calcium reactor

[bighead]

everybody says no such thing as a stupid question . I am not in the market for a calcium reactor right now but how does it work. The bubble counter the co2 in relation to the ph monitor the whole set up. just trying to expand my knowledge

[Mark Bianco]

Water is circulated thru the reactor filled with calcium carbonate. C02 is introduced into the reactor, the CO2 breaks down / disolves the calcium carbonate into the water then this is transfered to the tank / sump changing your PH. As for the buble counter its just a measurment of much CO2 is being despensed in to reactor. The more CO2 the more disolving of the calcium carbonate. That is something you want to monitor closely!!! to much the corals will die. For alot of people they do not use a reactor. This replenishment is done thru water changes.

This is a very simple explation if you would like a more in depth explaination post this in the reef chemistry forum.

Mark

[bighead]

that is perfect explanation thank you i really wasnt sure about the co 2

[bnumair]

calcium reactors works on a simple science. fill the chamber with dead crushed corals. they have eaten all the cal alk and mag over their lives and now its time to pay it back lol.
running co2 through the water makes the water acidic lowering its ph to about 6.5-6.8 range. thats where ur ph probe comes in play. any lower it will paste ur media out or any higher it wont break the media.
with the help of a ph probe and controller u tell the reactor when to be on and when ph reached 6.5 to shut off.
when the acidic water breaks the corals they release the cal and alk etc they have had accumulated over yrs back to our tanks.