At what point do i need a calcium reactor

[bigtyguyy]

At what point do i need a calcium reactor. I think i know the answer

. isn't it when you have hard corals? PLease Help
:help:

 

[tony detroit]

Not necessarily. IMO ca reactors are most useful when you have problems with low alk. If you want to get alk and calcium your first try should be a kalk drip. Kalk provides many more advantages than a CA reactor can alone. If you're going to do one or the other drip kalk first. See how your levels play out for a month or two, if you still have low alk after that then go and get the reactor. For smaller tanks and calcium demands it is easiest to use 2 part additives, but again Kalk drips have many benefits.

 

[bigtyguyy]

so you think with a 100G tank i should be able to get by with additives? is there any natural ways of adding Cal and Alk?

 

[golfish]

I don't know where to start. Tony has some good ideas. It all depends on the tank. If myself and most sps reefers where to just drip kalk and add buffers it would probably cost more in the long run and we would still have problems keeping the levels right.. For smaller tanks the 2 part buffers work very well but even then, over the long run, will cost you more. If you have the cash setup a reactor because its 10x easier, that is if you need it at all.

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by bigtyguyy
so you think with a 100G tank i should be able to get by with additives? is there any natural ways of adding Cal and Alk?
It depends on yor calcium needs

 

[bigtyguyy]

what makes you cal drop like is it only the hard corals that really eat up your calcium?

 

[pyro]

Nope - all corals use up a substance called calcium carbonate. It's 1 calcium and 2 carbonates. Alkalinity is a measure of all the carbonates. So for reference, a sky high calcium rate won't do anything without alk.
At least I beleive so.

 

[bigtyguyy]

do i have to have a sump to have a cal reactor so that it can drip in? or will it pump it up to the top of the tank and drip in?

 

[bigtyguyy]

:help:

 

[tony detroit]

I haven't seen one push water back up to a tank yet. Most people run them in sump, however I have seen some newer hang on models recentely.

 

[bigtyguyy]

ya i didn't think so. I am building a sump soon so i should be ok with it dripping in.
Thanks for your help tony

 

[tony detroit]

welcome