Kalk reactor vs Ca reactor

[izzie]

I am currently dripping kalk at a rate of 1g a day. Im dripping it from a 1g milk jug. I can not get my calcium above 360 however. Im thinking of getting a kalk reactor or a Ca reactor. Which would be better. I have a 55g tank mostly stocked with SPS. I want to eventually go all SPS. I do not have a R/O top up system on my tank. So if i go with a kalk reactor it has to be gravity fed. I was thinking of using a 1g jug filled with RO water above the kalk reactor and have this slowly drain into the reactor at the rate of my evaporation. Not sure if this would have enough pressure to work however. I am also now considering a Ca reactor. I have all the CO2 stuff from homebrew making so all i would need is the reactor its self. This just uses tank water if im not mistakin so there is no need for an RO system like i think there may be for the kalk reactor. Which would you choose if you were in a situation like this. Thanks.
Izzie

[cward]

I have both, but prefer the calcium reactor.
I had my kalk reactor set up with a gravity feed, but used the AquaMedic dosing pump to pull the water from my reservoir and push it into the kalk reactor. Since that model of dosing pump is not controllable, I had it hooked up to a float switch that tuned on the dosing pump as the sump level lowered.

[izzie]

Also what are the pros and cons to a Ca reactor as well as a kalk reactor. Thanks again.
Izzie

[cward]

Pros for the calcium reactor would be rock steady performance.
Cons for the calcium reactor would be a lower tank ph and high cost for initial start up.

Pros for the kalk reactor would be lower initial start up cost.
Cons for the kalk reactor for me would be that it couldn't meet the demands of my sps with my evaporation rate.

[izzie]

anyone else??

[reefkeeperrut]

agree w/cward. Calcium reactor better for little to no maintenance. Kalk reactor requires frequent addition of lime. Many find w/ a well stocked SPS tank that a Kalk reactor alone is not enough. You could alway consider vinegar to boost your Kalk reactor's efficiency/performance however that opens up a new can of worms.

[barbra]

Don't go with the vinegar, it's trouble down the road. Just struggle along with the CA Reactor and wait for technology to solve this dilema.

[snorvich]

I use a Calcium reactor during the day and Kalkwasser reactor during the night to raise PH back up to 8.3. I do not run both at the same time. Good results for Ca and Alkalinity.