calcium reactor
- Thread starter mujtba
- Start date
effloresce
Member
you DOnt need a reactor, unless your gonna have an SPS only packed tank, it Realy isnt needed, WATER changes are all you need weekly water changes...
effloresce
Member
softies dont use calcium, and LPS use little amounts
water changes are good enough
Water changes, skimmer, carbon good water quality will give you great colors.
water changes are good enough
Water changes, skimmer, carbon good water quality will give you great colors.
mujtba
Member
really?? bang guy thinks different:
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...hreadid=137756
im lost now....
:notsure:
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...hreadid=137756
im lost now....
:notsure:
effloresce
Member
how woudl that heppen? The SPS and LPS use the calcium for a skeleton, softs dont have skeletons. were would it go?
mujtba
Member
i thought the same. he said "The supporting structure inside most softies are structures called Sclerites. These Sclerites are Calcium carbonate, just like Stoney Corals. While there isn't nearly the density of Sclerites as compared to Stoney Coral Skeleton, the softies generally grow much much faster. There are exceptions in both groups of course."
so what do u make of it? do u have much experience with softies? i know bang guy does, so i didnt question him...
i am REALLL lost now tho.. everywhere i read, they say sumin else..
seems no one knows what they are doin,... :thinking:
so what do u make of it? do u have much experience with softies? i know bang guy does, so i didnt question him...
i am REALLL lost now tho.. everywhere i read, they say sumin else..
seems no one knows what they are doin,... :thinking:
effloresce
Member
Tanks filled with softies and only do waterchanges for chemicals still have 450ppm calcium, so i wouldnt worry aboutn ti much, bang guy does know his stuff.
schneidts
Active Member
IMO, you definitely need to test for things like ph, calcium, alk, etc...regularly. Any reef tank needs to be chemically close to that of natural sea water. You need to maintain calcium, more than you can just do with small, regular water changes. You definitely don't need any reactors, but you should test for the above, and try to keep them stable. A simple two part calcium/alk additive, such as Kent CB, would do the job well. What do you test for?
mujtba
Member
ya so thats why i was wondering if there are HOB reactors.
i test for PH, ammonia, nitrities, trates...
calcium i just never get the chance, and the salifert tester i feel i never do it right...
in my syringe, i have air on the top.. so do i just keep dripping it and once its blue, stop and turn the syring upside down and then look at where the level of water is at on the black part???
thats such a silly way to test something.. i want something easier..
anyway im lost.
i test for PH, ammonia, nitrities, trates...
calcium i just never get the chance, and the salifert tester i feel i never do it right...
in my syringe, i have air on the top.. so do i just keep dripping it and once its blue, stop and turn the syring upside down and then look at where the level of water is at on the black part???
thats such a silly way to test something.. i want something easier..
anyway im lost.
reefnut
Active Member
in my syringe, i have air on the top.. so do i just keep dripping it and once its blue, stop and turn the syring upside down and then look at where the level of water is at on the black part???
That's normal. You read where the black plunger thing is... ignore the solution level itself.
That's normal. You read where the black plunger thing is... ignore the solution level itself.
I
irenicus
Guest
Ok, in what tank situations would one recommend using a calcium reactor? :notsure:
I
irenicus
Guest
Don't reefkeepers drip kalk with a doser and have calcium reactors too. I thought they had 2 different functions. 
tony detroit
Active Member
You can just drip kalk.
You can just run a CA reactor.
You can run both and use the kalk to offset the pH lowering due to the CO2 from the reactor, precipatate phosphate, and get even higher calcium and alkalinity levels.
I have noticed kalk won't raise alk nearly as much as a ca reactor will, but it will more less hold its value. A calcium reactor will raise both.
And ditto for the weekly waterchanges comment above, that's one of the best things I do for my tank.
You can just run a CA reactor.
You can run both and use the kalk to offset the pH lowering due to the CO2 from the reactor, precipatate phosphate, and get even higher calcium and alkalinity levels.
I have noticed kalk won't raise alk nearly as much as a ca reactor will, but it will more less hold its value. A calcium reactor will raise both.
And ditto for the weekly waterchanges comment above, that's one of the best things I do for my tank.
reefnut
Active Member
If someone did not want to drip kalk or spend a bundle on 2 part additives then a ca reactor would be a good investment.
I spend way more for 2 part additives for my 55g (softy/LPS tank) than I do maintaining the ca reactor on the 110g sps tank. They are expensive initially but will pay for themselves.
mujtba, it's hard to say if a ca reactor would be good for your system right now. Start testing both calcium and alkalinity and get a feel for what the system is using.
I spend way more for 2 part additives for my 55g (softy/LPS tank) than I do maintaining the ca reactor on the 110g sps tank. They are expensive initially but will pay for themselves.
mujtba, it's hard to say if a ca reactor would be good for your system right now. Start testing both calcium and alkalinity and get a feel for what the system is using.
