkwasser during the overnight) and to stabilize overall tank pH levels.

Good point made about manually dialing in the Ca Rx rather than depending on CO2 controllers, but we find that doing a bit of both works ideally. To optimize the use of the reactor, the effluent drip rate needs to match the CO2 rate to maintain the desired reaction within the reactor. This should be done without the use of the controller first, then use the controller as a switch, such as for operating hours like we are doing, or with some "safety programs" to stop the CO2 if tank pH gets outside of a desired threshold.

Jose Dieck gave a very informative presentation at MACNA this year about Calcium Reactors. By following all of his recommendations, you can improve your use of these devices, and reduce risk of failures.

 

[Jcreefer1]

Koralline reactor for me.......

 

[tdb320reef]

I test ALK daily on Hanna checker for the following. - I have a steady stream of effluent from a dual chamber sro calcium reactor. I dose Kalk 5 minutes every hour via stirrer and ATO which matches the evaporation rate +-1 depending on season about 8oz of kalk per week. I use 2 part on dosing pumps to fine tune cal and alk and dose mag by hand rarely as my salt keeps it in the high 1200 and I like to keep it 1350.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Jose Dieck gave a very informative presentation at MACNA this year about Calcium Reactors. By following all of his recommendations, you can improve your use of these devices, and reduce risk of failures.

Thanks for the tip. Is this online somewhere? Link?


Reactor user here. No turning back!

 

[prop-frags]

Thanks for the tip. Is this online somewhere? Link?


Reactor user here. No turning back!

Hi Gary.
Jose has a thorough article here:
Calcium Reactors - the Harris 9200 regulator he shows in that article is very much worth looking into if you have the $$ for it.

There is also a pretty good thread here where he shares some advice.

 

[chessmanmark]

Deltec reactor here. IME I have had better results with the reactor and less maintenance.

 

[R.ahlskog]

Dosing is so easy, cheaper and precise.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Hi Gary.
Jose has a thorough article here:
Calcium Reactors - the Harris 9200 regulator he shows in that article is very much worth looking into if you have the $$ for it.

There is also a pretty good thread here where he shares some advice.

Thanks!
I've heard about the Harris.
I've been using a carbon doser from aquarium plants.

I would not want to return to the days when I did NOT run a calcium reactor!

 

[scar79]

I just found my way into a free MTC MiniCal but I just need to get myself a CO2 regulator.

Currently using 2-part (closing in on 100ml/day ea. on my 135) so I'm expecting to have to back off dosing. Any suggestions on implementing the new reactor without shocking my system?

 

[herring_fish]

In the early days, reactors where harder to tune and still will be if you buy the minimum or wrong equipment. Over time, the issues with finicky units that require constant monitoring and tuning have been addressed with better components, some of which have been mentioned above.

Here is an article on a calcium system that breaks down and explains issues and the proper equipment to eliminate these issues along with some options.
This is by no means, the only way to go. Some of the suggestions are quite pricey. Never the less, you can get an idea about why you or others might have had problems with CA reactors in the past and decide whether you want to go down that path.

In the first several posts, you will get most of what you would want to know. After that, it settles down into the details of the path that the OP picked. This thread is in addition to, not instead and not better than the article mentioned above. It just fills in some answers that you might have and gives you some options to judge systems by.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2368618&page=50