Ca Reactor or Kalkreactor?

racermike27 · #1 10/27/2006, 02:50 PM

Hey everyone,

I am looking into getting a kalkreactor mainly right now. Can anyone tell me what the maintainance is like on these units? I plan to have the system add Kalk constantly, what other equipment will be needed for the setup? I know I will need a fresh source of RO/DI I can obtain this from a large container since my unit is not in close proximity. I have a timer already, what else will I need.

In the long term will this be better than say a Ca reactor? I know the Ca reactor is a bit more initially in investmetn and installation. My tank is a 90G mostly SPS. What would you guys recommend?

What ever unit I get I am planning to get either from GEO as I have read many great reviews on their products. Thanks in advance for the help.

-Mike-

bckane · #2 10/27/2006, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by racermike27
Hey everyone,

I am looking into getting a kalkreactor mainly right now. Can anyone tell me what the maintainance is like on these units? I plan to have the system add Kalk constantly, what other equipment will be needed for the setup? I know I will need a fresh source of RO/DI I can obtain this from a large container since my unit is not in close proximity. I have a timer already, what else will I need.

In the long term will this be better than say a Ca reactor? I know the Ca reactor is a bit more initially in investmetn and installation. My tank is a 90G mostly SPS. What would you guys recommend?

What ever unit I get I am planning to get either from GEO as I have read many great reviews on their products. Thanks in advance for the help.

-Mike-

Im no expert on this but this is what Im doing

Mike you will need some sort of doser.....you don't want to add kalk to fast......I dose my tank 24/7 with a doser set to my water evap....I know with the lights off I don't evap that much so that's why I've set the doser to drip a slow amount per minute......also my doser is setup with the float switch in the sump just in case I dose to much....My water source I have a 29 gallon tank in the other room fresh RO/DI.....dosing to my new Kalk reactor (which works great) setup on my aquacontroler to mix 4 times a day for a minute. I been dosing kalk now for about 2 weeks
Brian

jman77 · #3 10/28/2006, 02:27 PM

I dose kalk via a 5 gal bucket, pump, and float switch. I fill the bucket with RO water on Sundays, add a couple of tablespoons of lime, stir it up good and leave it alone for the rest of the week.

This setup will cost around

40 bucks for the DIY auto top off
15 for pump and filter
* plus what ever you want to store the water in….
Geo makes pretty good reactors from what i've seen. You should also look into the new aquamedic kalk reators as well..

racermike27 · #4 10/28/2006, 08:46 PM

Thanks for the input guys.
I haev been dripping Kalk for quite some time now. I am just looking for a more "automated" setup. I also drip my kalk from a 5g container.
I don't mix it all at once though as the kalk seems to lose potency with time. I normally mix 1G every other day or so.

rawbomb · #5 10/28/2006, 09:11 PM

i have a deltec KM500 and its an awsome unit. Keeps the water and 100% saturation all the time.

jman77 · #6 10/29/2006, 09:49 AM

If you want to automate ... y don't u get a kit from here

http://www.aquahub.com/store/autotopoffcomp.html

and throw in a small powerhead in the container ..put it on a timer and have it mix it for u ..

That's the cheap router

Or get the kalkreactor

FYI: the Aquamedic is a knockoff of the Deltec model.

racermike27 · #7 10/29/2006, 06:04 PM

I actua;;y have one of the aquahub kits laying around.
I was just kind of thinking to move more towards the Kalk ractor since it seems more air tight than say mixing it in a bucket.
Can anyone tell me the main components I would need for either the Kalk or CA reactor?

bckane · #8 10/30/2006, 12:37 AM

main components:
Kalk Reactor
Some sort of doser pump
Float switch
Timer
Water source....direct RO/DI...or barrel with top off water

Mike if you want to take a look at my setup, just let me know
Brian

BTW The Kalk reactor I just bought....well worth every cent

Add 1 pound of kalk than refill in about 2 months...

chrisaggie · #9 10/30/2006, 10:11 AM

I'll elaborate more later when I get home, but I would suggest a calcium reactor for you. A kalk reactor can NOT keep up with an SPS tank with good growth.

racermike27 · #10 10/30/2006, 10:16 AM

I was thinking that I would need one. I am not too keen on their setup though. Any help you guys can provide would be great as far as setup of a Calcium reactor.
Also will it depress my pH to the point where I would also need to add a Kalkreactor or drip Kalkwasser to maintain a decently high pH? I have heard of others having to do this, since the effluent from the Ca reactor is too low in pH.
Well like I said I am only vaguely familiar and any help would be great.

Thanks,

Mike

itz frank · #11 11/01/2006, 01:21 AM

Ok so with the Auto-drop method of kalk(lime juice) i understand. Can this be done for calcium as well? If so what type of liquid to use for the calcium. Or would a 2 part dose be used.

racermike27 · #12 11/01/2006, 01:07 PM

Hey Brian Thanks for the offer I missed your post.
I think I am going to end up going with the Ca reactor though.
I just hope I don't need both, as I have seen in some other setups. i don't know whee to put all the equipment HE HE.

Well if you guys could give me some input as to odds and ends a a Ca reactor I would be grateful as well as the parts i would need to get. My other question is where do you guys carry the bottles to get the refilled with CO2?

Thanks

Mike

itz frank · #13 11/01/2006, 05:36 PM

sports authority fills CO2.

racermike27 · #14 11/02/2006, 08:11 AM

Thanks for the info frank.
You guys out there have any good recommendations on a reactor?
I was thinking about the small GEO.
Also is anyone using the ReefFanatic pH controller? I might get this one but I wanted to know what people think about it.

Thanks again guys