Best way to Feed a Calcium Reactor

RedDevil.258

RedDevil.258

Active member
Chicago Reefs Calcium Reactor Owners,

So my on going search for a Calcium Reactor has ended, I found and bought a used Geo618 from Matt at Sho-tank. A great unit just needs a regulator and a bottle. So as the title states I am asking all of you which method is the most reliable. There are a couple of different types of methods to supply water to the reactor. A Tee off the return pump, with a power head in the sump and with a peristaltic pump.

Which one are you using? Why?

Thanks!
 
I teed off my manifold for consistant pressure. I used a maxijet when I first got my reactor, but the run was never consistant and the reactor would starve for water. Much more reliable off my manifold which I use a mag 18 that also runs my chiller, carbon reactor, gfo reactor (when I need it) and then my calcium reactor. If you are on the market for the regulator I have one that only has about 72 hours of run time (reef fanatic) PM me for price if interested. I decided to go with AP regulator only because I wanted something easier to dial in.
 
Agh cool that's the direction I am leaning. Peri pump is another $250. Here's a question for you. I have a Reef Keeper controller and when I feed the fish I put int in stand by mode for 15 mins. How will this effect the calcium reactor?
 
I do the same but with my mp40's for 15mins I reduce spped to 5 %, not with my return pump. I believe you will still be o.k. but I have never done it. I have turned off my pump to do water changes for about the same time and it has never affected the reactor. If you have your RK connected to your reactor I would say when you turn off for feeding you also turn off the reactor.
 
I would just worry about air entering the reactor, I think that's a no no. When you connected the reactor to the maifold what type of pipe or tubing did you use.

Also where do you fill/or swap your co2 tank at?
 
So after a lot of reading and talking to other members that run calcium reactors. I went ahead and used the return pump method. It is the most reliable, I already have it running and I found a way to keep air out of the reactor when I place the the tank in standby. I also upgraded the old barb fitting on the reactor to jenco fitting like that on a R/O DI unit. These will never leak and are less likely to degrade over time. I must say that this has certainly been a huge lesson learned, with set up I should no longer have to worry about low cal, alk for a long time. Here are some cruddy iPhone pics
 
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