If you are running a ca. rx now, consider turning it down and running it to maintain your desired minimum alkalinity and using two part as a suplement. This way you'll get the fine control the 2-part dosing pumps offer, but you will use a lot less solution, which will save some money and limit the amoount of salinity increase from dosing 2-part.
Doser vs Calc and Kalk Reactors
- Thread starter troynel
- Start date
If I do make the switch I would probablly keep the kalk reactor and ditch the CA reactor. Would this be the way to go if I go that route? I would hate to give up the calc reactor but im just not sure what it is doing. My media hasn't gone down since i have been using it (8 months) and my ph remains kind of low. My levels all seem to always be were i want them but that could just be because of my weekly water changes. Non of my sps would be considered colony size and most are still 1" frags but have been that way for a while only to see short growth sperts every once and awhile. I think that 2 part would be an easier way for me to supplement since I can't seem to dial in the reactor.
StrategicReef
New member
If you really want to nitpick the way I understand CA reactor also supplies magnesium also. Don't forget the 2 part is really 3 part you gotta dose some MG once in a while.
Kalk is good stuff IMO.. it's a bit of a hassle to mix but it always make the coraline thrive in my tank..
If you go with 2 part, make sure you mix 5 gallon at a time, because shaking one gallon bottles gets old quickly.
Kalk is good stuff IMO.. it's a bit of a hassle to mix but it always make the coraline thrive in my tank..
If you go with 2 part, make sure you mix 5 gallon at a time, because shaking one gallon bottles gets old quickly.
Mike O'Brien
New member
If you add some dolomite in the reactor, yes it will supply Mg, otherwise you still need to add it.
All the commercially available two parts are two parts. Only the DIy version is three parts.
StrategicReef
New member
Well, if you are having a 100+ gallon SPS reef and want to buy off the shelf two part (Bionic or C balance etc) the cost has to be quite a bit.
I would only suggestion using DIY 2 part + magnesium.
I would only suggestion using DIY 2 part + magnesium.
Some of the commercial 2 parts contain some magnesium. Yes kalk will drop any magnesium in it out solution. Calcium reactor media may hold small amounts. I use a salt mix high in mag and it holds around 1400ppm over the year with kalk dosing and occasional calcium reactor(no dolomite) use.
Maybe you need to post a thread for help with your Ca++ reactor???
In eight months you should have gone through several pounds of aragonite, unless there is almost no (or very little) alk/Ca++ demand. If that is the case, then just kalk-water or two part are a better choice for your system at this time. But this may (liekly will) change over time.
My experience is that:
Kalk water (and baking soda) is (are) great for tanks with minimal alk/ca++ demand This is the easiest (simplest) method and it works well for a primarily soft coral, some stony corals, a clam or two and some fish. This method does not work when there is limited evaporation from the system, or when ca++/Alk demand of the system is very large. E.g., I ran a 100 gallon acrylic with full acrylic covers and the evaporation rate/top off volume was only about 1 gal. per week. I simply could not add enough CaOH in this volume of makeup water.
Two part solutions (actually three parts) is a better method where more stony corals are providing greater alk/ca++ demand (I.e., the Concentraton of Ca++ that can be added with CaCl is much greater than with CaOH). However, in large systems and even in smaller systems with high stony coral loads, dosing becomes costly, more time consuming, and the system salinty can be increased too much. (You end up having to make dilution water exchanges or manipoulating your SW mixing routine.) So, while two part works well, it is not "the simplest" method for these systems. For example, I ran a 55 gal tank with a 40 sump (about 60 gal water volume total) of almost all acro stags and the demand reached/exceeded three ounces daily of each part of two parts. But, I could not add three ounces at once, so I had to manually dose morning and evening, and bedtime. (Yes, a dosing pump would alleviate this). So, when a system's alk/Ca++ demand increases to the point where you are constantly preparing two part solutions and are having to make dilutions (essentially extra water changes), then Ca++ reactors become "the simplest method"- even though previously for the same system, the Ca++ reactor was the more complex choice.
Lastly, keep in mind, all of these "tools" do not necessarily need to be used alone.
--- Ca++ reactors can be run on minimum alk settings and two part dosing can be used for finer control of parameters.
--- Ca++ reactors can hold dolomite, and when used as described above, can eliminate the third part (Mg) additions.
--- And, a kalk reactor for makeup water combined with Ca++ reactor works better to keep the Ca++/Alk balance in check then does just running a ca++ reactor alone, or a kalk ractor with occasional baking soda.
I hope this info helps you see there is no one best choice. But rather there's what is best for me and my system today. (Tomorrow, it may change,even if you have the same DT and sump, but have a differnet population.)
Chuck
In eight months you should have gone through several pounds of aragonite, unless there is almost no (or very little) alk/Ca++ demand. If that is the case, then just kalk-water or two part are a better choice for your system at this time. But this may (liekly will) change over time.
My experience is that:
Kalk water (and baking soda) is (are) great for tanks with minimal alk/ca++ demand This is the easiest (simplest) method and it works well for a primarily soft coral, some stony corals, a clam or two and some fish. This method does not work when there is limited evaporation from the system, or when ca++/Alk demand of the system is very large. E.g., I ran a 100 gallon acrylic with full acrylic covers and the evaporation rate/top off volume was only about 1 gal. per week. I simply could not add enough CaOH in this volume of makeup water.
Two part solutions (actually three parts) is a better method where more stony corals are providing greater alk/ca++ demand (I.e., the Concentraton of Ca++ that can be added with CaCl is much greater than with CaOH). However, in large systems and even in smaller systems with high stony coral loads, dosing becomes costly, more time consuming, and the system salinty can be increased too much. (You end up having to make dilution water exchanges or manipoulating your SW mixing routine.) So, while two part works well, it is not "the simplest" method for these systems. For example, I ran a 55 gal tank with a 40 sump (about 60 gal water volume total) of almost all acro stags and the demand reached/exceeded three ounces daily of each part of two parts. But, I could not add three ounces at once, so I had to manually dose morning and evening, and bedtime. (Yes, a dosing pump would alleviate this). So, when a system's alk/Ca++ demand increases to the point where you are constantly preparing two part solutions and are having to make dilutions (essentially extra water changes), then Ca++ reactors become "the simplest method"- even though previously for the same system, the Ca++ reactor was the more complex choice.
Lastly, keep in mind, all of these "tools" do not necessarily need to be used alone.
--- Ca++ reactors can be run on minimum alk settings and two part dosing can be used for finer control of parameters.
--- Ca++ reactors can hold dolomite, and when used as described above, can eliminate the third part (Mg) additions.
--- And, a kalk reactor for makeup water combined with Ca++ reactor works better to keep the Ca++/Alk balance in check then does just running a ca++ reactor alone, or a kalk ractor with occasional baking soda.
I hope this info helps you see there is no one best choice. But rather there's what is best for me and my system today. (Tomorrow, it may change,even if you have the same DT and sump, but have a differnet population.)
Chuck
I top off about 3.5 gallons a day on the 550 system. It is loaded with sps(with good growth)and lps, I dose kalk at about 1.25tsps per gallon and haven't had a need to use my calcium reactor in over 6 months. I do change about 40% per month in small water changes. I've used 2 part in the past and will again if tweaking is needed but while I think 2 part is fine I don't think it is better for an sps system than kalk and/or a calcium reactor.
Orr2003
New member
I personally use a calcium reactor. Some reactors I have had in the past are a real PITA to get set right. Since I started using the Schuran Jetstream 2 it has worked absolutely flawless except of course keeping the PH probe cleaned and calibrated. The Jetstream has a nice feature that recycles unused CO2 and pulls the effluent from down lower inside the reactor, not from the top where the CO2 enters the reactor. This seems to help with low tank PH that some report from using a calcium reactor. I dont monitor tank PH although ever time I calibrate my reactor probe I test the tank PH and it is always 8.1 to 8.35 day or night.
I did have a problem not to long ago keeping my alk up and came to find out that my reactor PH probe was in need of cleaning and calibration. Which had my effluent dKH down to about 18. This is the only time it has not been rock solid. So now I clean and calibrate every month.
I did have a problem not to long ago keeping my alk up and came to find out that my reactor PH probe was in need of cleaning and calibration. Which had my effluent dKH down to about 18. This is the only time it has not been rock solid. So now I clean and calibrate every month.
LifeAquatic
New member
Ive been trying to tune my calcium reactor for the last month!! What a nightmare!! Not only do you have to adjust the cal and alk coming from the machine you have to compinsate for cal/alk consumption in the tank. Its taking forever to stableize!! I just called bulk reef supply. The large 2 part kit dosing 200ml of solution a day of cal and alk will last me about 4-5 months. 180 gallons of water volume. Total cost to run 2 part kit for 4 months? $69.00. and that comes with the magnesium supplement. Just placed my order. I cant wait to sell this reactor!
danrobberg
New member
i use b ionic two part. but i actually only use the alk part of it. i use oceanic salt which is high in calcium and mag, and do 10 percent water change once a week. this seems to keep my cal stable. i have to dose 30 ml of alk every day. not quite sure why my tank needs alk every day but not calcium
Mike O'Brien
New member
It's because the reserve of alkalinity is about half the size of the reserve of calcium, and roughly twice as much alkalinity is used during calcification.
2 part for me. i got a digital co2 regulator, modified my valves with better gate valves and tweaked the thing every day and just could not get it to hold a drip rate. i travel fairly frequently and got so sick and tired of coming home to find the effluent drip dry. it seemed like when i finally did get a setting to stick, i'd need to change the CO2 tank or my tank ph was down at 7.6. i have very limited space underneath my tank so pulling the CO2 tank out to change it was quite the project. luckily, i hadn't used the reactor long enough to need to change the media but that was not a day i was looking forward to.
anyway, i got a liter meter III and some warner marine 2-part. it took about 2 weeks of daily testing to figure out my tank's consumption rate and now every time i test Ca it's 430, alk is 8.5 dKH and mag is 1250-1300... right where i want them to be. i haven't had to dose mag as of yet, not sure if that's a function of my salt (red sea coral pro) and water changes or the warner marine 2-part. what i do know is the head ache is gone. the primary drawback to 2-part i've read is cost. since that's not an issue for me, this was an easy decision for me to make.
anyway, i got a liter meter III and some warner marine 2-part. it took about 2 weeks of daily testing to figure out my tank's consumption rate and now every time i test Ca it's 430, alk is 8.5 dKH and mag is 1250-1300... right where i want them to be. i haven't had to dose mag as of yet, not sure if that's a function of my salt (red sea coral pro) and water changes or the warner marine 2-part. what i do know is the head ache is gone. the primary drawback to 2-part i've read is cost. since that's not an issue for me, this was an easy decision for me to make.
StrategicReef
New member
here is my dosing setup and litermeter 3.. the 3rd pump is dosing kalkwasser right now.
I got enough *other* stuff to tweak, but this thing anyone can hook up, all you do is dial the numbers up and down and test your params later.
I got enough *other* stuff to tweak, but this thing anyone can hook up, all you do is dial the numbers up and down and test your params later.
denash24
Me too!
I'm loving my ca-rx got it dialed in within 2 days for the first time I'm using kalc (manually) and my PH has been steady at 8.0 and my KH went up to 9 dkh / BTW I have a PH controller but it has not had to shut off as my ca-reactor has been dead on at 6.71 PH. Everything looks happier (maybe I'm bias) and healthier. If there's anything I've learned from this post is that there's no one fix it all solution and my tank really means a lot to me so I'll go with whatever makes its inhabitants happier and healthier.
Oh I'll post pics tomorrow...
Oh I'll post pics tomorrow...
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