How many people dose kalkwasser with there Calcium Reator
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I have a calcium reactor and a nilsen reactor. I use the calcium reactor for calcium and alkalinity, and I dose kalk for calcium. I believe the kalk also helps against pH drops due to the pH drop from the CO2 used in the calcium reactor. I don't believe you would use kalk strictly for pH control, but that is one of the results of its use. I also use a second media chamber for the calcium reactor effluent, which is supposed to help with excesss CO2 from the reactor.
Dave
Dave
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I have a MRC Dual Calcium Reactor that is augmented with a MRC Kalk Reactor. It's controlled by my Octo 3000 and keeps my PH around 8.0-8.5. I think having a kalk doser with a Calcium is esential at keeping PH at the mron and maintaining alkalinity. I would go with MRC, solid, well built and long lasting equip. Most of mine is second hand but still performs as if brand new!
Will, you really cant use kalk to regulate PH. I had this notion just weeks ago and have found that most tanks simply don't evap enough water to do this. Even if they did, the evaporation isnt consistent, so there you are with fluctuating amounts of kalk being dosed. Basically you can only use it to augment the PH while adding small calcium and precipitating phosphates), as Acro and Mark are doing.
I have been working on my low PH problems as well, so this is why I have tried this. I am really wanting to set up my calcium reactor on my solana 9cause it would be kick@$$), but I have to increase the PH to decent levels first.
I have been working on my low PH problems as well, so this is why I have tried this. I am really wanting to set up my calcium reactor on my solana 9cause it would be kick@$$), but I have to increase the PH to decent levels first.
If you use a dual chamber CA reactor your PH should be ok. That's after you get it tuned in. Now with the Kalk you can add a fan to your sump to increase the evap. You increase evap you increase the amount of Kalk put into your system.
Run a duel chamber reactor, and ATO with kalk and you will probably be in there. How long has your tank been set up? Most tanks slowly become more acidic (ph drops) over time. A PH of 8.4 seems unachievable for me, even though my tank isn't that old.
I dont know if you have time to be much of a DIY'er with all them yunguns, but sagent3000 just built his own 2 chamber reactor from meleev reef's directions. Might go that way as well. Aparrently it works really well, maybe even better than some commercially available ones, unless you're looking at MRC's and Deltecs.
I dont know if you have time to be much of a DIY'er with all them yunguns, but sagent3000 just built his own 2 chamber reactor from meleev reef's directions. Might go that way as well. Aparrently it works really well, maybe even better than some commercially available ones, unless you're looking at MRC's and Deltecs.
100% agree, keep everything else in check and your ph is fine. Who cares if it's 8.0 or 8.2!
I've run a dual reactor on my tanks for 8 years now and never run a kalk reacotr (although I'm thinking of doing so now because my dual chamber is barely keeping up with demandd these days). My pH is always between 7.9 and 8.2 or 8.3 dpending on time of year etc. I would never try to adjust pH. It will settle where it will. Keep your calcium and alk and Mg correct and the pH will sort itself out.
I agree with Kwl and Lee. I don't run Kalk and probably never will. I have had both low and decent PH in my SPS tanks and they always seem to do fine. Just watch your corals and see if they have good growth tips and polyp extension. If so then your ok. Watching is in my opinion the most important tank maintenance. Good luck. 
I look at it this way....TONS of people on RC who have their tank in the TOTM run massive reactors and their tanks pH is around 7.8-8.4 Who cares about pH???? it's completely irrelevant to the more important ca, alk and mg like kwl said.
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The most relevant thing about PH is trying to keep it as stable as possible, minimizing the swings.
WoAH, now, I wouldn't agree it's irrelevant. I'd say just because you have success at lower PH's doesn't meat that a higher one wouldn't be optimal with even better growth, health, color, etc. Not sure if it is true, but it would only be logical that if the ocean is 8.3, then the biological processes should work better at 8.3. But that is just my thinking on the subject, and I realize there are exceptions (i.e. alkalinity)
I am saying in my case, when my ph already his 7.8 at night, if I add my calc reactor I'm afraid the possibility of a 7.5 or lower could be big trouble. And unfortunately with a solana, I have no way of running a reverse photo fuge, unless I negate the whole purpose of a solana (all in one) and add a sump/HOB.
I am saying in my case, when my ph already his 7.8 at night, if I add my calc reactor I'm afraid the possibility of a 7.5 or lower could be big trouble. And unfortunately with a solana, I have no way of running a reverse photo fuge, unless I negate the whole purpose of a solana (all in one) and add a sump/HOB.
yeah man make sure you have a lot of alk test kits. Remember its an alk reactor, shouldn't be called ca reactor. All the parms you're testing is ALK, ca will fall in line. Just make sure your tank is balanced before you start.
