Do I need a calcium reactor for my reef tank?

Do I need a calcium reactor for my reef tank?

Anything under 100 gallons probably does not need a calcium reactor, as most experienced hobbiest either have really big tanks or really tiny, nano tanks. Unless your rock is bathed in sps coral, you do not need a calcium reactor.

When would you use a calcium reactor?

If your corals are beginning to outgrow your aquarium and you’re considering moving to a bigger tank, that’s an ideal time to work a calcium reactor into your new & improved reef aquarium system. There’s no reason you can’t set up and run a calcium reactor from the start of a new tank.

What does a calcium reactor do for a reef tank?

In marine and reef aquariums, a calcium reactor creates a balance of alkalinity. An acidic solution is produced by injecting carbon dioxide into a chamber with salt water and calcium rich media. The carbon dioxide lowers the pH by producing a solution high in carbonic acid, and dissolves calcium.

Do I need a reactor in my reef?

They are a very effective way of ensuring your tank inhabitants, such as corals and clams, have the elements they need to maintain peak health in your reef. Media Reactors are exactly as they sound. Every carbon has the potential to release phosphates into an aquarium, because all carbon is a chemical element.

Is a media reactor necessary?

Media reactors just hold media (GFO, GAC, biopellets, etc). You only need a media reactor if you need one of those types of media. So the real question should be if you need GFO, GAC, or any other media that might fit into a reactor. The answer depends on how your tank behaves after it’s up and running.

What are the benefits of a calcium reactor?

One of the biggest benefits of using a calcium reactor is that it will maintain much more steady levels of calcium and alkalinity, reducing the large swings commonly associated with dosing.

What is needed for calcium reactor?

Parts needed to get your Calcium Reactor up and Running: CO2 and aquarium water are mixed together inside this chamber. This results in an acidic pH which will then melt the calcium based media enriching your aquarium water with calcium and alkalinity. Dosing Pump – Pushes aquarium water into the calcium reactor.

Does calcium reactor raise ALK?

As an example, for each 1 mEq/L alkalinity (2.8 dKH) the calcium reactor adds 20ppm calcium. If your tank starts out with 3 mEq/L alkalinity (8.4 dKH) and 320 ppm calcium, and you raise the alkalinity to 4 mEq (11.2 dKH) using the calcium reactor, then the calcium level will only increase to 340 ppm!

What do aquarium reactors do?

A media reactor is an aquarium filtration device that contains filter media. It helps to increase the effectiveness of the filter media inside by forcing all water that enters the reactor to come in contact with the media.

Is a phosphate reactor necessary?

Without a phosphate reactor, phosphate levels would naturally rise, as phosphates are a byproduct of fish foods. Unchecked, they can rise to levels that are deleterious to any organism that relies on calcification. Thus it is very important to have an efficient system for the removal of phosphates from your system.

What is the purpose of a media reactor?