Reactors and Additives

[pocilipora]

Does any one here using a Calcium reactor, also use additives? Such as moly,stront,iodine,etc.

[DJ88]

Chris,

I think most people(I know from what I have seen) use only the reactor. I don't dose anything else myself. I use ARM in my reactor.

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

I really only use a buffer to bring up my alk...once in a while.

- Victor.

[SuperFudge]

Hi Chris,
Nothin for this guy either!....but if it makes ya feel any better,my girlfiend likes to sprinkle that Damn carpet deoderizer,then stir it up in the air with the vacume every once in a while,so i can give you good list of crap that gets in there ! [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Victor,you have a reactor....Co2`s much cheaper than buffers... [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] .

Marc.

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Yeah, I use buffers to keep my tank at a relatively high alk. I have a bit of green/brown algae in the tank. They produce CO2 that uses alk. Once the algae disappears, then it should be fine.

Although it is possible to dial my reactor to keep the alk high, this could cause my calcium levels to reach unsafe levels (>450ppm). So...I dial the reactor for constant calcium levels and add buffers to keep the alk above 15.

- Victor.

[ 29 January 2002: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]

[ 29 January 2002: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]</p>

[SuperFudge]

Victor,

I doubt the small amount of algea in your system could even put a dent in the alk.
A low Calcium is probably(believe it or not)is one of the parameters i least concern myself with.
Alk being at the top of the scale.
Having said that i cannot explain the chemistry involved but i could say that a low alk and a high calcium is probably much more of a concern than the reverse,IME.
When tested(albiet never [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] ),my calcium reads only in the neighborhood of 375-400+/-,yet my Sps thrive.....i think maintaining high alkalinity allows sps to metabolize(?)all elements more efficiently.
In the past,when i used buffers it was totally the reverse....with kalk/buffers i could maintain calcium but not a decent alk,this resulted in a MUCH(like probably 3-4X) slower growth rate aswell as a loss of good color.

At this point if anything i would even increase my alk higher and loose abit more calcium.

Of course its JMVHO though,Marc.

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: Fudge ]</p>

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

I guess I should point out that my Ca reactor adds most of my alk in to my tank. I only add a dose of buffer every month.

Did you know that we are using the same philosophy (high alk and medium Ca). So, I dial in my reactor to have constant Ca levels (380 ish) and my alk is never allow to go down past 10 dKh. The reason why I try to keep Ca levels constant is because I don't want it to go out of control and hit 500 ppm (which means calcium snow). I think that is much worse than having my alk dip to 10 dKh or as high as 12 dKh. Also, high Ca ppm causes faster buildup of calcium deposits on equipment and such.

- Victor.

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: reefburnaby ]</p>

[SuperFudge]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by reefburnaby:

Did you know that we are using the same philosophy (high alk and medium Ca). So, I dial in my reactor to have constant Ca levels (380 ish) <hr></blockquote>

Oh,i mustve misunderstood your prior statement....."Although it is possible to dial my reactor to keep the alk high, this could cause my calcium levels to reach unsafe levels (>450ppm)".

[img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

Marc.

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: Fudge ]</p>

[DJ88]

You have me confused Victor..

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

I have a bit of green/brown algae in the tank. They produce CO2 that uses alk.

I am fighting bryopsis in a small tank and have to say I have a LOT more algae than in your 90. I am seeing no difficulties keeping my alk at 12dKh all the time. And if I desired it takes nothing for me to push those numbers up.

From what I have read your Ca reactor isn't doing it's job. If you are having to add buffers to keep the Alk levels up you need to increase the CO2 injected into your Ca reactor. A Ca reactor is there to maintain your levels. If you are adding buffers it isn't doing it's job. IMVHO.

I know you know the chemistry behind all of this but, I can keep my Alk at the levels you want in my tank with no use of buffers, and my tank is heavily stocked in Ca and Alk loving corals in comparison to yours. Just an assessment I have made from seeing your system and it's occupants. I keep my tank at 12dKh as they love it and grow like weeds but can crank it up a few notches if I want. I have done it but prefer it at 12.

Maybe I am lost in space tho. But when you need to add buffers something isn't working properly, IMO.

[img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

Marc,

What do you keep your Alk at? Curious to find some differences in our systems besides lighting. Want to see if I can get an idea as to what causes the color differences between the purple digitata in my tank and yours.

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: DJ88 ]</p>

[SuperFudge]

Hey Darren,

Last time i checked it was about 210 PPM as carbonate hardness,so if i remember right thats about 11+? dkh........overall total alkalinity will be a slightly higher tho...

I would bet the majority of the colour difference results from a higher alkalinity in your tank..... harder to achieve with an increased demand in my system.....soon i will have about 1/3rd the sps and i will seperate the frag vat....giving me a good boost.


Marc.

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: Fudge ]</p>