To add a calcium reactor or not?

[ryeguyy84]

Okay then what salt do you use?

 

[Currdawg12]

Okay then what salt do you use?

Reef crystals I do a 10 percent water change weekly and do the recommended salt unless I check it and it’s low then I add extra

 

[RJ F.]

Lets keep it simple. The dosing keeps being brought up because you asked about the calcium reactor.

1. How old is the tank?
2. What are you basing your "slow" growth results against?
3. After a decent water change monitor all your parameters for a week and see if there is a decreasing trend on alk, calcium, and magnesium. If you find that these elements start to decrease then you will need to dose. Alk actually affects growth more than calcium. It is also used 9x more than calcium. So look for your alk to be off. 350 for calcium is low. You can dose a 2 part (alk and calcium supplements) to raise it. I use baking soda to raise alk and seachem reef fusion to raise calcium. I good target is 400 ppm. This is where magnesium comes in. Calcium can only raise 3x less than what magnesium is. So if you magnesium is low, no matter what you do it wont raise calcium.

This is a general write up. I URGE you to look into 2 part dosing before you start dumping in elements. Also reefing is about patience so make sure your expectations aren't too high.

I'm sure I missed somethings so pls feel free to add on!

 

[Millimylilly]

Omg calcium reactor all the way!

 

[lapin]

So my tank is a 45 gallon with a reef breeders photonv2 and one power head but seems like my coral aren’t taking off like I would like. Would adding a calcium reactor or adding a t5 light be better?

Stepping back to the original question. After reading about your tank, what the numbers are, plus your salt mix the answer is Adding a T5 and/or adding a calcium reactor will do nothing to help your coral take off.

 

[MnFish1]

What is your goal - my answer off the top would be 'no'. but.?

 

[MnFish1]

Everyone keeps saying dosing but I don’t dose anything?

What is your goal with a calcium reactor? I personally try to de-complicate things - the more 'reactors' there are the more 'complicated' things get.

 

[Currdawg12]

Sounds like I need to actually get something to test my alk first and start checking it regularly! Then I need to figure out how to dose or what to dose! And what is good alk level ?

 

[RJ F.]

8 to 12 dkh is an ok range. I shoot for 9. It is very important not to fluctuate alk. Never raise more than 1 dkh over th course of a day.

Again this is proper tank maintenance and will not guarantee you'll see the growth your looking for. Above all else stability is number 1. Shoot for stability over chasing the perfect number. Too many changes can make a tank crash faster than not making changes

 

[RJ F.]

Please do some research before making any adjustments in your tank. There is so much info out there. I love BRSTV. They give facts and opinions but best of all they separate the two. Really good info. Also there are tons of resources on R2R

 

[vetteguy53081]

Calcium-350
Phosphate-0
Nitrate-5
Ammonia-0
Salt 1.023

Don’t have par reading on my tank but at 12 inch above the water and 24inch long tank I should be getting around 150 to 200 everywhere

Raise salinity 1-2 points(a little low)

 

[vetteguy53081]

I find calcium reactors beneficial and helps stabilize calcium and alk levels. Im selling mine to get a larger one due to bigger tank and benefits I’ve noticed with my SPS

 

[Currdawg12]

I find calcium reactors beneficial and helps stabilize calcium and alk levels. Im selling mine to get a larger one due to bigger tank and benefits I’ve noticed with my SPS

How much are you selling it for?

 

[vetteguy53081]

How much are you selling it for?

$95 shipped

 

[Currdawg12]

$95 shipped

Do you have a picture? And model name

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do you have a picture? And model name

Sent pm

 

[laverda]

Honestly I haven’t ever checked alk and don’t really know how

A calcium reactor is useless if you don't know what your ALK level is. I recommend you get Salifert ALK & magnesium test kits first. Also a Ca one if uoi do not have it already. Correct you salinity while waiting for your test kits. Low salinity will affect ALK Ca & Mag levels as well as coral growth. Read up on reef chemistry and work on getting you parameters correct and stable. Adding a calcium reactor at this point is just going to make things worse.

 

[Currdawg12]

A calcium reactor is useless if you don't know what your ALK level is. I recommend you get Salifert ALK & magnesium test kits first. Also a Ca one if uoi do not have it already. Correct you salinity while waiting for your test kits. Low salinity will affect ALK Ca & Mag levels as well as coral growth. Read up on reef chemistry and work on getting you parameters correct and stable. Adding a calcium reactor at this point is just going to make things worse.

Got my Hanna alk tester yesterday and checked it. It was 6.4! So I went ahead and bought the reef supplies kalkwasser and magnesium kit but before I add any of that I’m going to get my salt up to 1.026. Right now it’s at 1.022 so wants that back up I’ll check my alk again

 

[laverda]

Got my Hanna alk tester yesterday and checked it. It was 6.4! So I went ahead and bought the reef supplies kalkwasser and magnesium kit but before I add any of that I’m going to get my salt up to 1.026. Right now it’s at 1.022 so wants that back up I’ll check my alk again

That is a good plan as that will increase your alkalinity some. Just use salt water to top off your tank.