How do calcium reactors work? At first glance, a calcium reactor appears to be a complicated piece of equipment. Novice aquarists are often intimidated by all the special equipment involved, and it doesn’t help that most of the reactors available to hobbyists are downright difficult to use. It’s a shame, because a well- designed calcium reactor is one of the most valuable pieces of equipment available to the reef aquarist. It can save a significant amount of time, hassle, and money. The stabilizing effects of a calcium reactor leads to a healthier, more successful reef tank. The price of adding dry or liquid supplements adds up fast. Corals, coralline and calcareous algae, mollusks (snails, etc.), clams, and numerous other invertebrates all need calcium and alkalinity to survive and reproduce. More importantly, a reactor maintains the proper balance of calcium to alkalinity, which is critical over the longterm. Indeed, it is this imbalance that often lies at the heart of poor coral health. The reactor itself is nothing more than a chamber that holds some sort of calcium- based substrate. At normal aquarium p. H (7. 9- 8. 3), this substrate is insoluable. Is there an online manual for the grotech skimmers, cant find anything helpful on grotech.de bought a used HEA 250 want to read the manual ready for its arrival. Planctonite GreenBox is a Phyto Growing Machine. Seeing as the GroTech model sells for over $800USD. Planctonite MiniBot150 Protein Skimmer with Built in Cup. Deltec SC 1660 Internal Skimmer with CSM 2060 Manual Cleaning Head. GroTech; Aqua Medic; Jecod; Vertex; Containers and Shelves; Lighting. Diablo 250ext Recirculating Protein Skimmer with VarioS Pump. Diablo 300ext Recirculating Protein Skimmer with VarioS Pump. CoralVue 1000watt Electronic Ballast. Grotech TEC 1 NG 1-channel dosing pump TEC 1 NG. 1 - Channel dosing pump. Microprocessor controlled dosing pump for the automatic dosing of liquids. At lower p. H, however, the substrate dissolves, thereby freeing calcium and alkalinity ions so that they can be dripped back to the aquarium. In most cases, a p. H between 6. 5- 6. Too low a p. H will quickly turn the substrate to mush, and too high a p. H won’t dissolve the media.
As this acidic water circulates through the reactor at a very fast rate, two other processes take place. Raw aquarium water is slowly fed into the reactor, and at the same time, calcium and alkalinity- rich water is dripped back to the aquarium. These two processes take place at the same rate, so that the reactor doesn’t overflow or run dry. The rate of flow is very, very slow – just a few drips per second in most cases. Now let’s examine some of the individual components that you’ll need to become familiar with if you’re going to purchase and operate a calcium reactor. Most retailers sell the reactor (which will include the pump and associated tubing and valves) separately from a gas cylinder kit (which will include the regulator, solenoid, and needle valve). If you’ve got the space, get as large a tank as possible so that you won’t have to refill it as often. Avoid the tiny bottles if you can - they empty too quickly. The Regulator: This is the set of guages and valves that screw onto the cylinder to regulate the flow of carbon dioxide to the reactor. This is not a piece of equipment that you want to skimp on. Regulators of dubious quality are frequently sold in kits and they can lead to all sorts of problems. Spend the extra money to get the highest quality regulator available – this will make tuning and adjustment much more easy and consistent. The regulator assembly typically consists of a single control knob and two pressure guages. The first guage measures the tank pressure and the second guage measures the pressure supplied to the needle valve. The Solenoid: Not entirely necessary, but a nice safeguard feature and one that is included in most regulator kits. The solenoid is an electronic controller that will stop the flow of carbon dioxide if the power goes out. This prevents the reactor from filling up with gas, which could then escape back to the aquarium. Like the regulator, this is not a part you want to skimp on. Low quality needle valves are difficult to adjust and will yield inconsistent results. You want a reactor with a large lid that is easy to open and close – this allows for quick and easy service. The chamber body should be built from thick acrylic, and include threaded fittings that will not leak or break. A clean and organized design is a plus. You’ll want to find a reactor that includes a reliable, high quality pump. Inexpensive pumps run loud and they can fail after months of use. Check to be sure that the pump can be quickly removed for service, if necessary. The Feed Pump: Most reactors also benefit from the use of a feed pump, which supplies the reactor with a steady flow of water from the sump. An inexpensive submersible pump like a Maxi Jet 6. If the reactor you purchase doesn’t include a check valve, be sure and purchase one separately. Inexpensive effluent valves are hard to adjust for consistent flow, so find a reactor that doesn’t skimp on quality here. Adding a p. H probe will allow you to quickly inspect the reactor’s internal p. H, which makes for precise adjustment. Some reactors come with a second stage, which helps to absorb extra carbon dioxide gas before it can escape back to the aquarium. The reason you’re investing big bucks for this piece of equipment is for peace of mind and reduced maintenance/hassle – a finicky reactor will only drive you mad. This article was written by Jason Kim, owner and founder of Aqua.
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December 2016
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