Calcium reactors

[jabo]

Can I get some advice please? I am ready to step up into the world of reactors. There is only 100 different choices and I cannot narrow it down.

Can anyone recommend a good place to start? I know absolutely nothing about them and this seems to be the one area I keep getting stumped when researching.

Are they worthless without Co2 bottle and regulator?

Can they be used without a controller at first?

Single stage, double, or even triple? Do extra chambers make a diffenece or is this just sales hype?

 

[VitalApparatus]

All Ive heard is that the same result can be achieved through much less risky dosing techniques.

 

[scarson61]

I love Calcium reactors and have never had a problem. First how does a co 2 reactor works. You have a reactor filled with a calcium media (dead coral fragments) water is fed into the reactor and the reactor is sealed tight so you can control how much water is released back into the aquarium (you will drip it slowly back into your sump or aquarium) CO2 is needed to lower the ph in the reactor which will dissolve the calcium media. You run a line from the co2 regulator to the reactor and control the amount of co2 to it with a needle valve (on most regulators) and use a bubble counter to know how much co2 you are feeding the reactor. Then that calcium saturated water is slowly dripped back into your aquarium and with mine I have the reactor, co2 tank, regulator for co2 tank and a bubble counter. I use my return pump to supply the water to the reactor, set the effluent (the water) drip rate from the reactor to be about a drop per sec. I then run my co2 tank to the reactor, most regulators have a needle valve and a bubble counter attached and I try to set my bubble rate (the co2 delivered to the reactor) anywhere from 40 to 50 bubbles a min. I don't use my controller to run my co2 reactor because I don't trust ph probes as much as I trust counting bubbles and drips and I have never had any issues running this way. They are expensive to start out but cost almost nothing (media and co2) to keep running. I spend roughly $30 a year to keep it running and I have to change my stuff out about once a year.

 

[swigen]

I don't use my controller to run my co2 reactor because I don't trust ph probes as much as I trust counting bubbles and drips and I have never had any issues running this way.

Do you have to constantly test for the calcium, alkalinity, etc to make sure you have it tuned right or do you just have a feel for it after awhile?

 

[Rudolph]

I have a CO2 bottle and regulator that is all in almost new condition. I do not remember how it all worked, but it had some type of bubble counter and PH probe. I had bought it for my planted freshwater tank in Florida before we moved to Memphis and went to salt. It did a fantastic job and I had the best looking planted Discus tank around.....but once you go salt you don't go back right? :thumbsup: If you are interested in it I will check it all out as I have not even looked at it since we moved. Could take some pics so you can see for yourself and get any specific model info etc.

 

[jdieck]

Can anyone recommend a good place to start? I know absolutely nothing about them and this seems to be the one area I keep getting stumped when researching.

The article in the link below can provide most if not all of the guidance you will need.
http://reef.diesyst.com/crarticle/crarticle.htm

 

[scarson61]

I tested a lot at first but rarely do now. I never ran into a problem where one of the big three (calcium, Alk, Mg) ever got out of whack, which is another reason I like co2 reactor. I have a pH probe on the controller and I can keep an eye out on it to make sure too much co2 does not get into the system (pH drop). I run many Korallia/tunzes at a very high flow so my tank does not tend to hold onto much co2.