Suggestions on husbandry for SPS

[Joe Reefer]

I always thought people ran kalk reactors with their calcium reactors to mainly keep the PH higher due to the calcium reactor driving down the PH. I dont find any benefit from my kalk reactor so it tends to get refilled with kalk rarely.

[untamed]

Originally Posted by Joe Reefer

I always thought people ran kalk reactors with their calcium reactors to mainly keep the PH higher due to the calcium reactor driving down the PH. I dont find any benefit from my kalk reactor so it tends to get refilled with kalk rarely.

There is no doubt that Kalk can be used effectively to supplement Ca/Alk. A Ca Reactor can also do this on it's own, but the combination of both methods has less impact on the tank pH than either method alone. I'm right now bringing my Kalk reactor online and I'll be able to share with everyone actual affects it has on pH.

Neal asks...
"I now have a calcium reactor up and running.
will that help with the alkalinity? or better question would be how do u control the alkalinity."

Joe Reefer has provided a good link to learning how to run your reactor. I'll just add that the reactor can be adjusted to supply more or less Ca/Alk. The only way you are going to know how much Ca/Alk your tank needs is to get Ca and Alk test kits and use them. Then you will know if your reactor is set correctly or not. WAG is no way to setup a Ca reactor!

[michika]

Wag?

[mr_alberta]

Kalk seems to raise Alkalinity and maintains it quite well but not so much for Calcium levels. Calcium reactors raise Calcium levels and maintains them well but do not maintain Alkalinity as well as Kalk. Run both and its the best of both worlds!

[mark]

Also recommend the books by Calfo and Borneman (and actually had them both out this morning looking into Elegance).

Had my reactor for a while now and biggest thing I can say on it is it will maintain the levels but not really raise them very well. When I first set it up tried driving my Ca up with it but just ended up raising my Alk at a higher rate, though could be was low on Mg. My pH is on the lower side (8.1) but don't think I'll be trying the kalk to compensate.

Good cost on Ca and Mg supplements from littlesilvermax.

[howdy20012002]

so besides the chemicals and such...
what are people's opinions on bio loads?
would it be better to have no fish in a tank with SPS??
thanks again
Neal

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I think it's beneficial to have SOME sort of bioload. It's my understanding that corals use fish waste as a food source. It's when the waste is left to accumulate, producing nitrates, etc., that it becomes a problem.