Religious debate in Denmark about reactor vs balling

Absolutely no way to get down to a definitive answer without many comparative studies done multiple times.

You're just going to get a lot of people chiming in with their personal opinion not based on a scientific method.
 
FlyPenFly said:
Absolutely no way to get down to a definitive answer without many comparative studies done multiple times.

You're just going to get a lot of people chiming in with their personal opinion not based on a scientific method.
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Hi flypenfly:rollface:

I think u are 100% correct. Actually im mostly interested to hear, if anyone had see any benefit at all from, the addition of extra co2 to the watercolum, using the ca rx.

I know and have seen both methods working :-)(2 part dosing and ca rx)
Its the co2 issue, i think is strange, but maybe interesting.
 
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Not to be shooting from the peanut gallery and not being new to the hobby but have been through both systems. I have done the research as far as a hobbyist's use with each system. Dosing and running a CArx both accomplish the same goal we are trying to achieve when performed properly. Within my experience, if your system is 75 gal. or less, dosing either manually or with an auto-doser is economical and effective. For the larger tanks, a calcium reactor is the way to go, economically. A little pricy from the initial investment but it is like Ronco; "You set it and forget it" well, for the most part. A 30.00 bucket of media twice a year beats 45.00+ a month with a two/three part system. As far as the amount of Co2 being released into the system. That is controlled by you, through a needle valve that is attached to a solenoid valve, which hopefully is connected to a controller. This is usually done at a rate of one to three bubbles a second and what ever Co2 that is left undissolved leaving the reactor will be expelled through the surface-air exchange. So what ever you feel more comfortable with and fits into your budget, go with it. Oh, and as far as color, I did not really see any difference with either system.

Good luck
Ernie
 
puffster said:
Not to be shooting from the peanut gallery and not being new to the hobby but have been through both systems. I have done the research as far as a hobbyist's use with each system. Dosing and running a CArx both accomplish the same goal we are trying to achieve when performed properly. Within my experience, if your system is 75 gal. or less, dosing either manually or with an auto-doser is economical and effective. For the larger tanks, a calcium reactor is the way to go, economically. A little pricy from the initial investment but it is like Ronco; "You set it and forget it" well, for the most part. A 30.00 bucket of media twice a year beats 45.00+ a month with a two/three part system. As far as the amount of Co2 being released into the system. That is controlled by you, through a needle valve that is attached to a solenoid valve, which hopefully is connected to a controller. This is usually done at a rate of one to three bubbles a second and what ever Co2 that is left undissolved leaving the reactor will be expelled through the surface-air exchange. So what ever you feel more comfortable with and fits into your budget, go with it. Oh, and as far as color, I did not really see any difference with either system.

Good luck
Ernie
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Hi Ernie,

I agree 100% with u :-)
Thx for spending time giving me an answer.

Have a nice day

Regards
Peder
 
FlyPenFly said:
Sounds just like someone advocating homeopathic remedies.
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I dunno if its me or you, but your posts dont really make sense.

we are here to exchange Ideas and opinions, if this is not to your standards, you are welcome to not chime in ! its easy as that. ! its not like you are providing any info what so ever, good or bad LOL !

if you disagree with something, why not tell us what u think instead of none sense like this ?
 
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With a CA reactor your gonna get trace amount of carbonic acid, that the balling method doesn't bring. Its likely consumed as fast as its formed but in theory that could allow for some ionization to occur. However its probably more theory than practical in most standard aquarium setups. Then again your corals are gonna create the same carbonic acid as by product to photosynthesis, so how much ionization does running a calcium reactor really add? interesting topic, probably a bit hard to test conclusively. Ok organic chemistry nightmares from college are bound to come back to haunt me... LOL interesting food for thought. Do you see many setups running ozone in Denmark, it used to be popular here but seems to have died down in the last few years.
 
Timber77 said:
With a CA reactor your gonna get trace amount of carbonic acid, that the balling method doesn't bring. Its likely consumed as fast as its formed but in theory that could allow for some ionization to occur. However its probably more theory than practical in most standard aquarium setups. Then again your corals are gonna create the same carbonic acid as by product to photosynthesis, so how much ionization does running a calcium reactor really add? interesting topic, probably a bit hard to test conclusively. Ok organic chemistry nightmares from college are bound to come back to haunt me... LOL interesting food for thought. Do you see many setups running ozone in Denmark, it used to be popular here but seems to have died down in the last few years.
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Hi Timber,

Thx for yr answer - I hope yr old college teacher is not on this forum LOL :-)

We have some tanks here in DK still running O3 - Im actually one of those guys.

I only run with the smallest Sander25, and its only in use 1 day per week - just to remove DOC and yellow substances from the water.

I think its easier than active carbon - just my personal experience though.

Thx again, for helping to a positive debate ;-)

Kind regards

Peder
 
Pederreefnerd said:
Thx Jim,

I agree with u - personally I see no reason what so ever, that this will improve color.

Reason I ask, is to give feedback to Denmark - and also to have an open mindset - we can always learn new stuff :-)
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I want to Correct you Peter, the thread in our Danish forum was not about getting better Colors or not due to the excessive Co2 in the water column, present when using a Ca reactor... It was a question about if or not the Co2, somehow benefits the Corals, (ex. the photosynthesis of Zoox) when present in smaller amount, especially in heavily stocked SPS tanks, where there could be a lack of Co2. No one ever claimed, that the Co2 was a reason for better Colors. :-)

Im one of the guys in Denmark, that was switching from "balling" (i think this is 3 part dosing in your term?, adding Ca, Mg, and kh in three seperate solutions), to Calcium Reactor, i did that for about 7 months ago, because my system (1.500 liters of water) gradually consumed so much (balling Stock solutions), that is was cheaper to run with a Ca reactor, (yes yes, costly to buy, but cheap to run) but actually i can see a big difference in growth, and coloration, the same goes for 3 other systems i know, and follow closely.

My system did ok back on "balling", but even much better on the Ca reactor, and here comes the question, what is the reason for that, Could i be Ionic issue, Increased Co2 (not so much to press the overall pH in the system), or what?... I change 5% Water pr. week, and have done that even under the "Balling" regime, and not altered any other dosing parameters on the system...

@ Peter, i look forward to see your feedback in our Danish forum, as you promise here on RC, with the same open minded matter as you refer to in this thread, it will certainly benefit the debate in DK.

I wish all of you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

Nb. Here's a link to my Danish Thread, where my tank was chosen as TOTM In November. Sorry for the Danish, I will try to translate it to English, an post it here on RC.
http://www.saltvandsforum.dk/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=63664

Best reg, Tom.
 
Allmost said:
Id love to see/hear other side of the argument too though as well. maybe they do have a point which we are missing here !
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@Allmost
I will be happy to tell You what was the background of wether Co2 has an impact on the corals Growth and colors.
We were a group of friends, who had the same experience when we switched from Balling to kalkreaktor.
The colors increased and the Growth formerly exploded. And we were asking ourselves, why? The same thing happend in at least 4 tanks.
All of us was doing the same thing. We use a weekly waterchange of, around 5 - 7% as the only supply of trace elements. Nothing else is added to the tanks.

Gnizten (Tom) and I were discussing the matter one day, and Tom, who in the past had kept freshwater with plants, remembered that he used Co2 to boost the plants growth.
Then the idea popped up, could it be the same thing that was going on in our tanks - or a something similar?
The question was, is it the Co2 that are boosting the photosyntesis?

I did some research and I found out, that the photosyntesis need light, water and Co2. Some of the Co2 will be produced by the coral itself, but the demand for Co2 is greater than the amount that is avialible.
It was for this reason that the idea emarged - could the Co2 that we use in the calciumreaktor, be the factor that gave us the increasing results in the growth and coloration?
It would be very interesting to hear Your comments on that.
It could of course be a combination of coincidences, but then it should have occurred in 4 separate tanks at the same time.

Finally, let me mention, that I have asked a biologist and a professor from one of the universities i DK, whose specialty among others is this kind of biology, abouth their veiws on the issue.
Both thought that the idea was interesting. The professor had used calciumreactor in his own tank, but have never been given the Co2 influenze any thoughts. Both promissed to look for further information.

Looking forward to hear, if You have any comments on the matter.

Mery Christmas and a happy new year to everybody on RC.

Erik

Ps. For those who might be interested in seeing the thread and the pics of the corals, it is found here: http://www.saltvandsforum.dk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=63916
Its of cause in Danish, but I can help with som translation if needed.

Please bear with any grammatical and spelling errors.
It is not often I write in English.
 
Without a control, everything posted so far is just hearsay and not really scientific.

I purchased a Mk2 Super Reef Straw and I blow into my reef tank every third day at 7:15AM 25 minutes before my main lights come on at super pulse strobing SPS mode. I've noticed that this procedure has improved and exploded colors on all my corals for the last few months. I recommend everyone try it.
 
FlyPenFly said:
Without a control, everything posted so far is just hearsay and not really scientific.

I purchased a Mk2 Super Reef Straw and I blow into my reef tank every third day at 7:15AM 25 minutes before my main lights come on at super pulse strobing SPS mode. I've noticed that this procedure has improved and exploded colors on all my corals for the last few months. I recommend everyone try it.
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Does everything need to be documented and reviewed in a scientific thesis to be discussed in a thread? If that were so there wouldnt be much discussion on this entire board.
 
onereefnotenuf said:
i have a question for the danish speakers, what does "straekker sig" mean? beautiful tank gnizten.
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It depends on the context in which the frase is used.
It is the Danish Word for stretch
We use it when:

You reach out for something that is difficult to reach

If You go far to find a solution to a problem in a discussion.

When You get up in the morning and You stretch Your body

Erik
 
acesq said:
Tom, I don't read Danish but I read beautiful reef tank quite well! Your tank is outstanding!

Art
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Yeah, "Danish" is better to eat, than understand, if you get me here... (Pastry) ;). i really have to translate that thread, so its readable for all.

Thanks for the feedback on my tank, i'm honored that you like it.
 
Tom nice tank always love to see European tanks always well done. I say what ever works for your tank. But be able to adjust if one starts to see a problem.
 
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