Reviews and Questions about Calcium Reactor Use

Roberto CRC · Dec 15, 2017

Hello everyone

I wanted to ask everyone who has or has had a calcium reactor.

What were your experiences (good or bad) with its use?

How often did they maintain it?

The drip always remained constant?

How often do the water inlet and outlet hoses change?

How often calibrate the probe?

Thank you for your answers.

Regards

reefrf · Dec 16, 2017

Roberto CRC said:
Hello everyone

I wanted to ask everyone who has or has had a calcium reactor.

What were your experiences (good or bad) with its use?

How often did they maintain it?

The drip always remained constant?

How often do the water inlet and outlet hoses change?

How often calibrate the probe?

Thank you for your answers.

Regards

I love using calcium reactors & have never tried any other method. I’m sure others will go into more detail than I. I’ve only used Geo Reactors. I’ve had two models over the years. My reef is a mixed reef but heavily sps dominated.

1) my experiences: all good experiences with calcium reactors. Pros & cons to everything...
2) maintenance for me was adding media every few months. Clean entire reactor once or twice per year.
3) drip is not always consistent but you’ll find the sweet spot.
4) Inlet & outlet....I’ve never or rarely had to change mine.
5) I calibrate the ph probe once or twice a year unless there’s an issue.

GoVols · Dec 16, 2017

I use the continuous drip/flow method and love it (See below videos)
If your already fighting low ph then I'd pass on a cal reactor even if you going to buy a second chamber.

Roberto CRC · Dec 16, 2017

GoVols said:
I use the continuous drip/flow method and love it (See below videos)
If your already fighting low ph then I'd pass on a cal reactor even if you going to buy a second chamber.

Wow this is really interesting. I try it.

You control the pH whit Apex or another?

GoVols · Dec 16, 2017

Roberto CRC said:
Wow this is really interesting. I try it.

You control the pH whit Apex or another?

Yeah,
I have the Apex JR and it helps you map out the right melting point.
My reactor has been tuned by using the Apex an now my solenoid just stays on all the time so that it's less wear and tear on the solenoid switch and the Apex switch.

@hybridazn taught me this entire method and it's been a great setup.

Roberto CRC · Dec 18, 2017

GoVols said:
Yeah,
I have the Apex JR and it helps you map out the right melting point.
My reactor has been tuned by using the Apex an now my solenoid just stays on all the time so that it's less wear and tear on the solenoid switch and the Apex switch.

@hybridazn taught me this entire method and it's been a great setup.

I have been reviewing the video several times before starting to try the method and I have one question left.

To use this method, is it necessary for the reactor to be equipped with a second chamber? in my case I only have one camera.

GoVols · Dec 18, 2017

Roberto CRC said:
I have been reviewing the video several times before starting to try the method and I have one question left.

To use this method, is it necessary for the reactor to be equipped with a second chamber? in my case I only have one camera.

You can run the reactor the same way.
The second chamber is for helping to raise the ph after the main reactor to the main display tank.

I'd give it a shot with the continuous flow method and see if your main display's ph drops more than normal.

If your ph is all good then your output flow should not clog and stay more consistent.

pirate2876 · Dec 18, 2017

Cal reactor all the way. I find it the best way to keep your alk super stable and once dialed in they are very dependable. Anytime I have ever had an issue it was user caused. I run the method used on the video above with a Skimz cal reactor and a PH controller.

Roberto CRC · Dec 18, 2017

GoVols said:
You can run the reactor the same way.
The second chamber is for helping to raise the ph after the main reactor to the main display tank.

I'd give it a shot with the continuous flow method and see if your main display's ph drops more than normal.

If your ph is all good then your output flow should not clog and stay more consistent.

Ok, I will try to do the tests in this week. First I'm going to make sure I have the kh, ca and mg at the optimal levels to avoid some imbalance that I can cause STS or RTN.

Thanks for the information and I think I will continue to consult you since the method you master it well.

Roberto CRC · Dec 18, 2017

pirate2876 said:
Cal reactor all the way. I find it the best way to keep your alk super stable and once dialed in they are very dependable. Anytime I have ever had an issue it was user caused. I run the method used on the video above with a Skimz cal reactor and a PH controller.

Excellent, another person who uses the method.

How much did you manage to calibrate the pH to find the equilibrium point?

Bpb · Dec 18, 2017

Roberto CRC said:
Hello everyone

I wanted to ask everyone who has or has had a calcium reactor.

What were your experiences (good or bad) with its use?

TERRIFIC. LOVE MY REACTOR AND I CANNOT GO BACK

How often did they maintain it?

REPLACE THE ROLLER TUBING ON THE FEED PUMP EVERY 4-6 MONTHS OR SO. CLEAN THE REACTOR AND PUMP MAYBE ONCE A YEAR

The drip always remained constant?

100% STABLE ALL THE TIME. I USE A MASTERFLEX PERISTALTIC PUMP

How often do the water inlet and outlet hoses change?

NEVER HAVE YET

How often calibrate the probe?

NOT OFTEN ENOUGH. ID LIKE TO TELL YOU EVERY 3 MONTHS. IN REALITY ITS EVERY 9-12 MONTHS. I DONT TUNE OR RUN IT ON PH. I SIMPLY USE THE PH AS A FAILSAFE IN CASE THERE IS A FEED PUMP FAILURE OR JUST SOMETHING I CAN GLANCE AT TO VERIFY THE NUMBER IS THE SAME EVERY DAY (indicating nothing has changed or happened)

Thank you for your answers.

Regards

GoVols · Dec 18, 2017

Roberto CRC said:
Ok, I will try to do the tests in this week. First I'm going to make sure I have the kh, ca and mg at the optimal levels to avoid some imbalance that I can cause STS or RTN.

Thanks for the information and I think I will continue to consult you since the method you master it well.

To me this is @hybridazn method and good luck

pirate2876 · Dec 18, 2017

Roberto CRC said:
Excellent, another person who uses the method.

How much did you manage to calibrate the pH to find the equilibrium point?

I usually measure twice a day for about a week. By that time the ALK is dialed in and should be good for a few months. I don't reall test calcium after that, it kind of just does it's thing.

I think calling these calcium reactor is a bit of a misnomer and they really should be called alk reactors. Alk is what I am more concerned about and it's really the only thing I test anymore.

GoVols · Dec 18, 2017

pirate2876 said:
I usually measure twice a day for about a week. By that time the ALK is dialed in and should be good for a few months. I don't reall test calcium after that, it kind of just does it's thing.

I think calling these calcium reactor is a bit of a misnomer and they really should be called alk reactors. Alk is what I am more concerned about and it's really the only thing I test anymore.

Just an Fyi,
While I did my researching I can across some writings from Randy about stabilizing your cal with to your alk with a cal reactor.
1) Keep your display at .35 ppt (not 1.025 sg)
2) shoot for an alk at 9 dkh and so far my cal has stayed in balanced to the alk.

GEO told me to use the large Reborn media with 1o% Zeo Mag in stage one and fill the second stage with the small ARM media for a better ph rebound and other trace elements that the reborn media does not have.

So far so good and I've only needed to dose up the mag in the main display one time with pure mag.

But (lol) I have always liked my mag to be around 1,400 ppm

watdachuck · Dec 18, 2017

I start my tanks using Kalk and turn on the reactor once the demand is there.

I measure all once a day in the beginning and once a week once it's dialed in.

I calibrated the PH probe once every 6 months.

Attached are my water parameters 4 weeks since my last water change and I do not dose anything else into my tank.

The reactor PH is 6.6 and has a drip rate of roughly 60 per minute matching the bubble count.

Bpb · Dec 18, 2017

To tune mine I turn my masterflex as low as it will go (10 rpm), and start with a bubble count of about 1 bubble per 8 seconds.
Test alk immediately and then 24 hours later.
If alk fell I turn the co2 up a hair.
Test again in 24 hours.
If alk fell. Turn the gas up a hair.
Test again 24 hours later
Repeat until alk stays the same. Once I get 3-4 consecutive days of identical readings. I take note of the ph of the reactor. And I reduce my testing to weekly.

In the even I SLIGHTLY overshoot the gas adjustment upward, but by not enough that I can correct on the needle valve, I’ll bump the effluent up 1-2 rpm which dilutes it a hair. That usually is enough to stop alk from rising. As the sps grow after a week or two I’ll drop the effluent back down to 10 rpm to lower the ph a hair and strengthen the effluent concentration again.

Resume testing weekly and repeat adjustments to account for coral growth as necessary.

GoVols · Dec 18, 2017

I've been lucky that my main display's ph stays above 8.0 during lights out and climbs to about 8.1 during full daylight hours.

Anybody in here that is dosing kalk to maintain a high ph in their main display?