Calcium Reactor Kaput

[amoreira]

Heres the thing:

I went away on a little vacation to Cozumel (yes, it was nice) and left my aquarium to be cared for by relatives that came in every so once in a while and scraped the algae. Sure enough, I get back and test a few parameters only to find my alk at very low levels (~ 5 dkH). While I was away, for some reason, the circulation pump in the calcium reactor had burned out.

This Ca reactor is a PM (Precision Marine) one with the odd feature that the pump is literally glued into a base attached to the reactor. Getting it out is next to impossible. So I managed to pry it off with a screwdriver and in the process I break some of the fittings. Then I had to run around town trying to find a pump like it (Ehiem 1048). I go to 5 stores - all don't stock this pump. I finally go to Pisces and find an Ehiem 1250 (next size up). Now I have to find the PVC elbows and tees etc. some in 1/2" and some in 3/8". Since none of the hardware stores stock 3/8" fittings, I make most of it 1/2", except I still need a reducing bushing to take 1/2" to 3/8". No such animal found. I manage to find one that had a 3/8" threaded and 1/2" female tube type fitting. After 3 visits to the hardware store I finally manage to put together something that worked (not pretty!).

I did try to find an in-stock calcium reactor, but nobody carried the brand I wanted (Vertex). You have to order that one on-line. All the good stuff is only available on-line. Wai's carries the Schuran Jetstream model, which is overpriced and no better than the competition.

Anyways, I got it back together working after wrestling with a few leaks (heavy application of PVC glue fixed that). Lesson learned is that you should keep a spare calcium reactor around.

All my corals etc. look healthy. I did lose one acro crab. I'm not sure if the water parameters had anything to do with its death. I'm sure I couldn't run at an alk of 6 dkH very long.