20 gallon frag tank without reactors or top off units?

[yellowtail]

is their a way to have an auto top off system without a sump and just a display tank (frag tank).do i need to have k-reactor or calcium reactor?also how much do they cost?
keep in mind this is a FRAG tank.

 

[yellowtail]

 

[footbag]

You could use a float switch in your frag tank, but this is a little bit risky. A dosing pump would be the best and safest way to top-off your tank. If the tank doesn't evap a ton, you may be able to get away with a Kent doser. It's tougher then a dosing pump and a lot cheaper.
What frags are you growing? If its mostly softies, you wont need a Cal or Kalkreactor. For SPS, It would be reccomeded.

 

[yellowtail]

it will be sps. i really dont want to get into the whole calcium & kalk reactor deal. could i do sps with neither?

 

[yellowtail]

 

[yellowtail]

i use b ionic buffer in my display tank. you think that this will be ok?

 

[yellowtail]

175 watt on 20 gallon.

 

[yellowtail]

Originally posted by Magic_Carp
hang it a foot over the tank with two desk fans blowing across the water and that should be good.
i think i am going to get a 175 with everything because i got an awsome deal on it. should i follow these instructions (above) for the 175 or was that the directions for the 400? what size desk fans? should they both be blowing across the water or 1 in and 1 out? same directions with or witout a canopy?
thanks ,
yt

 

[reefer44]

only 300 dollars on a calc. reactor
imo- all working (well top grade) calc. reactors even for a small tank should be 500 dollars
magic_carp- if you don't have a pH controller i would highly recommend one
Brad

 

[reefer44]

wow good deal...i just blew $914 on my new calc. reactor plus monitor and controller

 

[beachbumtx]

I have a 20 gal frag tank with a 400 watt MH above it. I have one 6" fan blowing across the water. My water temperature stays 80F to 82F.

 

[birdy]

I don't think you would need a calc reactor on a frag tank. If you want the simplest system then get a dosing pump and dose kalkwasser 24/7, this is what I do on my sps display tank (all frags) and what I will be doing on my frag tank (40 breeder with one 250w MH)

 

[beachbumtx]

I forgot to mention that I dose with kalk once a week. I have a bucket that slow drips. It usually takes 4 days to go through 2 gallons. I drip it aT A Rte of 4 to 8 seconds per drip. The srip rate should be low in a smaller volume of water to prevent a pH spike. In my 55gal, drip at a rate of 2 to 3 seconds per drip.

 

[yellowtail]

so you think dripping kalk once a week for HOW long would be ok?do i even need to drip kalk if im adding alkalinity and calcium buffer/