Re: Do I need a calcium reactor

[stevertr]

I've got a 46g bowfront. Do I really need a calcium reactor or can I just add a few ml. of calcium each day or week from the little supplement bottle.

Steve

 

[randoma]

That really depends on your calcium usage which is dependent on your coral/clam stocking levels. If you have little, to no SPS, you do not need a calcium reactor. If your tank looks something like this:

Then a calcium reactor is probably recommended. (I don't actually have a calcium reactor on that tank though... I just dose Randy's Two Part sometimes. )

To calculate your calcium usage, see this thread:

Dosing for Alk, Mag, Calcium

 

[JohnK]

No one needs a Ca reactor, but they sure can be nice to have.

Basically any system can be maintained on additives, but it's a question of how labor intensive that will be, and what kind of stability your striving for. For example if you have a heavy SPS load, you should be dosing 2 part daily to keep the levels up AND reasonably stable. If your keeping all softies, then some minor fluxuations in Ca/alk won't hurt much and you could probably get away with weekly adjustments.


"or can I just add a few ml. of calcium each day or week from the little supplement bottle."

FWIW, you need to supplement calcium and alkalinty in balanced porportions. You can't just supplement one, if you do you'll see some massive imbalances in your levels over time. I'd suggest searching for the terms "2 part supplement", and "randy's two part".

 

[stevertr]

Thanks... I've got no SPS, just softies, zoos and fishies. I'll do a search for the 2 part calcium additives. Anything in particular to use in terms of brands? I also need to find a good test kit, preferably one that tests for multiple things.

Is there any such test that will allow me to do Phosphate, Ca, Mg, Alk, Ph an all that other god stuff in one strip?

 

[Tone]

That really depends on your calcium usage which is dependent on your coral/clam stocking levels. If you have little, to no SPS, you do not need a calcium reactor. If your tank looks something like this:

Then a calcium reactor is probably recommended. (I don't actually have a calcium reactor on that tank though... I just dose Randy's Two Part sometimes. )

To calculate your calcium usage, see this thread:

Dosing for Alk, Mag, Calcium

thats quite a frag tank pretty impressive...

 

[JohnK]

Thanks... I've got no SPS, just softies, zoos and fishies. I'll do a search for the 2 part calcium additives. Anything in particular to use in terms of brands? I also need to find a good test kit, preferably one that tests for multiple things.

Is there any such test that will allow me to do Phosphate, Ca, Mg, Alk, Ph an all that other god stuff in one strip?

I don't think there is a good all in one kit out there. Elos makes good kits IME. Salifert used to be great, but they have had quality control issues for at least the past year. There are also a couple of other reputable brands out there (search for "test kits" and you should find several reccent threads).

For the livestock you listed I wouldn't worry too much. Keeping your Ca and Alk within normal ranges will help to keep a normal PH and generally help to keep your tank stable. That said, if you don't have any stony corals or clams so that takes the pressure off. I'd suggest trying to keep the Ca at about 350 - 450 and alk at around 7-12 dkh. I don't think anything will suffer much if things fluxuate but stay in those ranges. Probably one cycle of test, dose, retest the next day, once a week should do it. After a few weeks you should have a pretty good idea of how much 2-part you need to be adding each wk to keep things where they should be. (if you had more stony corals or clams I would suggest more frequent testing and dosing for the sake of stabilty).

HTH