question for Ca Rx users - Page 3

TDEVIL · 11-06-2006, 03:23 PM

ok, i think you guys are finally beating this into my head.

ok, so one of the main reasons that a lot os SPS keepers have to dose or get a Kalk reactor is because the tanks Ph wont let them adjust the calcium reactor to keep up w/ the demands of the corals. so they dose,etc so the calcium reactor's Co2 can be increased. right, wrong?

isnt is crazy, the things that can affect our tanks. i always tell the wife to quit breathing because she is putting to much Co2 into the air, lol. i do have a air exchanger so that helps a bit

Jay

Warnberg · 11-06-2006, 03:36 PM

Most people get a calcium reactor because of the cost to continually dose verses the cost of running a reactor and convenience. A calcium reactor is must more upfront costs but long term much cheaper, I figured annual savings in the neighborhood of 60 to 80 dollars a year, on a lightly stocked tank.

I do not think most SPS keepers dose...

cheeks69 · 11-06-2006, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prow

but i know some that do and they just use a air pump that is placed outside with the air tubing connected to a air stone in the sump.

Where do they place this pump, outside of the house ? My co2 levels in my house increase dramaticaly in the wintertime and it's very difficult to keep my ph above 8 unless I add a "kalk slurry". I really never new how big of a problem this was until I bought a ph monitor.

TDEVIL · 11-06-2006, 04:02 PM

yah, i understand that the calcium reactor will actually pay for its self in 5-10years

Quote:

ok, so one of the main reasons that a lot os SPS keepers have to dose or get a Kalk reactor is because the tanks Ph wont let them adjust the calcium reactor to keep up w/ the demands of the corals. so they dose,etc so the calcium reactor's Co2 can be increased. right, wrong?

some SPS keepers dose along w/ running a calcium reactor either because they dont want to spen the money on a Kalk reactor (maybe i should be calling it a nilsen reactor, same thing) or the demands arnt causing them to dose that much.

Jay

prow · 11-06-2006, 05:43 PM

each tank is its own animal. too many things effect everything. from your salt mix, water source, climate even the altitude you live in. the best thing would be to have both a kalk reactor and a Ca+ reactor running on a controller. not everyone needs both. either one might be all that is needed for some but which one is needed will vary from system to system. (not needed but wanted). even then unless you balance your water during water changes perfectly each time over time you will need to correct which ever parameter is off.

then there is how Mg+ can effect your levels. remember a reactor gives a balanced amount of Ca+ and alk. so if something like Mg+ brings your Ca+ levels down a reactor will not correct it but will lower and raise whatever the resulting disproportionate/unbalanced values are.

TDEVIL · 11-06-2006, 06:08 PM

ok, so it isnt that the demands of the corals are causing the reactor not to keep up, it is improperly adjusted reactor, poor w/c water parameters (i can understand that) and the Ph of the tank

again, sorry for all these questions. i just cant believe that i cant grasp this and it is driving me nuts

Jay

prow · 11-06-2006, 06:14 PM

ahhh my post got messed up
did you get the rest before that part?

prow · 11-06-2006, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDEVIL

ok, so it isnt that the demands of the corals are causing the reactor not to keep up, it is improperly adjusted reactor, poor w/c water parameters (i can understand that) and the Ph of the tank

again, sorry for all these questions. i just cant believe that i cant grasp this and it is driving me nuts

Jay

right. mostly its the ph. but other things can throw off balance. a big one i think most dont look into much is a low Mg+. that can increase the use of Ca+. so many instead of correcting the Mg (because they just dont know) keep adding CaCl here and there to keep it in balance. the media used plays a huge role too.

cheeks69 · 11-06-2006, 06:35 PM

Also the media that you choose is very important and I believe Robert Fenner talked about this in one of the reefing clubs he visited. Some is very high in PO4 and cal/alk isn't the only thing added, many other elements are added along. If I remember correctly coral skeleton is the best to use, it'll give the corals the exact elements necessary.

prow · 11-06-2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheeks69

Where do they place this pump, outside of the house ? My co2 levels in my house increase dramaticaly in the wintertime and it's very difficult to keep my ph above 8 unless I add a "kalk slurry". I really never new how big of a problem this was until I bought a ph monitor.

yeah he puts it outside. i think he uses a air filter on it to. he also puts two plants/trees around his tank and throughout his house. he says it really helps with indoor CO2 issues. in theroy sounds good but not so sure how much that could actually help. lol, maybe its time to see what plants absorb what out of the atmosphere. find one that likes monoxide and one that dioxide then get one for ozone. geeeze, now we have to figure out how to make our homes reef compatible..

TDEVIL · 11-06-2006, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prow

yeah he puts it outside. i think he uses a air filter on it to. he also puts two plants/trees around his tank and throughout his house. he says it really helps with indoor CO2 issues. in theroy sounds good but not so sure how much that could actually help. lol, maybe its time to see what plants absorb what out of the atmosphere. find one that likes monoxide and one that dioxide then get one for ozone. geeeze, now we have to figure out how to make our homes reef compatible..

or we could just live in a greenhouse

Jay

prow · 11-06-2006, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDEVIL

or we could just live in a greenhouse

Jay

hummm, not a bad idea. right now over here in So.Cal is 4ish o'clock 86 degrees with a slight breeze clear skies, its doable.
how about out in Indiana.

TDEVIL · 11-06-2006, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prow

hummm, not a bad idea. right now over here in So.Cal is 4ish o'clock 86 degrees with a slight breeze clear skies, its doable.
how about out in Indiana.

well, i think you would freeze, lol
actually it wasnt that bad today, upper 50's/lower 60's, 7:00pm right now and it is 51deg. the snow is coming and i cant wait

Jay

TDEVIL · 11-06-2006, 07:14 PM

ok, so w/ the size of the reactor, is it more personal preference or is there something that would tell me to get 'this' size reactor or should i worry more about quality and ease of adjustment rather than size?

Jay

prow · 11-06-2006, 08:05 PM

what size tank is it for? for most brands even the smallest ones will handle a 100gal fully loaded tank with no problem. the biggest difference is the media it is able to hold. "more surface area more contact time more media dissovled"
i would look for easy over anything else. quality too of course. i have the korillin reactor and there smallest rating is for up to 400gals. it uses 6.6lbs of media. knob reactors smallest one is rated for up to 200gals. it uses 3.3lbs media. i would say any reactor that holds about 5lbs would be plenty for the avg. systems of 100-300gals.
knobs i heard nothing but good things about.
IMO pick a couple you like and post vs thread to see what people that use this that one have to say about it.

11-06-2006, 03:23 PM	#31 (permalink)
TDEVIL Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marion, INDIANA Posts: 1,170 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: question for Ca Rx users ok, i think you guys are finally beating this into my head. ok, so one of the main reasons that a lot os SPS keepers have to dose or get a Kalk reactor is because the tanks Ph wont let them adjust the calcium reactor to keep up w/ the demands of the corals. so they dose,etc so the calcium reactor's Co2 can be increased. right, wrong? isnt is crazy, the things that can affect our tanks. i always tell the wife to quit breathing because she is putting to much Co2 into the air, lol. i do have a air exchanger so that helps a bit Jay

11-06-2006, 03:36 PM	#32 (permalink)
Warnberg Acropora Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 1,911 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: question for Ca Rx users Most people get a calcium reactor because of the cost to continually dose verses the cost of running a reactor and convenience. A calcium reactor is must more upfront costs but long term much cheaper, I figured annual savings in the neighborhood of 60 to 80 dollars a year, on a lightly stocked tank. I do not think most SPS keepers dose... __________________ Dave 240 Gallon Tall Tencor (96"L x 30"T x 18"W) 4 250 Watt MH XM10K bulbs 2-54 Watt T5 Actinic Euro-Reef CS8-2-RC Jetstream 1 Calcium Reactor 4 Tunze Turbelle stream 6000 power heads 7095 Tunze controller

11-06-2006, 05:43 PM	#35 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,268 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: question for Ca Rx users each tank is its own animal. too many things effect everything. from your salt mix, water source, climate even the altitude you live in. the best thing would be to have both a kalk reactor and a Ca+ reactor running on a controller. not everyone needs both. either one might be all that is needed for some but which one is needed will vary from system to system. (not needed but wanted). even then unless you balance your water during water changes perfectly each time over time you will need to correct which ever parameter is off. then there is how Mg+ can effect your levels. remember a reactor gives a balanced amount of Ca+ and alk. so if something like Mg+ brings your Ca+ levels down a reactor will not correct it but will lower and raise whatever the resulting disproportionate/unbalanced values are.

11-06-2006, 06:08 PM	#36 (permalink)
TDEVIL Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marion, INDIANA Posts: 1,170 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: question for Ca Rx users ok, so it isnt that the demands of the corals are causing the reactor not to keep up, it is improperly adjusted reactor, poor w/c water parameters (i can understand that) and the Ph of the tank again, sorry for all these questions. i just cant believe that i cant grasp this and it is driving me nuts Jay

11-06-2006, 06:14 PM	#37 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,268 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: question for Ca Rx users ahhh my post got messed up did you get the rest before that part?

11-06-2006, 06:35 PM	#39 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,855 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: question for Ca Rx users Also the media that you choose is very important and I believe Robert Fenner talked about this in one of the reefing clubs he visited. Some is very high in PO4 and cal/alk isn't the only thing added, many other elements are added along. If I remember correctly coral skeleton is the best to use, it'll give the corals the exact elements necessary. __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

11-06-2006, 07:14 PM	#44 (permalink)
TDEVIL Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marion, INDIANA Posts: 1,170 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: question for Ca Rx users ok, so w/ the size of the reactor, is it more personal preference or is there something that would tell me to get 'this' size reactor or should i worry more about quality and ease of adjustment rather than size? Jay

11-06-2006, 08:05 PM	#45 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,268 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: question for Ca Rx users what size tank is it for? for most brands even the smallest ones will handle a 100gal fully loaded tank with no problem. the biggest difference is the media it is able to hold. "more surface area more contact time more media dissovled" i would look for easy over anything else. quality too of course. i have the korillin reactor and there smallest rating is for up to 400gals. it uses 6.6lbs of media. knob reactors smallest one is rated for up to 200gals. it uses 3.3lbs media. i would say any reactor that holds about 5lbs would be plenty for the avg. systems of 100-300gals. knobs i heard nothing but good things about. IMO pick a couple you like and post vs thread to see what people that use this that one have to say about it.

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