calcium and alkalinity methods?
 

just wondering which methods people are using on their tanks. and now i am on the fence as to whether go the route of a dosing pump or a reactor. thanks for the input

Randy-Holms 2 1/2 part.

* 1 part Alk (baking soda), dosed via dosing pump at 12am, 6am, 12pm, 6pm; 33ml per dosing.

* 1 part Calcium, dosed via dosing pump at 3am, 9am, 3pm, 9pm; 50ml per dosing.

* Magnesium once in a blue moon.

Parameters hold steady with very little fluctuation:

Alk @ 8 dkH
Calc @ 420ppm
Mag @ 1400.
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Baking soda (Arm and Hammer) from Sobey's. Calcium and Magnesium from Chemmaster/Littlesilvermax in bulk.
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Pretty much idiot proof. Kind of set and forget. Just have to remember to refill the reservoirs of Alk and Calc (2 liter coke bottles), when they empty.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/...db2037b40b.jpg

Ive never owned a calcium reactor, I've read too many posts by people struggling to get them "dialed in". 3 part with dosing pumps.

Same as Kien. Auto-dosing Randy Holmes-Farleys 2.5 part via Aquatronica doser

Calcium and Magnesium from ChemMaster
Alk via baking soda

Its pretty darn easy, I used to have issues with my CO2 needle valve and went through CO2 like crazy with my alk all over the map. This is much easier.

You probably should have included Kalk in your poll...

I run a Ca reactor, but unlike most I have removed all the weaknesses in the system. Flow through the reactor is controlled by peristaltic pump and CO2 is controlled by pH probe and controller.

I also use Kalk in a Kalkreactor. It goes in only at night to help stabilize pH, but also contributes to Ca/Alk. Like my Ca Reactor, it is controlled by peristaltic pumps and monitored by pH.

Both Ca reactor and a passive kalk reactor.

My GEO Ca reactor was dead easy to set up and dial in. Maybe I was just lucky?

I manually dose reef designed products for calcium and alkalinity, and use littlesilvermax's magnesium.

I'll eventually be dosing exactly what Kien does but without any automation for a bit.

I dose Ca and Mg, and let water changes take care of alk (my IO mixes up pretty high).

Depends on which tank.
120gal Calcium Reactor and Kalkwasser Reactor
20gal Water changes only
135gal (not mine but I help to look after it) Kalkwasser and 2 part dosing by hand.