CO2 reactor into Calcium reactor?

edsbeaker · 05/15/2008, 01:29 PM

Hi all,
This is my first post so if I'm way off with this, please don't laugh at me!!!
I am switching from a 75G fully planted freshwater to a reef. Previously I was injecting CO2 into it using a CO2 reactor 1000. Is it possible to remove the bio-balls and replace them with Calcium reactor media to use it as a Calcium reactor? Do you think this would work, or is their a big difference between how these two different types of reactors function?

mbbuna · 05/15/2008, 01:56 PM

To Reef Central

no it wont work unless you do some modification to the reactor. calcium reactors draw water from the tank and circulate it around in the reactor and then drip it back into the tank very slowly. the co2 is added to drop the PH of the water and dissolve the media. it takes a little bit of time to drop the PH.

edsbeaker · 05/15/2008, 03:03 PM

AH!!! Now I understand why it won't work. I never considered that the CO2 and media would have to stay in contact longer than for a CO2 reactor. Thanks for explaining.

05/15/2008, 01:29 PM	#1
edsbeaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 857	CO2 reactor into Calcium reactor? Hi all, This is my first post so if I'm way off with this, please don't laugh at me!!! I am switching from a 75G fully planted freshwater to a reef. Previously I was injecting CO2 into it using a CO2 reactor 1000. Is it possible to remove the bio-balls and replace them with Calcium reactor media to use it as a Calcium reactor? Do you think this would work, or is their a big difference between how these two different types of reactors function?

05/15/2008, 01:56 PM	#2
mbbuna Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 6,847	*To Reef Central* no it wont work unless you do some modification to the reactor. calcium reactors draw water from the tank and circulate it around in the reactor and then drip it back into the tank very slowly. the co2 is added to drop the PH of the water and dissolve the media. it takes a little bit of time to drop the PH.

05/15/2008, 03:03 PM	#3
edsbeaker Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 857	AH!!! Now I understand why it won't work. I never considered that the CO2 and media would have to stay in contact longer than for a CO2 reactor. Thanks for explaining.