Reefoctopus

Proteinskimmer.com.cn
 
Thanks Guys
Now for the stupid question time................................
What is the difference between a kalk reactor and a kalk stirrer??
 
A kalk stirrer or NIlsen reactor is a contraption that holds kalk unexposed to oxtgen. Water is pumped into the reactor which saturates itself with the calcium hydroxide at the bottom of the chamber. The stirrer part is hooked up to a timer and will come on at certain intervals kicking up the kalk sediment saturating the water. The clear liquid is then pumped into the tank. This is used to maintain alkalinity and calcium.

A calcium reactor or CARX is another contraption alltogether. Aragonite media or calcium carbonate is slowly dissolved in a reaction chamber by carbon dioxide which suppresses the p.H of the water slowly dissolving the media. The reactor is hooked up to a p.H controller in the tank which will tell it when to add water saturated with the calcium. It is very expensive to set up a CARX and the benefits are alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and strontium all added to the tank without and manual tinkering once the system is set perfectly.
 
Thanks Tony, got that. But what I am getting at, is that different manufacturers show a calcium reactor, a kalkwasser reactor and a kalk stirrer. So I am trying to get the pea brain around the kalkwasser stirrer and kalkwasser reactor bit.
 
A kalk reactor or kalk stirrer is the same thing, just a different name
 
yip tony said it,it comes down to the same product

i only know of deltec that still has the stirrer on the reactor itself...were as reef octopus switches on a pump to stir the kalk
 
Thanks, I will consider myself slightly better educated now. My God this is a long road!! And on the really easy stuff too.
 
A stirrer is usually driven by a motor at the top that turns a rod down the center and an upside down T at the bottom of the cylinder. This turns fairly slowly and just keeps the kalk mixed. Reactor will usually use a pump to circulate the water.
 
yip, like Rory said, stirrer uses a slow turning "spoon" to keep the power suspended within the chamber full of water. Reactor does the same, just instead of a mechanical driven spoon, the use a water pump to keep it mixed.

These must not be confused with a CaRX (Calcium reactor).
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So then..........in terms of the kalk (stirrer vs reactor), for the million dollar prize gentlemen,.........is the better option??????
or is that again like "how long is a piece of string???"
 
pretty much so.... but if I'm not mistaken the reactor type is/has replacing the stirrer.... stand to be corrected.

IMHO, the reactor could have the edge....
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If you want to keep a ton of SPS's then a reactor is cool but for softies it's a waste. Just use an aragonite substrate and DSB for softies only
 
dont shoot me:54:, but my understanding has always been that they ultimatley be run together to balance Ph and provide different calcuim (kalkstirrer = calcuim hydroxide / cal reactor = calcuim carbonate) i can understand the PH swing being risk taken out of the equation if a lit chaeto / refuiguim is in place but the calcium differnces? sorry to hijack, just trying to fill a gap in my head?
 
Les a CARX can suppress the p.H in poorly circulated or deep tanks. I have always maintained that a CARX be used during the day with a stirrer at night to counter the p.H swing for those guys that want to use one. I personally don't use any and I have tons of SPS's. I only use TM bio calcium
 
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