calcium reactor needed?

[nemofish2217]

i am wondering if i need a calcium reactor in my tank. i would prefer not to have to buy one because i am low on cash and i dont have the space, but if it were necc. i would try to figure out a way...

its a 45 gallon with about 22 different frags of various sps so far..... each only about 1"-2". I also have a 3 1/2 crocea clam....

I dose ESV B-Ionic 2 part daily.... calc. stays at 450ppm and alk stays at 9.6 dkh.

so do i need a calcium reactor? esp. sice its a small tank? i am looking for growth and color....but like i said if you guys dont think it would make a huge difference then i would prefer not to get one..... thanks.....

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It won't do anything in the way of water chemistry that the B-ionic won't equally well accomplish, but it may be cheaper in the long run, or easier to automate.

You can also make you own DIY two part.

These articles may be useful:

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm


An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

[nemofish2217]

thanks Randy!

so, what you are basically saying is that the calcium reactor does basically the same thing the two part does, but you get more mileage out of it, so it may be more useful in larger tanks, correct?

BTW, great recipie! ill have to look into it.... i live in South carolina, so some of the stuff might be hard to find...well see...

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IMO, a two part, limewater, or a CaCO3/CO2 reactor can all adequately meet the needs of many aquaria. In larger tanks, B-ionic gets quite expensive.

[nemofish2217]

okay, i see... and yes, im sure it would! Thanks for your time...

Do you possibly have any links to places where i could order the supplies needed for your recipie? thanks again...

[trippyl]

why not drip kalk? It's cheap enough to build a diy and relatively easy.

[nemofish2217]

i dont really have the space for a kalk dripper unfortunately, unless i could make one very small, which would almost defeat the purpose....

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you possibly have any links to places where i could order the supplies needed for your recipie? thanks again...

The article has some, but Home Depot and similar stores are cheapest if you can get it locally:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#18

Where to Buy the Materials



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is best obtained from a grocery store to ensure that it is a food grade material. Arm & Hammer is a fine brand, as is a store brand. Be sure to NOT use baking powder. Baking powder is a different material that often has phosphate as a main ingredient.

Calcium chloride dihydrate (Dowflake) can often be obtained at stores such as Home Depot as a deicer. All-Clear calcium chloride for pools is repackaged Dowflake.

The following links lead to companies that are believed to supply Dowflake. Some will ship and some may be available only via local pickup:
http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts...&showspecials=124
http://www.flordrisupply.com/index2.html
http://www.mainstreetseedandsupply.com/saltproducts.htm
http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product.asp...=21BR001
http://www.meltsnow.com/products-dry-calcium-chloride.htm
http://www.cal-chlor.com/products.htm
http://www.farrellequipment.com/catalog/ChemicalCementitious.pdf

Peladow is available from some of the suppliers above and is sold at many home products stores as Prestone Driveway Heat for deicing.

Magnesium chloride hexahydrate made by the Dead Sea Works is sold at many home stores, including Home Depot, often labeled as MAG Flake. It may be repackaged as Meltsnow:
http://www.meltsnow.com/msds-mag-flakes.htm

It may also be available from these stores:
http://www.harveysalt.com/prod01.htm
http://www.meltsnow.com/products-dry-magnesium-chloride.htm

[nemofish2217]

thanks again randy!!

[trippyl]

a kalk dripper shouldnt be much bigger than a bucket. I'd say thats about the same size as any reactor and co2 kit would be. I use a 3.5 gallon bucket that is shaped like a rectangle, and it fits right in...

[Danster]

FYI, I have done both..2 part / calcium reactor... and I can say..that is much easier with the reactor. Dosing gets old and costly.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

thanks again randy!!

:thumbsup:

Good luck. :)

[UnlimitedReef]

using 5 gallons bucket for dripping Kalk.

[thereefmaster]

I drip kalk. Works excellently :)

Nate