Reactor Questions

Jewel

Jewel

Guest
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Location
Wingham Ontario
I know using a Calcium Reactor is a great idea, Old school but it works, people are dosing these days, setting up an automated dosing system is the way to go now. But another good idea is using a salt that is high in Trace elements such as Calcium etc is H20 Check it out and compare it with what you use now. But as I said a Calcium Reactor is a good idea. I Like Old School.
 
barebottomcouple

barebottomcouple

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Location
Hanover, Ontario
I use omega sea reef salt and has amazing calcium levels and it keeps my mag. at optimum levels but it does depletes far as doseing pumps go there is the investment of the doser and all the cal. mag. stron. trace. if I am going to go that way I do have 10 min. every couple days to drop it in myself and eliminate the doser.+ plus constant purchases of the additives I see it much more economical to buy the Shlobster Fossil Reactor Media and I should last about 6 months for around $20. + co2 i don't mind old school.. I'm not that much into the gadgetry (oh god I'm gonna here crap bout this lol) the most complicated thing i have on my system is all the appliance times (and they work amazing for me)
 
unibob

unibob

Distinguished Member
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Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Location
St Thomas
barebottomcouple said:
I use omega sea reef salt and has amazing calcium levels and it keeps my mag. at optimum levels but it does depletes far as doseing pumps go there is the investment of the doser and all the cal. mag. stron. trace. if I am going to go that way I do have 10 min. every couple days to drop it in myself and eliminate the doser.+ plus constant purchases of the additives I see it much more economical to buy the Shlobster Fossil Reactor Media and I should last about 6 months for around $20. + co2 i don't mind old school.. I'm not that much into the gadgetry (oh god I'm gonna here crap bout this lol) the most complicated thing i have on my system is all the appliance times (and they work amazing for me)
Click to expand...

Fair enough :) look forward to hearing results. Just wanted to make sure water changes weren't being done for the "wrong" reasons.


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Jewel

Jewel

Guest
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Location
Wingham Ontario
I in turn could never afford a Dosing system and had a few Calcium Reactors, That one you have looks very much like a Precision Marine. Great units. And I love the gadgets LOLThat's one of the many reasons I love this hobby but they can be very finicky. The proper way of setting them up is with a Probe in your Affluent { A Pool of water that your Calcium Reactor Drips into} Hooked up to a PH meter. When the Low PH is achieved turns on the Reactor and shuts it off when the high PH is obtained or you could run it flat out testing often. But what I found to be a pain was the Bubble Counter and the C02. Trying to set it up so that it released the gas slowwwwwwly

So after multiple trys with a Calcium Reactor I mixed my own 3 Part and Dosed manually every night which worked very well and the cost was minimal. I used Dowflake for Calcium, Baked baking Soda for Alk, and Magneseum Sulphate for Magneseum. BUT You can't find the Dow Flake 99% any longer and I would have to purchase the Calcium addition at BRS or Reef Supplies or you can buy both Calcium and Alk powders through Big Als in London. Although it is a special order but is very cost effective. Pennies a day and that would definitely save you from doing 40 GL water changes. Hope this helps.
 
AdInfinitum

AdInfinitum

Super Active Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Location
Thorndale, Ontario
Was just curious RE Unibob's post about removing impurities.

A DSB let you get away without WC for a quite a while because it acts as a sink absorbing and holding heavy metals, trace copper and other cumulative impurities. (I am from the days when no water changes was the goal) but eventually it will catch up to you and it usually does so in dramatic fashion if you don't renew your DSB regularly in lieu of regular WC.
 
barebottomcouple

barebottomcouple

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Location
Hanover, Ontario
AdInfinitum said:
Was just curious RE Unibob's post about removing impurities.

A DSB let you get away without WC for a quite a while because it acts as a sink absorbing and holding heavy metals, trace copper and other cumulative impurities. (I am from the days when no water changes was the goal) but eventually it will catch up to you and it usually does so in dramatic fashion if you don't renew your DSB regularly in lieu of regular WC.
Click to expand...
my goal is not to quit water changes my goal is to extend them a little I would be happy with every 2 weeks I ordered seachems reef advantage from j&l aquatics. It is fairly cheap and is used to raise calcium and also mag. and stro.I do not mind manual dosing or even the water changes if needed I love "playing" with my tanks... I probably need to renew my dsb it has not been done now in over a year
 
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