Not entirely a newby but...

[JohnM99]

Well, there are lots of good CaReactors around - I just got one from MyReefCreations.com - relatively less expensive than some.

I had only had coral in my tank for about a month before I put it in, and my calcium had already dropped way down - 140 - mostly LPS, 2 SPS - so they do consume the calcium avidly.

There are lots of DIY designs around too - not sure about this board, but there are lots on ReefCentral. If you are handy with acrylic, it doesn't look too hard to make. Get a pH controller with it, though.

John