Calcium Reactor

[jzdad]

Hey SPS Reefers, I'm Interested in getting a cal react and have some concerns:
1) When set up should it (the solutin)drip into the sump? or a collecters cup witch then drips into the sump with the probe in the cup to monitor the solution.?
2) Should a CO2 controller be set up to cut off when the ph is off
3) If it raises the alk and lowers the cal/ph, would A kal reactor be nec. ? or a mixed solution of kalk added to the top off?
4) The feed( Teed off or seperate pump ?)
5) Best Media?
Hope its not to much, Just want to be overlly sure before I do it thanks. And by the way pictures are greatly appreciated...........................jzdad

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Re: Calcium Reactor

1) When set up should it (the solutin)drip into the sump? or a collecters cup witch then drips into the sump with the probe in the cup to monitor the solution.?

This depends. You should have some way of monitoring, or at least checking, the pH in or directly out of the reactor. My reactos is set up with a pH probe in the chamber of the reactor, so in my case it just drips into the sump.

2) Should a CO2 controller be set up to cut off when the ph is off

While a controller is not nessecary, I would reccomend one. The whole point of a Ca reactor is to "set it and forget it", this is much easier to do with a controller.

3) If it raises the alk and lowers the cal/ph, would A kal reactor be nec. ? or a mixed solution of kalk added to the top off?

It will raise the Ca and Alk, and may or may not lower the pH. I do not use kalk and do not have pH problems, but this may be due to the second chamber in my reactor.

4) The feed( Teed off or seperate pump ?)

Separate pump, maxijet.

5) Best Media?

A lot of people lately have been promoting larger media lately, I believe two brands are Gen-X and schuran. I use ARM and have not had problems.


Getting a reactor was the best thing I ever did for my tank. I will get some pics for you in a few minutes.

 

[kpk]

Looks like Lobster pretty much killed the questions, lol. I use the large media and it seems to work fine. I am still tuning mine, but getting closer everyday. Here are a few pics of my drip box, reactor.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Pardon the mess...

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Re: Calcium Reactor

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8247852#post8247852 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jzdad
Hey SPS Reefers, I'm Interested in getting a cal react and have some concerns:

1) When set up should it (the solutin)drip into the sump? or a collecters cup witch then drips into the sump with the probe in the cup to monitor the solution.?

It should drip into the cup if you plan to have the reactor control effluent PH

2) Should a CO2 controller be set up to cut off when the ph is off

IMHO this is mandatory. It's another layer of safety and really makes the reactor easier to use

3) If it raises the alk and lowers the cal/ph, would A kal reactor be nec. ? or a mixed solution of kalk added to the top off?

I use kalk in my auto top off. Just enough to keep PH up

4) The feed( Teed off or seperate pump ?)

I am using a maxi-jet now but I am going to run a 1/4" line off my return with a ball valve, one less pump to worry about

5) Best Media?

I really like the Gen-x stuff so far.

I used to dose 2 part and my levels bounced all over the place. In less than a week with the reactor I saw new growth. If your smart and you use a scientific approach to dialing in the reactor should be very easy. Test often and log your results. I started off with effluent alk 2x of my target and played with effluent ml/min to get my tank alk stable. Once your tank is stabile fine tune you params and go on vacation!

 

[jzdad]

Lobsterof Justice........ thanks for all the info, just what I thought and the pictures sure help. Im just shopping around for brands and advantages of one over the other and although I only have a 75g I'mgetting one for up to 250 because in my future I see a 120 or 180 once I master SPS. Thanks Again.

kpk........ Thanks also for your response and pictures. I saw some very large media in your reactor. Do you have a CO 2 cut off? and you said you were tuning it up (Just changed the media and set it back up or did you just get one?) thanks...

 

[jzdad]

Reef-daddy......Nice name, I appreciate your answers.I know what you mean when you use a 2 part and you just cant see any stability. it might have worked with the softies but SPS is a whole new ballgame and I cant afford to learn the hard way .I already lost two SPS . And I got a couple of frags thats taking off like the stag on the left is about 27 days and its tips stay white(sign of growth) it seems like it likes extending its polys in the current and grew some since i 've had him/her and wait till he gets a calcium reactor hook up, I'll be fraging. i'll get a close up.

And as far as teeing with 1/4 tubing and eliminating a pump saves space,electric and heat in the sump, nice move.
And as far as media, I heard good things about Gen-x........Thanks again

 

[kpk]

Hey JZ no prob on the pics. I had a reactor in the past (never had it setup right), but this one is one I just setup. I use the gen-x media, and yes I have it on a controller to turn off the regulator at a ph of 6.6. With the help of REEF-DADDY, Jay24k etc on the board I have finally got mine Very Close to dialed in. The more it stays constant the better polyp extension is etc.

 

[jzdad]

KPK.........I agree when it comes to consistancy and the extension of polys.How long has it been running? and what brand if you dont mind?
Now, when it comes to controllers I've seen them for $ 199 and they come with a probe with 2 controls for setting the slope and other something but would I benefit to get a Neptune Controller Jr with a control box to hook up other things like a lighting or chiller ,or even the new controller that is $270 , I think it is Digital Auqatics?

 

[kpk]

I have had it up and running for about 2 weeks now. It is an MRC, but I think a GEO may be better.

I would definitly recommend a controller like the JR or the Digital Aquatics Reefkeeper 2. I have a neptune aquacontroller 2 and it is the best thing I have bought I think. The ones you mentioned do the same thing I think. I think I would go with the JR myself.

 

[sigster500]

Hi all ive just got the sps bug and have converted my tank to sps
It's only 4 months old so it has lots of growing to do and i'm very new to sps.
My tank is approx 110 uk gallons.
Atm i dose 15ml of salifert coral calcium a day and add mag every 4 days.
Hi America
Great my first real post and it's in the wrong thread sorry!!

 

[kabal2]

sigster500
[welcome] to reefcentral

 

[theatrus]

I have a used Korrallin 1502 reactor which IMO is a pretty good setup. It uses a single pump as the feed which works very nicely. I don't have a pH controller, but monitor the pH of the tank and the effulent (drips into a tall drinking glass in the sump).

 

[jzdad]

kpk.....Yea I was actually leaning toward a GEO myself and was also considering a Neptune JR too. But I missed the big group buy they had on reef central for the controllor . So i'm focusing on the GEO first. Thanks again.


Sigster500.............. Yea! Welcome to Reef Central....nice tank,I also got the SPS bug,and it's scary, because you keep wanting to go BIGGER .and don worry about a post in the wrong thread..We all do it.Good luck to ya !!!!!!

 

[REEF-DADDY]

The GEO unit is super nice, you'll like it.

 

[jzdad]

theatrus.... I saw your tank and you are right (Aquascaping is hard in A 55g) doing the SPS tank,you didt't get the itch to go to a 75g or bigger? It will help a little,that 6 additional inches in depth helps a whole lot.... I also notice a Neptune controller I think. How do you like it?

 

[jzdad]

REEF-DADDY ............ thanks ,I like a lot of its features and it doesn't take up a lot of room. What do you think is a good controller ? One for the co2 tank individually or the Full controller Like the JR buy Neptune to control a whole source of things......Thanks