What Calcium Reactor for 80g tank?

[keh9qd]

Hi, I am interested in buying a calcium reactor for my hard coral tank (LPS and SPS). It is currently 80 gallons but probably will be expanded to about 125 gallons soon. I am fairly new to calcium reactors and have read some helpful articles online.

My questions are the following:

1. Which reactor is the best bang for the buck? which gauge set with silenoid? Im hoping to spend as little as possible to get something that works well.

2. How important is it to buy a reactor with a ph attachment built in?

3. How much maintenance do you do to your reactor and what does that include: The article by Melev's reef said he takes it apart every 6 months, cleans it, changes media, and re-calibrates his ph meters. Im trying to get something as close to maintenance free as possible.

4. lastly how often do you have to pay with the dials on your reactor? I realize this depends on what you keep, but is this something I can dial in and let go for a month at a time (wit exception to water tests) or is it going to end up being more of a hastle than manually dosing?

Thanks

[TheFishTeen]

Originally Posted by keh9qd

Hi, I am interested in buying a calcium reactor for my hard coral tank (LPS and SPS). It is currently 80 gallons but probably will be expanded to about 125 gallons soon. I am fairly new to calcium reactors and have read some helpful articles online.

My questions are the following:

1. Which reactor is the best bang for the buck? which gauge set with silenoid? Im hoping to spend as little as possible to get something that works well.

2. How important is it to buy a reactor with a ph attachment built in?

3. How much maintenance do you do to your reactor and what does that include: The article by Melev's reef said he takes it apart every 6 months, cleans it, changes media, and re-calibrates his ph meters. Im trying to get something as close to maintenance free as possible.

4. lastly how often do you have to pay with the dials on your reactor? I realize this depends on what you keep, but is this something I can dial in and let go for a month at a time (wit exception to water tests) or is it going to end up being more of a hastle than manually dosing?

Thanks

You sure you want to do a reactor and not just dose? Reactors take a whole ton of time and end up costing a lot more than just dosing.

[keh9qd]

Originally Posted by TheFishTeen

You sure you want to do a reactor and not just dose? Reactors take a whole ton of time and end up costing a lot more than just dosing.

Its funny you say that because I just went back and did more research on kalkwasser in an ATO resevoir. my tank is run by a controller with a PH monitor and ATO already. I have 3 questions:

1. I was looking at BRS kalkwasser, is this the best or can I run to a local store such as Wal-mart and find something equivalent? If I can which do I buy?

2. I heard that kalkwasser must be in a sealed topoff container and then later I heard that this doesn't matter. I currently use a standard 10g aquarium for topoff RO/DI water, should I go to a sealed container or will the ten gallon glass tank with open top work be fine? I also have one of those standard lids with the light built it for my 10g if that will help.

3. lastly, in my 10g RO container will I need to use some sort of powerhead on a timer to keep it mixed or should I just leave it without a mixer? If a I do insert a powerhead to mix the topoff/Kalk every so often, how often would suffice?

[Uncle Luke]

If you're dead set on a reactor, look into the schuran pico reactor.