Calcium reactor

[montiel12]

How does one hook up a calcium reactor to a sumpless tank? I have a 30 gallon and im considering a calcium reactor but im not sure how they work. Any info appreciated.

[Lunchbucket]

there are some nice articles in the reefkeeping mag over at reef central...otherwise do a search over there. not sure how much has been done over here w/ ca reactors.

 

i have one and it would be EASY to do on a sumpless tank. just a pump in the tank to "feed" the reactor and put your effluent (ca rich water from the reactor) in a high flow area.

 

basically they are a closed loop water circut...only the amount of water that is put in comes out ....sort of like a hang on tank filter but it is all enclosed. then there is crushed coral or special media (carib sear arm) in there. there is a dedicated circulation pump to keep the water in the chamber(s) moving and turning over a lot. then CO2 is injected to lower the pH and melt the media. then your output water is high in ca and alk since you basically have a liquid supplement now.

 

they are one of my top 3 BEST investments for an SPS tank. the stability they offer is AMAZING!!

 

Lunchbucket

[tinyreef]

hey lunch,

 

what do you think of AZoo's ghetto reactor? i think the premise behind theirs is using a denitrator's (in effect) effluent to suppy the lower pH to dissolve the reactor media.

 

i've got one but i've been really heming and hawing about hooking it up. also trying to find a suitable pump (with good prefilter). i'm thinking it still needs a nutrient source sugar or something, as i'm not sure if pure carbon can react to be the carbon source. (need a chemist's advice here)

 

it was only $60 for me to try out so i figured what the heck, at least there's no CO2 to fiddle around with. the unit can accept CO2 tho.

 

i know, i know, don't go cheap but i love experimentin'!

[Lunchbucket]

i think it looks like a POS, IMO i DOUBT that you can get enough pH change to melt the media and keep up w/ you tanks needs. personally i would sell it and use the 60bucks for a myreef reactor or make one yourself (really cheap if you use white pvc).

 

co2 is the spendy part but like i said i DOUBT you will be able to do it any other way

 

Lunchbucket

[LEEWINK]

Hi all,

 

I run what your asking about, a sumpless running calc reac.

 

All i've done is run a closed loop with a 600 ltr/h pump, and tee'd off this line to the calc reac.

 

Now, I think on mine, it has a slight suction on the inlet to the calc reac, so it slightly pumps as the outcome, so my effluent just runs back to the tank, and into a good flowing area, like suggested earlier in the thread.

 

Although i've run mine in a side cupboard to quieten, it does the jobby.

 

Just to update before you make's ya mind up :- my calc reac run outta gas about a month ago, it hasn't any on it now at all. But I run an autotopup with kalkwasser so my tank is at about 8.35 during the day.

 

Also above, mentioned about a calc reac that runs gas-less, all I can say is it must work to an extent, as I have a denitrate unit too, and this reacts with my reactor, although it is not plumbed directly to flow through it YET.

 

I plan to get shot of the gas completely, and run the effluent of the denitrate unit through the calc reac, as this will 1) reduce my gas cost considerably i.e. none. And 2) the sulphur in the denitrate will send a far lower p.h'ed effluent to the reactor and thus dissolving the media inside.

 

I am not going to redundant the reactor, but I want to use it in a far more cost effective way, still by giving gas-less calc to the tank.

 

Now, even if this only gives a bit, my kalk addition is adding the majority now.

 

If I could turn back time (In his best cher voice), I would of gone with just auto topup with kalk, and maybe not even gone with the reactor at all, but i've got it now, so may as well include it somewhere.

 

cheers

 

lee

 

:) :)