Ca reactor V.S. Kalk mixer??

i am setting up a 350gal reef tank and i have a 75 reef now with a kalk reactor and keeps my Ca level at 460. much cheaper than a Ca reactor, would my kalk work on my 350 and what better? thanks

 

From what I've read and hopefully understand correctly; a calcium reactor is used as the primary source (usually) of calcium replenishment, and a kalk reactor (AKA Kalk stirrer) is used to mitigate the tendency of dropping pH caused by calcium reactors in some cases. Since calcium reactors use CO2 to make calcium bioavailable, this lowers pH. Since kalkwasser naturally raises pH, the two are often used in conjunction in order to achieve high calcium levels in a high demand tank (SPS dominated tank, for example), while keeping pH steady--as the kalk lessens the pH dropping effect of the calcium reactor.

If possible, utilize a calcium reactor with dual chambers to will allow more CO2 to offgass, and not make it to the DT. In this fashion, pH drops will be a non issue, and the use of a kalk stirrer will be less necessary.

Hopefully someone with real experience can chime in here, as I'm going purely on what I've read, and NOT experience. I'm not to the level where I need a calcium reactor yet.

Hope that helps.

 

Sparky is pretty much spot on.

The kalk reactor raises the PH of the system, and helps with buffering. The calcium reactor has to use CO2 to turn coral skeletons ( media) into available calcium for the living corals and calcifying critters in your tank.

I don't runa kalk reactor, yet, but I do top off with kalkwasser, which, in reality is the same thing as a kalk reactor, minus the self stirring feature of the reactor. I use pickling lime added to my top off water in my 17g tub that the top off pump draws from.

The only thing is that some calcium reactors are more efficient and do not require a second chamber to work well. The ones I can think of that don't need a second chamber are the GEO Ca reactors It has to do with the way they run the flow in their reactor, and that GEO's don't waste CO2 unlike some other companies Ca RX's.


The fact the GEO's don't waste CO2, means it is pretty much all used up in the chamber before it gets shot out the effluent of the reactor.

 

I run both using the Kalk as all my top off water. No matter what brand of Ca reactor you are using, if you are keeping your effluent (mix in Ca reactor) at 6.6 to 6.8 pH range then that is the pH you are adding to your tank. Kalk will help keep your pH up in the long run. Your 75g is probably fine using your method but the larger tank will probably need both to maintain a happy environment.

 

thanks that helps a little. so am i worng thinking that running a kalk reactor with raise my Ca. thats what im trying to raise. so more kalk will just raise Ph and alk. i dont know

 

No. You're above statement is NOT wrong.

You're right. A kalk reactor/kalkwasser stirrer WILL increase calcium. The only difference, as reviewed above, is that this will do it with a tendency to raise pH--while a calcium reactor will ALSO increase calcium, but with a tendency to lower pH. They're often used in conjunction because pH swings are undesirable. The use of one complements the other. If you use both, you're raising calcium, but keeping the pH seesaw at bay.

Get it?

Some use only a calcium reactor; or only a kalk reactor; and not have pH issues. For those who run reef tanks with ONLY SPS corals, such pH swings are deadly--and this is where the pH problem becomes a nightmare. SPS corals are VERY sensitive to swings of nearly every parameter.

If you're just starting out, don't sweat it. Run one or the other, and see how your tank fares. If it seems that pH fluctuations are causing undesirable consequences, then it's time to rethink.

HTH.

 

ok that makes sence. thanks alot