Which way to go with Calcium?

[fishykeeper]

I am trying to automate my reef set-up so when I am gone for a day or two my levels don't swing so much (wife will feed fish but haven't gotten her to add supplements ). Right now I have LPS and softies under VHO's and things are doing well. I am using the two part additive by two little fishies C-balance. My pH and alk have been stable and my calcium is only OK at 300-350. I am debating between setting up a calcium reactor or purchasing a 2 channel dosing pump to dose the 2-part additive?

I could also purchase a 3-channel dosing pump and add kalkwasser or a kalk reactor. Are there any people out there using a kalk reactor?

Since my lighting is currently limiting me to LPS, Softies, and maybe some easy SPS, I am not sure I need the calcium reactor nor the initial expense. I know there are several DIY plans but I am not the most handy of men nor do I have a lot of free time. Thanks for any input!

 

[WifesaysImnuts]

IMO a calcium reactor is the easiest and most natural way to add calc and alk to an aquarium. Before my reactor I had big issues with calcium precipitation, sometimes so bad that I had to clean my powerheads every two weeks to keep them from locking up. Now I go months without doing more than cleaning the intake screens. Plus it's set and forget. You don't have to add things every day, which gets old after a while.

 

[calvin415]

Get a dosing pump, much cheaper than a Ca reactor, and with the DIY 2-part recipe it's cheap to make your own suppliments. With my dosing pump, I get to set it and forget it, plus I don't have to worry about counting any bubbles or worry about my pH. Here's some links to some previous discussions...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=684437

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=794999

 

[fishykeeper]

Eric,

Thanks for the info. I guess if the homemade version of the 2-part supplement is so cheap and people are able to keep their calcium up then I should not have to add Kalk or Kalk reactor?

My next question would be where to get a good two or three channel dosing pump? I was thinking about the aquamedic reefdoser from premiumaquatics for 189.

Could someone post a link to Randy's two part plus mg link? Thanks.:wavehand:

 

[gsxrguru2]

here you go:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

if you do this, please post where you found all the ingredients. I've been meaning to make my own (until I make/buy a ca reactor) but I've been using the bionic that I still have.

 

[murfman]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=684437

 

[calvin415]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7074717#post7074717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishykeeper
Eric,

Thanks for the info. I guess if the homemade version of the 2-part supplement is so cheap and people are able to keep their calcium up then I should not have to add Kalk or Kalk reactor?

My next question would be where to get a good two or three channel dosing pump? I was thinking about the aquamedic reefdoser from premiumaquatics for 189.

Could someone post a link to Randy's two part plus mg link? Thanks.:wavehand:

I got my 2 channel doser here... I have the Ensign II and it works great!

http://www.innovativeaquatics.com/

To answer your other question, you won't need kalk anymore either. This replaces all of them and best of all, you can use as much as you need without impacting your pH.

 

[calvin415]

Just checked it out, they no longer carry the ensign II, but it's replacement does the same thing... The Lieutenant II.

http://www.innovativeaquatics.com/Pages/products.html