Calcium Reactor and Kalk Reactor

[pocilipora]

Is anyone running these two at the same time? Ive just started using kalk and am amazed at what Im seeing. Bright pink,green,purple,and white coralline algae growing everywhere! I was aware that I had a little filamentous algae growing on my rocks and now its just melting away and revealing some beautiful coralline.
Ive been running my Calcium reactor for close to 3 or so years now and cant believe I didnt use kalk earlier. Ive been missing out. :D Just thought Id share.

[stephane]

I Use the kalk reactor for more than 2 years alone no calcium reactor
I buy kalkwasser in five gallon bucket! like the salt :D

here is the model I have after have try severale fitting from north america I import the kit from europe as they are the only cap I found to seal tight by hand they work great


http://zapzap.zwf.net/albums/Album-de-stephane/aba.sized.jpg

[Dez]

Stephane...

What design is your kalk reactor modelled off of? Do you have a diagram or something? How often does your pump run, and are you dripping 24/7?

Thanks,

Des

[One_Divided]

I run both and I have noticed that my PH is dead on. I have only had the reactor on a few weeks now so I will see what happens in the long run.. I am definately seeing more growth since I've added the reactor.

[stephane]

It is a europeen design they call it the Vision reactor I made them from kit I import of france the picture you see in the old model but now I have improve and add feature they look like shedule 80 fitting but they are 90 milimiter an europeen version. The cap and the male adaptor are the big difference over ours it is easy to seal by hand no tool and the bottom cap is rounded to stop any cement kalk buildup

they are easy to made but they alway tend to leak or pain to screw when you dont take the right part and those part dont seem to be available here

I have ten kit comming next week as a lot of people here want to have one after seen mine

I run all my RO water top off in the reactor

see you

[Doug]

http://mars.reefkeepers.net/USHomePage/USArticles/VisioImage/VisioImage.html

[wayner]

Stephane:

How much are the Kits?

[stephane]

I send you a PM

[Delphinus]

(Send me a PM too please Stephane..)

FWIW, I dose both kalk and run a calcium reactor. I am having a real dog of a time trying to dial in that stupid reactor, I can't get my alk above 3.0, no matter what I do. Anyways, despite that. I am dosing kalk in my topup, because I was hoping it would help kick this dinoflagellate problem I've been having (although it has not helped :( , but that's a different story). Anyways I'm not sure what my point is yet... I guess I have two points I want to make: 1) It hasn't really helped me with my pH either (8.3-8.4, maybe even 8,5 during the day; and down to 7.9-8.0 at night). 2) Despite the lack of dinoflagellate control, and the lack of pH control, and the lack of the coveted 4.0 alkalinity, I DO see very good growth on some of my SPS pieces, and I'm convinced it's the concert of the calcium reactor PLUS the kalk that is contributing to that.

So .... I think my next step is to try the kalk stirrer thing, and see if that helps with stabilizing the pH somewhat and see if I can kick that alkalinity up closer to 4.0 ....

[stephane]

YGM

[Dez]

can I get a pm too? Thanks..

Des

[Doug]

Stephane, you never did add a co2 reactor? I thought you were looking for one. If not, is the kalk reactor keeping up to all your sps, without supplemental additions?

[stephane]

Your right doug I have order one and receive it yesterday from salwater connection. Jayson custom built me one I want to have it on the same model as the procal from MTC but talller and he does it No extra charge
sweet deal :shock: The Total height of the puppy is 29 inch the two chamber are 6 1/2x24 inch and the other 4 1/4X24 inch the pump is a 3 mdqxsc 1000gph and CO2 régulator with bult in selenoid, needle valve,and buble couter it is overkill but I dont want to ever have to buy another one so I go for the top

I have orther it to try to maintain easyer my calcium level and see if there is a difference in grow. Time will tell but I will not shut down the kalkreactor down only reduce from pushing on it. If you have a tank full of acro and very good grow you will have to push a lot on the reactor and if you are not familiar it could be difficult but it realy maintain the calcium and realy good grow. I refil now the reactor each 5-7 day 1 1/2 full cup kalk and at the end of the week he is empty the problem came if Y dont refil it the minut it is empty cause the calcium and buffer start to drop realy fast at that time and then he is harder to get up I heat more than 30 PPM of calcium each day so 2 day empty = realy low calcium and then it is hard to get it up and I have to dose a mixture of vinegar
30-60 milimeter for 1 - 2 full teaspoon of kalk and add it strait in to the tank that way everyting climb without causing a PH shock those are the main reason I want to try the CO2 reactor Im tired of pushing on it and alway have to be there to refil it the minut he is empty

the calcium and alkaliniti level is easy monitor as you only monitor the PH
and keep it 8.4 at the end of the day that way I know my calcium and alkalinity is ok if it lower then I add the vinegar and kalk mixture It's easy but need more work

both unit are good and IMO for best result you should use both if your tank need a lot of calcium as reactor tend to lower the PH and slow the grow from wath I heard

kalk reactor precipite phosphate and give you a higher PH it help for many reason

here are the picture of my new toys

http://zapzap.zwf.net/albums/Album-de-stephane/adh.jpg

http://zapzap.zwf.net/albums/Album-de-stephane/adi.jpg

http://zapzap.zwf.net/albums/Album-de-stephane/adj.jpg

http://www.bluelineaquatics.com/newco2.jpg

[stephane]

Dez YGM

[pocilipora]

Hey Stephane, cant you add more that 1 1/2 cups of kalk to your reactor? Say a couple of pounds. Then you dont have to refil so often.

[StirCrazy]

:shock: 1000gph on a Reactor, you going to use it as a secondary wave maker? :wink: :lol:


Steve

[stephane]

No I can't to much and you dose milky solution and afraid to knock of the pump in kalk. I found that after 2 week even if the reactor is full the PH inside drop slowly from 12.45 to 11 so the kalkwater is not as strong ant the calcium get lower

[stephane]

yes Steve :lol:

I read a lot on reactor and found that people who have problem with there reactor was the one who have to small pump on them the media clog the feeding drop,lower PH,big comsumption of CO2......... + I love those 3md they are built for life and need no maintenance they only draw 1 amp. silent and cheap

I have a 3md here that run for more than 7 years never stop clean once a years the impeler, my mag18 on the skimmer need to be clean each 3 month if not it jam and the bushing turn inside the pump ans scrap the pump

[pocilipora]

So if you wanted to add more Kalk to the reactor a taller tube may be better?

[stephane]

no cause after 2 week the PH in the solution is to low and become useless to maintain hight calcium level

I dont know how but ther is precipitation inside the reactor IMO it is the
feeding water who have some dissolve oxigen in it even after pass trought the RO

[StirCrazy]

yes Steve :lol:

my mag18 on the skimmer need to be clean each 3 month if not it jam and the bushing turn inside the pump ans scrap the pump

which bushing? all there is, is a magnet in a hole.. no bushings (unless the mag 18 is different than all the other mags...

anyways ya I agree that a bit larger flow should be in the reactors.. I am using a mag 3 instead of a mag 2 which most people use on a reactor my size.. I think on my new one I am going to go with a mag 5 or a mag 7.. as it will be 4 times larger.

Steve

[stephane]

on both end of the ceramic shaft there 2 ruber bushing when I dont clean, the impeller magnet jam on the ceramic shaft so the shaft spin with the bushing burning the plastic hole were those bushing are in

then It is impossible to repaire other than glue the buscing on the pump but if you dont clean the shaft will turn inside the bushing burning them and the pump is scrap

maybe the smaller model dont have this problem and when the impeller
jam on the shaft they simply dont restart but the 18 is very powerfull IMO two much for plastick

[Doug]

Stephane, I was wondering how you were keeping up with just kalk, to that nice tank of yours. :) Man, you have fixed that problem. :shock: Thats one honkin reactor. Never seen that baby when I was in. :lol:

I use one of Jayson,s single stage units. Short & fat though. I also have the same bubble counter, but my own gauges. I have seen a set of his and they are very nice.

Should have let me know you needed a 3MD. I have one, that was used for a month, sitting here doing nothing. :)

[stephane]

Hey Doug nice puppy hein! I receive it two day ago this guy is so huge I tink I will need a truck load of arm to fill it up

I can't wait to plug that puppy on my tank I talk about buying one or making my own for a long time but was a bit afraid of keeping soldering tank in my house they look like a bomb :lol:

curiously it seem like the bomb is lost in the shipping! I didn't receive it yet hope this is not a sign of god :lol:

Anyone know if the carbon monoxide alarms from hadware store is good to detect leaking CO2 they said CO dectector and wondering if it is the same ting if they are I will put one in the canopy with the alarm on the selenenoid if it ring the senlenoid will shut down the gas

anyway I will start the reactor very very slowly and keep the full kalk addition for a couple of month to be confortable with the setting of that baby as I dont want to have a PH mess up

[StirCrazy]

CO2 and CO are diffeent compouns and I am not sure if the detectors will do both.. I do have a carbon monoxide detector in my house and I will see if I can find a way to test if it does CO2 also.. hmm maby I should read it first LOL

Steve

[stephane]

tank Steve keep me update on this one I have ask salesman but no one know and nowere on the pack they talk about it. it will save me some $ if it dont work :D

[Delphinus]

Highly doubtful an off-the-shelf CO detector will work for CO2. You can get CO2 detectors, though.

[stephane]

Tank Tony I bet they will cost 20x time more then CO one :?