Where does the Cl go when dosing CaCl?

[dirtyreefer]

Hi Randy,

Just wondering this since I am a two part doser and know that this will be leftover once the calcium portion is used up. Can this buildup be harmful to SPS? I assume that CaOH is "better" for your system as all elements are used and are essential to your reef, but dosing kalk cannot keep up with the demand of my tank.

As I cannot afford a reactor at this time, I have always wondered this since I have been dosing two parts for quite some time now and have had only mediochre results. Also, what is the composition of calcium reactor effluent? Pure Ca?

[Mike O'Brien]

The rise in chloride is negligable compared to the concentration in the water already. Regular water changes will take care of that without a problem.

CR effluent contain's more carbonate / bi carbonate than calcium, and you'll also get the whole host of the other element's in sea water. I also use dolomite in my reactor for an extra boost in magnesium.

[dirtyreefer]

Is the reactor effluent "bottleable"? If so, I'm surprised that there aren't people that would just setup a reactor just to sell the effluent as I'm sure you could easily make your money back.

[Mike O'Brien]

I don't know that it would last long as it's just enriched tank water.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Seawater has more than 19000 ppm chloride in it, so adding a little makes no difference. If you add a lot over time, chloride will rise relative to sulfate, and that is the reason to want to use a sulfate salt somehow (like in the magnesium part of my DIY recipe).

These articles have more on chloride in two part systems:

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

Simulating the Effect of Calcium Chloride and
Sodium Bicarbonate Additions on Reef Systems
http://web.archive.org/web/20010606111158/http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/dec/bio/default.asp

Additional Simulations: The Combined Effect Of Calcium Chloride
/Sodium Bicarbonate Additions And Water Exchanges
http://web.archive.org/web/20010210223756/http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/feb/bio/default.asp

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is the reactor effluent "bottleable"? If so, I'm surprised that there aren't people that would just setup a reactor just to sell the effluent as I'm sure you could easily make your money back.

Yes, but it has relatively little potency and could not keep up with demand even if you somehow replaced all evaporated water with it, and also somehow dealt with the rapid salinity rise that would come. Reactors add large/circulate volumes of enriched seawater each day.