Calcium reactor for small tanks

[ecoreefguy]

I have a dosing system currently for my small 40 gallon. I don't think its for me. I prefer something I can set and not have to replenish so often . What's the best reactor for this size tank ( it's an all in one as well).

 

[ghbrewer]

I was considering this one when I had my Nuvo:

 

[ecoreefguy]

What feed pump would you have gone with?

 

[ecoreefguy]

I've looked into both geo and Mrc ( 612 and nano respectively, didn't see a nano get at the time) I was worried it would drop my ph too much

 

[ghbrewer]

Probably just a maxi-jet or rio, nothing special for a nano setup. I have heard of people using industrial/lab grade peristaltic pumps, but that would be overkill on a nano (IMO). The main thing (if I remember correctly) with that specific calcium reactor is that it requires you to use a the aquariumplants.com digital regulator, since it has no bubble counter. I guess you could just add an inline bubble counter or get a standard regulator with a decent bubble counter on it? IDK. If I had gotten it, I would have gotten the aquariumplants.com regulator anyways, so not a big deal for me.

 

[ghbrewer]

Have you considered using Kalkwasser? Maybe a kalk stirrer would be more appropriate for your system?

 

[ecoreefguy]

I've been testing with a tote I have in the sunroom with corals I've collected so far. I've trying dosing with my vertex but to keep levels stable I would have the full the containers every 2-3 weeks which can get pricy. Adding kalkwasser into my ATO has been somewhat successful but it still presents the problem of of weekly refils, but it's cheap and I can probably buy enough to last me a while. But I don't think it will keep up with my tanks potential demand if I toss in clams and frags become colonies( wishful thinking I know lol). I might borrow my buddies unused cr1 or cr nano to test. I should have a chamber to spare in the tank to fit a max. Not sure about a rio. I hope it'll have enough pressure tho.

 

[ghbrewer]

I used to run a chiller off of a Eheim Compact 1000 in my Nuvo 24. So, I know it will fit and has more than enough pressure. Just try to find something with rubber feet so that you don't hear any vibrations, or use some silicone mat or filter floss to create a cushion. Maxijets can be a little loud without a cushion of some sort in the back of an AIO tank. An MJ1200 should have more than enough power, you will probably have to put a valve on it.

 

[dball711]

If you are considering the Kalk route, might want to make the Feb Meeting...all about Kalk and I just saw rumblings about a MRC kalk reactor and some Seachem kalk as a raffle item.

 

[redstang]

I have a 60 cube and used kalk in my top off. Worked fairly well. But I've always wanted to move towards a CR so picked one up. So far so good. Just get a quality, or new in my case, valve to control the effluent. Set the bubble count and effluent and then control how much it puts out via the ph set point. Because my system is relatively small and I don't have much in it right now my set point is rather high, 7.35-7.25 is my range.

In my case, it dropped my ph a little bit but it was already very low. My ph was running 7.7-7.8. The CR dropped it down to the mid 7.6's so I ran my skimmer air inlet to grab outside air and I run 7.9-8.0 now.

 

[ecoreefguy]

Your corals were healthy at that low of a ph?

 

[redstang]

EcoReefGuy;1011366 wrote: Your corals were healthy at that low of a ph?

Well, they didn't die lol! Wouldn't have called them healthy. I didn't let it run that low for more than a few days. Short term I doubt there would have been an issue. But absolutely there could have been an issue with growth with that low of a ph. Like I said, I had low ph issues already likely due to a tight house. I was already exploring options to resolve that before I added the CR.

I have been seeing growth with the CR. I have 2 acro's growing well, another seems to be treading water, a sunset monti that's doing fantastic, and some LPS and zoa's/paly's doing well to great as well.

 

[ecoreefguy]

^.^' maybe I'll just continue the dosing and see if it grows on me. I'm just worry pH will plummet when I'm at work .

 

[redstang]

EcoReefGuy;1011370 wrote: ^.^' maybe I'll just continue the dosing and see if it grows on me. I'm just worry pH will plummet when I'm at work .

Not cheap, but get an Apex. Can always turn it off. Need something to control the CR anyway.

 

[bulkrate]

Usually it's an excessive daily swing in PH that can cause problems. As long as it stays above 7.8 and doesn't vary more than a decimal point or two most corals/invertebrates/fish should be fine.

With the outside airline cancelling out the bulk of the reactor's possible acidification effects & the two balancing at a very stable 7.9-8.0, I bet everything's doing great.