Ca reactor, kalk reactor, or drip kalk? - Aquarium Advice

jamal-188 · 03-16-2005, 01:21 PM

Finally setting up my 200g tank!!!

I'll need some massive [acronym:57b098a4f4="Calcium"]ca[/acronym:57b098a4f4]/[acronym:57b098a4f4="Alkinity"]alk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] dosing equipment. Will have around 350-400lbs or [acronym:57b098a4f4="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:57b098a4f4] for now, 10 clams, 20 smaller-medium size hard corals, 20 or so softies. I've been dripping 2 gallons of [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] water a day with decent sucess but don't know what to do on the new tank.

I don't have a ton of $$ to spend so I"m stuck with either building a [acronym:57b098a4f4="Calcium"]ca[/acronym:57b098a4f4] reactor or finding a good used one. Or I could build/buy a [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] reactor. Or cheapest would be to build some type of autotop off w/ [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] water. Is there a big differnece between a [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] reactor and a hopmade topoff w/ [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4]? I"m not sure which method would work the best for keeping levels up....any suggestions?

klam · 03-16-2005, 04:13 PM

I've noticed that calcium reactors are poplular among people with large tanks filled with lots of [acronym:b78e17a45e="Small Polyped Stoney"]SPS[/acronym:b78e17a45e] and clams.

[acronym:b78e17a45e="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:b78e17a45e] a calcium reactor

PC · 03-16-2005, 08:08 PM

Well, sounds like you have a lot of tank and a low budget. You can make a [acronym:43b9d02182="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:43b9d02182] [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182] doser out of practically anything. Some use gallon jugs, some use 5 gallon buckets. Anything that will seal enough to hold a siphon. Thats your absolute cheapest option. Just above that is buying a 'doser'. Above that would find [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182]'reactors' and then finally [acronym:43b9d02182="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:43b9d02182] reactors. I personally and prefer even though I have the $$ to burn if I wanted, to drip [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182]. Its just more natural [acronym:43b9d02182="in my opinion"]imo[/acronym:43b9d02182]. However, people do get great results with reactors too once they are dialed in proper. More to your point, [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182] can cost you as much or as little as you want. Reactors, well, the co2 (10 gallon) tank can run around $90 empty. I would recommend trying [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182] 1st for a couple to 6 months and see how it goes for you. At least if you do not prefer it, you are out the least amount of $$..

GL!

jamal-188 · 03-16-2005, 11:04 PM

I currently drip 2g of [acronym:12f373a6bd="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:12f373a6bd] a day..... so it's ok but I think it may be a pain to drip/mix up 4-5 gallons for my 200g tank. I could swing a [acronym:12f373a6bd="Calcium"]ca[/acronym:12f373a6bd] raeactor if I really needed to but my 8-2 euroreef, and my 2 tunze 6100's w/ multicontroller as well as a ton of little things such as plumbing etc is crimping my bank account.

03-16-2005, 01:21 PM	#1
jamal-188 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,809 Images: 9	Ca reactor, kalk reactor, or drip kalk? Finally setting up my 200g tank!!! I'll need some massive [acronym:57b098a4f4="Calcium"]ca[/acronym:57b098a4f4]/[acronym:57b098a4f4="Alkinity"]alk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] dosing equipment. Will have around 350-400lbs or [acronym:57b098a4f4="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:57b098a4f4] for now, 10 clams, 20 smaller-medium size hard corals, 20 or so softies. I've been dripping 2 gallons of [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] water a day with decent sucess but don't know what to do on the new tank. I don't have a ton of $$ to spend so I"m stuck with either building a [acronym:57b098a4f4="Calcium"]ca[/acronym:57b098a4f4] reactor or finding a good used one. Or I could build/buy a [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] reactor. Or cheapest would be to build some type of autotop off w/ [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] water. Is there a big differnece between a [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4] reactor and a hopmade topoff w/ [acronym:57b098a4f4="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:57b098a4f4]? I"m not sure which method would work the best for keeping levels up....any suggestions?

03-16-2005, 04:13 PM	#2
klam Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 730	I've noticed that calcium reactors are poplular among people with large tanks filled with lots of [acronym:b78e17a45e="Small Polyped Stoney"]SPS[/acronym:b78e17a45e] and clams. [acronym:b78e17a45e="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:b78e17a45e] a calcium reactor __________________ Paintballs look like bubble gum 14G starphire,150W [acronym:2ed2cd9cf2="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:2ed2cd9cf2]+32W act03,AquaClear 150 [acronym:2ed2cd9cf2="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:2ed2cd9cf2] filter, 75W EboJager, IceProbe chiller, Remora skimmer, closed loop SCWD mag5, auto toper-offer. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lam/banner.jpg

03-16-2005, 08:08 PM	#3
PC Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Memphis, Tn Posts: 726 Images: 5	Well, sounds like you have a lot of tank and a low budget. You can make a [acronym:43b9d02182="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:43b9d02182] [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182] doser out of practically anything. Some use gallon jugs, some use 5 gallon buckets. Anything that will seal enough to hold a siphon. Thats your absolute cheapest option. Just above that is buying a 'doser'. Above that would find [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182]'reactors' and then finally [acronym:43b9d02182="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:43b9d02182] reactors. I personally and prefer even though I have the $$ to burn if I wanted, to drip [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182]. Its just more natural [acronym:43b9d02182="in my opinion"]imo[/acronym:43b9d02182]. However, people do get great results with reactors too once they are dialed in proper. More to your point, [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182] can cost you as much or as little as you want. Reactors, well, the co2 (10 gallon) tank can run around $90 empty. I would recommend trying [acronym:43b9d02182="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:43b9d02182] 1st for a couple to 6 months and see how it goes for you. At least if you do not prefer it, you are out the least amount of $$.. GL! __________________ To fail to plan is to plan to fail.

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03-16-2005, 11:04 PM	#4
jamal-188 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,809 Images: 9	I currently drip 2g of [acronym:12f373a6bd="Kalkwasser"]kalk[/acronym:12f373a6bd] a day..... so it's ok but I think it may be a pain to drip/mix up 4-5 gallons for my 200g tank. I could swing a [acronym:12f373a6bd="Calcium"]ca[/acronym:12f373a6bd] raeactor if I really needed to but my 8-2 euroreef, and my 2 tunze 6100's w/ multicontroller as well as a ton of little things such as plumbing etc is crimping my bank account.