My new tank is eating through 300ml per day of 2 part.Thinking of getting the new vertex aquaristic DC6 calcium reactor.There is very little info online.who runs reactors and what are your thoughts?I would run it externally and it seems to have all the bells and whistles to make it easier to dial in
vertex calcium reactor
- Thread starter Authentic
- Start date
AquamanE
Active member
Not familiar with that model but i will say this about Calcium Reactors. Most say they are set and forget. Well im at month 4 and haven't been able to set and forget. I think I will eventually get to where I need, and at that rate of consumption, it would be a better option.
However---- Dude do you have corals growing into you living room floor?, out the roof?. If i recall you tank is less than 200G and limited corals.
However---- Dude do you have corals growing into you living room floor?, out the roof?. If i recall you tank is less than 200G and limited corals.
AquamanE
Active member
not sure what rovster means here Howard, buy i agree. Thats crazyy dosing amounts.
the only thing i can think is related to my automatic water changes 2 gal/day 3 days a week.I will be filling my 50 gal resovoir w new salt this week and retest my parameters,everything in the tank looks great ,good PE on my sps and encrusting growth of all my frags.ill check the sand but i dont think its hard at least not in front of my rockwork
rovster
New member
Something just doesn't add up. Are you using a Hanna checker by any chance? Not trying to create trouble where none is, but that is an obscene amount. I think a modestly stocked tank without any huge colonies is going to use 50-80mL a day, large colonies and pretty stocked maybe 100-150, but 300 is nuts!
My tank at its highest was using about 60mL/day each, granted they were mostly frags, but my tank is almost exclusively SPS. I think Eddie was using 80+ and he has some huge colonies.
Only reason I made a comment about the sand, is that you can sometimes get precipitation down in there and the sand calcifies. The system will self regulate and precipitate out the excess stuff, so even though you add a ton, it just gets eaten up. I am no chemist so don't ask me to elaborate, but if the sand is not clumping, you don't see precipitation on your pumps, and you are sure you are really consuming that much, they hey, if things look good keep on truckin!
If you are using Hanna, just double check your results against another kit. Things were looking great for me right before they weren't.
My tank at its highest was using about 60mL/day each, granted they were mostly frags, but my tank is almost exclusively SPS. I think Eddie was using 80+ and he has some huge colonies.
Only reason I made a comment about the sand, is that you can sometimes get precipitation down in there and the sand calcifies. The system will self regulate and precipitate out the excess stuff, so even though you add a ton, it just gets eaten up. I am no chemist so don't ask me to elaborate, but if the sand is not clumping, you don't see precipitation on your pumps, and you are sure you are really consuming that much, they hey, if things look good keep on truckin!
If you are using Hanna, just double check your results against another kit. Things were looking great for me right before they weren't.
dadummy
Active member
think we need a FTS. FWIW back when I had a 90 gallon monti dominated tank I was dumping in two part and not able to keep up. Forget the exact amount but it was 120ml+ a day, along with full strength kalkwasser in ATO . . Caps grew like crazy and a big stag that grew out of the water so it may not ne too unreasonable what you are dosing if everything is growing like a weed
here's a couple good reads on calcium reactors, I got one in the works but stalled out since I am still getting by with kalkwasser, so other than that not much help.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2461771
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2368618
here's a couple good reads on calcium reactors, I got one in the works but stalled out since I am still getting by with kalkwasser, so other than that not much help.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2461771
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2368618
Just checked my parameters and calibration.alk is 8.9 but my cal wasway low,also my DOS calibration was off 10% on my alk ( Dosing 36 ml when set for 40) recalibrated and reduced by 10%
I'll keep checking and reduce my dosing slowly and see what happens.definitely not in balance
I'll keep checking and reduce my dosing slowly and see what happens.definitely not in balance
rovster
New member
Caps are alk sponges. I haven't seen Authentic's tank in a few months, and although a sweet setup with nice frags, I thought it was relatively young. 300 ml is not unreasonable if the tank is big enough and stocked enough.
That said I would also like to see an updated FTS
blondetang
New member
I'll share my experience with the chems. I've got a 350G system, includes a sump and a refrugium. I don't have many corals, but enough that tell me how healthy my system is, and is it stabilized or not. I am taking it slow to increase the success rate for new corals.
I started using BRS two part along with Kalwasser in the ATO. I was also adding huge amounts of two part, and thinking about getting a Calcium reactor, but when you talk to people about a reactor, they are very very picky and hard to set up.
The first thing I did was purchase accurate test kits for ALK, CA, and Mg, and chose Red Sea because of their accuracy. If you think your test kits are good, try testing the same sample three times, two with you, and once with someone else doing it. If they are repeatable great. Then have a trusted coral selling LFS test your water, and hopefully they will match. I used Hanna checkers thinking the number readout was accurate. My Ca Hanna checker was sometimes 100ppm Ca off... My Alk checker is typically 70 ppm lower than the Red Sea titrated test kit, but it is repeatable.
Once I got accurate numbers, I cleaned out my Kalk from the ATO tank, and didn't dose anything for about a week plus, but did water changes to ensure I had enough chems in the tank. Then I bought a true two part- Naturereef and started to dose at 80 ml/day each. I am using the experience of a coral only LFS owner and slowly ramping up the dose, but I am sure to keep both the ALK and Ca the same dosage. What to do gets tricky, e.g. to ALK levels will change the CA levels -low ALK allows higher levels of Ca.
I also found out that even though you may not have many corals, if you have a lot of coraline it will also consume your chems....
I would try a true two part, not BRS, before you buy a Ca Reactor. I would also point out that the people on this forum are true experts and they have beautiful tanks to prove it, and on that note, I would appreciate any insight from others, as I am just a novice at this.....
I started using BRS two part along with Kalwasser in the ATO. I was also adding huge amounts of two part, and thinking about getting a Calcium reactor, but when you talk to people about a reactor, they are very very picky and hard to set up.
The first thing I did was purchase accurate test kits for ALK, CA, and Mg, and chose Red Sea because of their accuracy. If you think your test kits are good, try testing the same sample three times, two with you, and once with someone else doing it. If they are repeatable great. Then have a trusted coral selling LFS test your water, and hopefully they will match. I used Hanna checkers thinking the number readout was accurate. My Ca Hanna checker was sometimes 100ppm Ca off... My Alk checker is typically 70 ppm lower than the Red Sea titrated test kit, but it is repeatable.
Once I got accurate numbers, I cleaned out my Kalk from the ATO tank, and didn't dose anything for about a week plus, but did water changes to ensure I had enough chems in the tank. Then I bought a true two part- Naturereef and started to dose at 80 ml/day each. I am using the experience of a coral only LFS owner and slowly ramping up the dose, but I am sure to keep both the ALK and Ca the same dosage. What to do gets tricky, e.g. to ALK levels will change the CA levels -low ALK allows higher levels of Ca.
I also found out that even though you may not have many corals, if you have a lot of coraline it will also consume your chems....
I would try a true two part, not BRS, before you buy a Ca Reactor. I would also point out that the people on this forum are true experts and they have beautiful tanks to prove it, and on that note, I would appreciate any insight from others, as I am just a novice at this.....
What makes a true 2 part?I just stocked up on brs.is b ionic considered a true 2 part?posted in r2r and Randy recommended manual dosing my cal while maintaining my dosing schedule to bring it in line.going to dose 4oz cal per day and try to bring my DOS down after to see what's going on.tank still looks great though
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rovster
New member
2 part does not need to be complicated. Lots of people use BRS no problems. First rule in 2 part is get Magnesium in line. If that is low you can't stabilize the other 2. After that dose equal amounts until stabilized at the level you want. You can bolus dose manually (within reason) if ratios are off. I'm currently in the process of dialing mine in after months of faulty tests and mishaps. I have my dosers set and add manually as needed. As I add more time to my dosers the less I need to make up manually. I'm so close now that I add a little by hand 1-2Xs per week. I've totally given up on my Hanna checker at this point and my corals are beginning to get that "glow" again.
AquamanE
Active member
i agree. :spin3:
I will also add......read, read, read... especially randy holmes farley. :deadhorse: reef chemistry is far more important for corals than many other none sense things we worry about.
dadummy
Active member
I dose manually , been using drsfostersmith bulk chemicals with no problems, mainly so I don't have to buy from B.S.Reef, but have used the Peladow, baked baking soda, mag flake, Mrs wages products with no ill effects either, I know, I know, I heard the lecture, mix this stuff up and dose your tank for a year and see what happens. I see what happens frags turn into mini colonies, mini colonies into colonies, colonies back into frags.
For now I will stick with my false two part, I can't afford true two part, especially with the price of 1/4" nubs going through the roof
For now I will stick with my false two part, I can't afford true two part, especially with the price of 1/4" nubs going through the roof
Delsfishes
New member
From what I have learned on calcium reactors is to get a very good regulator. I have a all stainless steel regulator with all elbows end needle valve and solenoid also ss. dialed that puppy and its been stable ever since drip rate never shifts. I've had other regulators and always had it shift either too much or too little The carbondoser works well also
McGee10
Ex FMAS board member
I have a MTC Pro Cal love it! As Delsfishes said get a very good regulator and I like the dual camber systems, it helps use up the CO2 of the outgoing affluent to help keep things stable. Also if you have an Apex the CO2/PH can be controlled and all you have to do is set the rate of affluent. But I have run my Calcium reactor very successfully without the Apex also. Just my 2 cents.
