How do you feed your calcium reactor?

[Crustaceon]

Stability is king in our systems and it’s hard to beat a calcium reactor when it comes to keeping alkalinity, calcium steady and with some magnesium media, that too. But with any potentially great do-dad in our sump, it’s limited by what’s plugged into it. So how do you guys & gals steadily feed tank water into your reactors?

 

[SK_maui]

Stability is king in our systems and it’s hard to beat a calcium reactor when it comes to keeping alkalinity, calcium steady and with some magnesium media, that too. But with any potentially great do-dad in our sump, it’s limited by what’s plugged into it. So how do you guys & gals steadily feed tank water into your reactors?

I used to use a small ac pump decades ago for my diy cal reactor. Watched the bubble counter, tested for reactor PH, and adjusted drip rate manually..... I’m currently thinking about going back to a reactor since I’ve been hearing it can be automated pretty efficiently with a dosing pump.

 

[Crustaceon]

I used to use a small ac pump decades ago for my diy cal reactor. Watched the bubble counter, tested for reactor PH, and adjusted drip rate manually..... I’m currently thinking about going back to a reactor since I’ve been hearing it can be automated pretty efficiently with a dosing pump.

Yeah... I keep eyeballing one of those kamoer pumps. The last time I ran a reactor it was off of a manifold. It was ok. I’m curious how much better it would be off of a peristaltic pump though, or if a little maxijet or sicce pump is stable enough.

 

[billwill]

I use a small AC pump with a bypass tee in it, and a Kamoer Peristaltic pump. Without the positive pressure from AC pump, I was having trouble with keeping the reactor full all the time without having too many air bubbles causing cavitation noise. Also makes restarting after media refill much easier

 

[claus]

Plumbed into my return pump.

 

[Crustaceon]

I use a small AC pump with a bypass tee in it, and a Kamoer Peristaltic pump. Without the positive pressure from AC pump, I was having trouble with keeping the reactor full all the time without having too many air bubbles causing cavitation noise. Also makes restarting after media refill much easier

That’s extremely interesting. Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

[Crustaceon]

Plumbed into my return pump.

How’s it working out for you?

 

[Mal11224]

I use my manifold to feed my reactor and a kamoer to provide the drip. Works great. My flow is constant in my manifold so it works great in this instance. My Ph is steady as a result of using the kamoer. It is great and well worth the price in my opinion.

 

[pirate2876]

I've used a small Lifeguard pump for years and never had issues with the pump. The only issue I get is if the reactor itself gets clogged by the melting media, or the feed line gets clogged. I use the constant stream method with a dual chamber Skimz reactor.

 

[claus]

How’s it working out for you?

I have an old school Korallen and It has never worked better. I never have air buildup in the unit and the effluent rate is pretty consistent.

 

[Crustaceon]

I've used a small Lifeguard pump for years and never had issues with the pump. The only issue I get is if the reactor itself gets clogged by the melting media, or the feed line gets clogged. I use the constant stream method with a dual chamber Skimz reactor.

Where do you like to keep your ph?

 

[ReefGeezer]

I pull water through the reactor with a kamoer pump.

 

[luisgo]

I have a Cole Parmer peristaltic pump with an adjustable head for the last eight years. I was lucky to purchase this setup used at ebay for about $250. I have another pump with a timer for dosing vinegar but it is really a backup for the calcium reactor in case it fails. An overkill for just dosing vinegar. Here a video calibrating the vinegar pump.

 

[solitude127]

Kamoer pump user here. I was using a Sicce 0.5 for a while but would get inconsistent drip rate.

 

[Crustaceon]

I've used a small Lifeguard pump for years and never had issues with the pump. The only issue I get is if the reactor itself gets clogged by the melting media, or the feed line gets clogged. I use the constant stream method with a dual chamber Skimz reactor.

You just reminded me that I have a brand new lifeguard 800 in my garage “pile” and I just noticed in an earlier post that’s what you’re running. Sweet.

 

[Crustaceon]

I have a Cole Parmer peristaltic pump with an adjustable head for the last eight years. I was lucky to purchase this setup used at ebay for about $250. I have another pump with a timer for dosing vinegar but it is really a backup for the calcium reactor in case it fails. An overkill for just dosing vinegar. Here a video calibrating the vinegar pump.

That’s an awesome pump. You got a heck of a deal on it.

 

[Vette67]

My recirculating pump is my feed pump. I have an Iwaki WMD20RLT as my recirc pump. On the output side of the pump, I have a 1/8” water line that has a micro ball valve on it. I control the drip rate of the effluent with the micro ball valve. The effluent leaving the reactor draws tank water into the chamber through another water line. Been working that way on a single pump for more than 20 years. No need for 2 pumps. The iwaki has to be over 15 years old. I have never taken it apart and have never cleaned it. It just works.

 

[rlman41299]

I use a versa (ecotech) pump to pull water through my calrx. So far everything's working as it should be and it keeps it's calibration. Only problem was initially versa pump was leaking like crazy and won't hold any pressure. After ecotech sent a replacement hose with a better connection it has worked like it should be

 

[claus]

 

[pirate2876]

Where do you like to keep your ph?

Ugh, I just switched media to triton cal media and I am having a hard time finding that "sweet spot". I'm down to 5.7 or so and still losing DKH daily. I never had this problem with Reborn media...