Wondering if you should run a CaRx!?!
- Thread starter Vhuang168
- Start date
Coral reefer
Past President
Is that why some people have a separate reactor area? Send it thru mg first then the other media?
iani
Supporting Member
Possibly, I also think it depends on your CaRx. Many new reactors are meant to run pressure-less, it is harder to drop the pH down in these reactors. I think in order to get the pH low enough to efficiently dissolve zeomag the reactor needs to run pressurized. When supplying the CaRx with a peristaltic pump it is always a pressure-less system.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
I've heard of people wanting to run higher alkalinity for instance without necessarily raising calcium to a "balanced" rate. Just one example.
I'd actually like to see a detailed analysis of this (i'm really too busy/tired/sleepy/headachy/ohyeahscreamingbabyneedsme/etc to do one), but 2 part can be ultra dirt cheap, for instance Leslie's Pool "hardness plus" is less than $70 for a 45 pound bucket, and it's like $7 for a 13.5 lbs bag of baking soda from Costco both cheaper than BRS, and unlike Ca reactor media this isn't a matter of "you get what you pay for" since it's really just basic elements you're adding. I'm not sure how long it takes to go through Ca reactor media & CO2 vs. 2part solution mixture, but I have to imagine when all is said and done of what you need for a Ca reactor vs. a simple 2 part setup what you will probably find it's a very long ROA for the Ca reactor.
Vhuang168
Guest
You dose to your desired levels then leave them. Uptake should be an even ratio. If you dose to 11dkh n 350ppm Ca, it should stay there if you have it tuned correctly.
Really depends on the amount of each dose. On a bigger tank or a sps heavy tank, break even is gonna come sooner.
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Theoretically, yes. But, we don't keep small captive systems that way. Modern day reef keeping is very extreme in many ways. Take for example...when you use to much GFO, that can decrease Alk much more faster than normal, so relying on a fixed ratio of supplementation from the reactor alone is not going to work. You'll still need to make minor adjustment every once in a while.
There really is no right or wrong answer whether CaRx or dosing pump is better. It's very application specific so you'll have to weight out the pros and cons of both, based on your needs. In a nutshell, this is how what I tell my customers.
Dosing pump...easy to use and understand. Allow full control over the dosing ratio of popular supplements. Does not dose trace element in natural ratio.
CaRx...require a much greater understand of equipment. Otherwise, it is much more dangerous if not use properly. Typically, cost at least double compared to typical dosing pump. Fixed ratio dosing of all supplements and trace elements (i.e...Alk and CA cannot be independently adjusted).
Flagg37
Guest
I know you've got a little experience in reef keeping, so what do you use? Do you use a reactor or dose or what?
Both. The two largest systems in the shop has CaRx installed but occasionally we still had to make adjustment to the ALK on both system due to the large amount of GFO used. CA has always remain stable so we rarely make adjustment on that.
Flagg37
Guest
How much of a difference does the different types of media make in regards to this? Could you get something that yields more alkalinity? Do they have that?