best way to add calcium kalk or calcium reactor?

[pomme]

best way to add calcium kalk or calcium reactor?

was just wondering would it be best for me to add a calcium reactor or a kalk reactor?

i think that the calcium reactor will kepp the calcium more stable but can be ricky with adding co2 to system and the ph can do down.

the kalk can be very hazardous as a very high ph, but you add this for top up water that has evaporated, so best to have a container of fresh ro and then runn through the kalk reactor and to the sump where there is a shut off valve when the water reches the required height?

for my 100 gal which i hope to stock mostly with hard corals, like acros, montis, brain corals, trumpet corals, helifungia etc.

oh and what are the best bits to get for the calcium reactor and kalk rector?

all help very much appreciated, thanx andrew

[Geoff]

right now i have only a kalk reactor on my 125g with all stonies in it and 2 clams. i have 5 small to medium colonies and about 20 growing frags. the kalk reactor is used for top off. i have found that this keeps up with my Ca consumption fairly well. i usually only need to add a TBSP of Ca once a week to bump the Ca level back up to 450. by the end of the week it may be 430-440 not bad at all. i know when i need to recharge the reactor when my pH drops below 8.1 in the morning. after a recharge the pH can get up near 8.45. i have never had a problem with any of the critters though.

if you look at my site you can see the plans for my kalk reactor. you can easily just add a big ol bucket to the feed line to the reactor and fill it with your RO/Di water. put a float valve in your sump at the water height you want and you are good to go. just make sure your RO/DI bucket is higher than the float valve in the sump. gravity will do the rest. i know my reactor can handle 8psi without leaking so unless the bucket is over 10' above the float valve you will be fine. put valves before and after the reactor to make things easier.

hth,

G~

[pomme]

cool thanx geoff, looking at you site now!