Quick Question

Ok i'm trying to take the next step on my tank, but i'm really confused.

Kalkwasser reactors and calcium reactors, do you chose one or the other or do you use both? Or is it just the same result, adding calcium? Now i'm working on an auto top off using a 5 gallon freshwater tank. Would the best route to go with the kalkwasser reactor and have the top off water run through it?


Thanks

 

Are you trying to boost calcium? If so I have been dosing with pure calcium carbonate the past couple days and it has been doing great! I got some off Otty who got it off Tangster. Pure calcium, no other bs in it to worry about.

 

Well I wanted to start adding addtional corals. I just wanted to see what was the preferred method. From what I understand that you have to do more than just dose calcium in order to keep your alk and I think it was dkh stable? I could be way off though.

 

You can use either Kalk or a calcium reactor, I wouldn't waste my money on a Kalk reactor though, all you need is a container and a valve to control the drip rate. I dose Kalk in my tank and basically I make up a mix let it settle (e.g. so it's not cloudy) and then adjust the valve so it drips into my sump overnight. The calcium reactor is pretty much the less hassle, more expensive and fancy way of doing it

You should keep an eye on your levels anyway, if you're alk drops then some people use baking soda, and epson salts for magnesium. I like these methods cause they are simple and more importantly much cheaper than buying specific manufacturer additives.

 

You can use both at the same time BUT, I think that should be for an experienced reefer(if you are, Im sorry). IMO, to use both correctly, you should be aware of how much Cal your tank comsumes and the consquences of a possible OD and how to "fix" it. If your not exp., I would do more research before diving into it. Luna

 

If it was me I would start off with a Ca reactor and if it is not able to keep up with the demand of the tank then go to running a Kalk reactor for your top off water.
A Ca reactor is a nice...set it and forget it way of doing supplements. Once it is set up and it will take a few weeks to do it, they are good to go until you add more of a load on the system. I run mine with a KNOP reactor and 5lb tank of CO2 and it runs for about 3 to 4 months without having to change the bottle or fill with media. This also goes hand in hand with a pH controller. Big investment but my time is worth it not having to dose all the time.
All depends on your system, budget and knowledge.

 

Like Otty said the Ca reactor is the ticket , But looking at you system you could get by with just limewater.. for all your new make up water you hand fill or do you use an Auto top off ?

 

Right now I hand fill but i'm in the process of installing a 5 gallon tank so that I don't have to hand top off every day.

My tank uses about a gallon a day so the freshwater tank will cut down the amount I have to watch it.

 

Yeah i'm not that experienced, i'm just trying to gather all the information so that when it's time I somewhat know what i'm doing instead of stumbling in the dark and making a mistake.

 

Reef-Relief :: Automated Aquatic Top Off Controller
without getting to technical:
a Ca reactor can be tuned for even the smallest amount of needs, keep in mine its actually a dKH reactor. and a CaOH2 reactor is a weaker version of a Ca reactor with a pH boost. with the combination of both the corals will respond better since the Ca reactor uses CO2 and the kalkwasser uses OH2. the CaOH2 reactor can be connected to the aatoc mentioned above. there is also liquid dosing that has its limits. heres a site
Reactor Setup help