Calcium Reactor?
- Thread starter Shelby2u
- Start date
Tomoko Schum
New member
I use a calcium reactor, too. So does 8Ball (when he's not out of CO2 gas 
.)
Tomoko
.)Tomoko
How difficult was it to setup and maintain?
Do you feel that it is required to maintain the corals?
I try to keep my calcium and Alk in check but it goes nuts sometimes no matter what I do and I was hoping the calcium reactor would help me solve this problem.
Do you think it will?
Do you feel that it is required to maintain the corals?
I try to keep my calcium and Alk in check but it goes nuts sometimes no matter what I do and I was hoping the calcium reactor would help me solve this problem.
Do you think it will?
H@rry
In Memoriam
I depend on my reactors and small weekly water changes to supply everything I need for my tanks. The only tests I do are for alk and effluent pH from the reactors. Based on these test results I may need to make a slight adjustment to the bubble or drip rate. Everything else I need is in the water change.
Tomoko Schum
New member
If you have many stony corals in your tank that are much more demanding than softies in terms of Ca and alkalinity, a calcium reactor is nice to have. If you have mainly softies, you may not find it all that necessary.
Here's a primer on calcium reactors:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php
It's "almost" like having an auto pilot for you calcium and alkalinity level. I still check my alkalinity frequently. I also use some lime in my top off water to keep the pH of the tank water from going below 8. I have been able to maintain very stable alkalinity level with this method. My calcium level has been very stable.
Tomoko
Here's a primer on calcium reactors:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php
It's "almost" like having an auto pilot for you calcium and alkalinity level. I still check my alkalinity frequently. I also use some lime in my top off water to keep the pH of the tank water from going below 8. I have been able to maintain very stable alkalinity level with this method. My calcium level has been very stable.
Tomoko
I have 2 tanks but the 180 has mostly stony corals and I use the Calcium Addtive but its costing me about 30 bucks a month now to maintain the calcium and most of corals are small at this point.
Are you using the just the pickling lime?
Thanks for the link I will take a look at it.
Are you using the just the pickling lime?
Thanks for the link I will take a look at it.
8BALL_99
New member
If you dont have one and you have more then a few decent sized SPS or LPS then you will be adding two part pretty much every other day or so.. If you want to keep ALK high. I shoot for a DKH of 10, Ca of about 420..
I like a CA reactor, But they are a little to set up. The biggest Issue I have with them is time.. You adjust it a little then wait a day or two and check everything again.. Adjust a little more repeat till its set.. Then a month or so later you might have to adjust again.. Not bad really. I just hate waiting after you adjust them to find out if its better or worse. I'm not the best person in the world at remembering to check something the next day
Will
I like a CA reactor, But they are a little to set up. The biggest Issue I have with them is time.. You adjust it a little then wait a day or two and check everything again.. Adjust a little more repeat till its set.. Then a month or so later you might have to adjust again.. Not bad really. I just hate waiting after you adjust them to find out if its better or worse. I'm not the best person in the world at remembering to check something the next day
Will
Tomoko Schum
New member
Calcium reactor is nice to have for your SPS dominated 180. The initial cost is quite a bit more, but it is really convenient.
30 bucks a month is way too high for maintaining alk and Ca IMHO. I use food grade calcium hydroxide produced by Mississippi Lime Company. A 50 lbs bag is about $12. The 50 lbs bag will lasts me many years.
The running cost of my reactor is very low. I get my CO2 cylinder filled by a vendor that supplies my work. The vendor charged me about $12 for a 20 lbs cylinder refill last time. A 20 lbs cylinder on my 120 lasts well over a year at the rate I am injecting. So the monthly cost of the gas is less than a dollar. The one on my FW planted tank has a solenoid control system and the same size cylinder lasts even longer at a higher injection rate.
The calcium media I use lasts about 6 months or so. I don't remember how much the media costs me now, but it should not be more than $10 to 15 for a 6 month worth of media.
Tomoko
30 bucks a month is way too high for maintaining alk and Ca IMHO. I use food grade calcium hydroxide produced by Mississippi Lime Company. A 50 lbs bag is about $12. The 50 lbs bag will lasts me many years.
The running cost of my reactor is very low. I get my CO2 cylinder filled by a vendor that supplies my work. The vendor charged me about $12 for a 20 lbs cylinder refill last time. A 20 lbs cylinder on my 120 lasts well over a year at the rate I am injecting. So the monthly cost of the gas is less than a dollar. The one on my FW planted tank has a solenoid control system and the same size cylinder lasts even longer at a higher injection rate.
The calcium media I use lasts about 6 months or so. I don't remember how much the media costs me now, but it should not be more than $10 to 15 for a 6 month worth of media.
Tomoko
H@rry
In Memoriam
They are pretty expensive to start up because of the CO2 bottle, regulator, and pump. If you buy the calcium reactor you can easily pay $400 or more just for the plastic reactor. That's ridiculous! I bought the first one because I'd never seen one, just heard how well they worked. After I found out how they worked I build the other one from material I got at Home Depot.
It's been a long time since I had my CO2 tanks filled and I can't remember how much that cost. A tank has been lasting me between 17 - 25 month. The media lasts between 4 - 9 months.
It might take a week or so to get it "dialed in" and from then it's pretty much hands off.
It's been a long time since I had my CO2 tanks filled and I can't remember how much that cost. A tank has been lasting me between 17 - 25 month. The media lasts between 4 - 9 months.
It might take a week or so to get it "dialed in" and from then it's pretty much hands off.
H@rry
In Memoriam
No, I kinda copied the one I bought. It uses round tubing but there's no reason why it has to be round. I used plexiglas and made mine square. Work fine. A square "cylinder" holds a lot more media than a round one.
You need to bring me that 10 gallon tank, pick up your frag, and let me show you what they look like and how they work.
You need to bring me that 10 gallon tank, pick up your frag, and let me show you what they look like and how they work.
Tomoko Schum
New member
8Ball made one for me out of a whole-house filter sold by Lowes. I believe that he made a larger one from a acrylic cylinder later on. He may still have links to the basic designs that he used for the reactors.
For those of us who are not as handy as 8Ball or H@rry, a ViaAqua calcium reactor is available at a low cost. ViaAqua currently has a small one rated up to 75 gallon tank ($49.99), but they are coming out with a new one rated up to 200 gallon.
ViaAqua is inexpensive. I have a ViaAqua Poly Reactor that I am using as a phosphate media reactor. It is built as well as a Phosban Reactor, but its price is lower and comes with its own pump. Their calcium reactor looks very much like their poly reactor to me.
Tomoko
For those of us who are not as handy as 8Ball or H@rry, a ViaAqua calcium reactor is available at a low cost. ViaAqua currently has a small one rated up to 75 gallon tank ($49.99), but they are coming out with a new one rated up to 200 gallon.
ViaAqua is inexpensive. I have a ViaAqua Poly Reactor that I am using as a phosphate media reactor. It is built as well as a Phosban Reactor, but its price is lower and comes with its own pump. Their calcium reactor looks very much like their poly reactor to me.
Tomoko
8BALL_99
New member
Coralife and ViaAqua both sell inexpensive reactors.. Your Co2 setup will run you about 150-300.. depending on what size tank and what regulator you get.
I really like the Geo 6x12 or the Geo 6x18..I think they are pretty good for the money. Thats what my last DIY reactor looks like. Like Tomoko said you can use a Whirlpool Whole house filter to build one.. It just looks like a large RO filter container. They work pretty good and are very thick acrylic. The Filter costs about 59.00 at lowes last I checked.. You can get a pump and the other fittings for about another 40-50.. If you go with a really good pump maybe another 80. So you can build a pretty good one for about 150-200 with almost no tools..
H@rrys reactor is pretty slick to. I agree you dont have to make them round.. I've kicked around the idea of building a Square reactor a few times. It might cut your flow down in the chamber a little. But I dont think it would matter much at all. For people that store everything under their stand it would hold more meida with a smaller foot print too..
Will
I really like the Geo 6x12 or the Geo 6x18..I think they are pretty good for the money. Thats what my last DIY reactor looks like. Like Tomoko said you can use a Whirlpool Whole house filter to build one.. It just looks like a large RO filter container. They work pretty good and are very thick acrylic. The Filter costs about 59.00 at lowes last I checked.. You can get a pump and the other fittings for about another 40-50.. If you go with a really good pump maybe another 80. So you can build a pretty good one for about 150-200 with almost no tools..
H@rrys reactor is pretty slick to. I agree you dont have to make them round.. I've kicked around the idea of building a Square reactor a few times. It might cut your flow down in the chamber a little. But I dont think it would matter much at all. For people that store everything under their stand it would hold more meida with a smaller foot print too..
Will
8BALL_99
New member
haha I bet this one is a little bigger! Its probably 7" diameter and about 12" tall. Its made to go on your main water line into your house. It has 1" Threaded inlet and outlet. All you have to do is make a standpipe in the middle of the reactor so the water flows from the bottem up.. Then add your pump between the inlet/outlet. It takes about 30 mins if you have a few tools. Probably the biggest catch with it. Is you need a Tap to thread your 1/4" fittings for your Co2 and your inlet/outlet for you tank.
Will
8BALL_99
New member
Haha, I found the thread that shows pics of my last DIY reactor.. I was thinking it hadn't been that long ago..
DIY Reactor Version 2 Link
Will
DIY Reactor Version 2 Link
Will
Tomoko Schum
New member
8Ball,
Any tip on keeping the lid easy enough to open? The reactor works really well, but its lid tightens up after sitting there for 6 months and I have to enlist Reilly's help to open it.
Tomoko
Any tip on keeping the lid easy enough to open? The reactor works really well, but its lid tightens up after sitting there for 6 months and I have to enlist Reilly's help to open it.
Tomoko
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