calcium reactor?

[fiorano]

so im thinking on finally buying a calcium reactor and i dont really know a whole lot about them. i have about a 160 gallon system but in the future i plan on expanding it to around 185 gallons. does anyone know a good bang for your buck reactor?

[fkshiu]

Calcium reactors are pretty simple really. You take some reactor media (which is really just dead coral skeleton) and add a bit of CO2. The CO2 drives down the pH in the reactor so that the media begins to dissolve into the water. This process puts the calcium, alkalinity and trace elements into the water that your corals/clams require to grow.

Some reactors a two chambers to dissipate the CO2 from the effluent water before it hits the tank. However, properly designed single chamber reactors shouldn't cause any significant pH swing in your tank.

German-made reactors such as deltec, schuran and korallin are very effective but pricey. What turned my away from them is that they tend to be quite complicated to set up and dial in with poor instructions.

I decided to go with a GEO reactor. It is built like a tank and dead easy to set up and dial in. All connections are clearly labelled and you get nice bonuses like a pH probe port and an adjustable effluent valve.

Aside from a reactor and reactor media, you'll need to get a CO2 tank, a regulator, and needlevalve. Don't cheap out on the regulator and needlevalve as precise control of CO2 injection is absolutely essential to the reactor working properly.

You'll also need a pH controller and solenoid. This is to prevent too much CO2 from entering the reactor and turning the media into mush.

Finally, you'll need to keep a very close eye on your Ca and Alk levels for at least the first several weeks as you dial in the reactor. You should also keep some 2-part solution on hand to adjust your levels as the reactor should be used to MAINTAIN levels rather than increasing them.

[mark]

Of all things DIY, building a reactor has to be the most cost effective.

[whatcaneyedo]

I found buying the reactor to only be half the cost of the setup so I dont know how much you'll save with a DIY job. I went with a Precision Marine 422 (the old downdraft style) for around $430 because it was the only thing I could find for sale in Canada at the time. This was just before I was introduced to this forum and all of the Canadian sponsors... if you really want to save a buck find one for sale used.

With that I also have a DIY effluent chamber, CO2 regulator from aquariumplants.com, a 2' CO2 cylinder, and Milwaukee pH controller. Everything plus the media after tax amounted up to about $1000...

At the time I found a lot of support for the GEO reactors on Reefcentral as well. Calcium reactors are a lot like skimmers and by that I mean you should buy one rated for a larger system than what you have and save youself from having to upgrade in a year.

[fiorano]

i found a precision marine 422 with tank and regulators for 400 so i think im gonna go for that thanks for the input guys :)

[whatcaneyedo]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php

That article may help you with setting it up and running it... I didnt like the directions from PM that came with the reactor (available on their website). If your reactor is the downdraft version as well consider using larger rather than the fine media as the fine media compacts relatively fast and forces you to service the reactor a lot more often. If you want a 'simple' to do DIY job to make a pH probe holder for the top of your reactor just ask and I'll show you pictures and a step by step on how I did mine.

[fiorano]

ok will do man thanks :)

[Whatigot]

I bought that same PM reactor package last weekend for 300 (thank you craigslist) and I know NOTHING about ca reactors but was able to set up and dial mine in witin 5 days....

My tank is only about 100 gallons total water volume though.
Pm reactor seems to be very well built, eheim pump and all.