when is it time for a calcium reactor?

[g0rFz]

im not sure i understand completely when it is time...is there any rule of thumb i dont know about or what? the way i think is sps dominated or clams is this wrong?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

A calcium reactor is handy when your coral/clams/Coraline is sucking up your Ca and Alk faster than your water changes can keep up with, and you don't have the time/skill or patience to dose.

 

[Curtswearing]

There's no right time. If you cannot keep up with the demand for Calcium and Alkalinity cheaply or in an efficient manner for your particular tank, then it's time.

 

[DonW]

But you can start using one to early.

Don

 

[JoshF]

How would you know if it's too early? And what parameters are you meaning? I can imagine how it would be easy to end up dropping the pH if a calcium reactor is not dialed in properly, but what else could go wrong? I'm mostly asking because I've never run a calcium reactor, but probably will over the next year or two. Thanks!

Josh

But you can start using one to early.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If your calcium as already stabily high and you then add more with a CaRx, you can push the magnesium down along with the PH.
IMHO, Stability is superior to high Ca

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[JoshF]

Okay, thanks for the info Mike! I'd always thought about it in the reverse way. In other words, a stable CaRx is what provides more stability in a system than manual dosing or water changes. I can see how setting it up too early could throw a system out of wack.

Just to make sure I'm understanding the underlying concepts, if one were to start a calcium reactor "early" but adjusted the flow through the reactor to maintain constant Ca levels, and used Mg rich media, would that eliminate the problem? I realize that this scenario is probably MORE work than just frequent water changes in the early stages of a reef tank, but I'm just wanting to make sure I understand the nuances!

Thanks again!

Josh

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Josh, a properly balanced CaRx is always fine, but if your tank doesn't need it, it will be barely running and just sitting there as if you had none. If it was overproducing it's need, than it would be making things worse. Until you have the need, best to always

"Keep it simple"

This is coming from one who ran a HUGE CaRx, a large Kalk reactor and was running ozone at the same time.
The reason: An sps dominated tank Packed with coral growing out the top, lined with Coraline algae, and a big group of large fish all in the same 180.

My current tank with a little sps, some lps and a lot of softys has only a tiny Kalk reactor

 

[Reeferdude]

I like the "keep it simple" idea. I think too many time folks have a tendency to want to go bigger or more complicated because they think it's better. It really depends on the individual system though. As already mentioned, if it ain't broke don't fix it. You can always dose with Calcium Hydroxide in your make up water and with Calcium Chloride for quick boosts.

 

[JoshF]

I definitely agree with the keep it simple philosophy. In fact, I never had a protein skimmer or a calcium reactor on my tanks back in the day.

Thanks for taking the time, because I will probably start a tank that will eventually need a calcium reactor of some sort, and both Mike and Don helped clarify my understanding of the underlying principles.

Thanks again!

Josh

 

[aquariumdebacle]

Agreed on all counts EXCEPT the protien skimmer. A good oversized protien skimmer is the only filtration method (other than a deep sand bed) to actually export out of a system.

 

[JoshF]

I didn't say I recommended NOT using a protein skimmer, just that I didn't have one back in the day.

Anyway, that's another discussion.

Cheers!

 

[DonW]

How would you know if it's too early? And what parameters are you meaning? I can imagine how it would be easy to end up dropping the pH if a calcium reactor is not dialed in properly, but what else could go wrong? I'm mostly asking because I've never run a calcium reactor, but probably will over the next year or two. Thanks!

Josh

Every carx on the market can be a finiky animal. Some if not all will not run slow enough on a tank that has little demand. So your constantly battling air locks and alk spikes. Air locks stop the reactor, alk spike kill the the tank. If I were to put a rule of thumb on when its time to get a rector Id say if your dosing 100+ ml of 2 part daily then a small reactor could be used faily easily as long as its a decent reactor set up properly.

Don

 

[JoshF]

Thanks Don! This is more of the useful info that I was looking for. I've been involved in the hobby for a decent chunk of time and know the theory behind most pieces of equipment, but theory and practical application are VERY different animals. Without your and Mike's input, I would have assumed that it would be better to get a CaRX and control it with a pH controller and increase the flow as demand went, but I can see how holding off until the demand really warrants it is a smarter course of action.

Thanks again!

Josh