Stony corals and invertebrates require calcium carbonates to build their skeletons and shells. A reef aquarium should maintain calcium levels of 400-450 ppm and alkalinity of 8-12 dKH. Calcium reactors automate the process of maintaining these levels by providing a constant and controlled supply of calcium carbonate. When using a calcium reactor there is no need to dose any other calcium buffers or supplements such as Kalkwasser.

A calcium reactor has a reactor chamber, which holds a calcium-based media. A small pump (200-350 gph) will be needed to pump water from your sump through the calcium reactor. Another small pump is used to circulate the water within the reactor chamber(s). The reactor is connected to a CO2 bottle via a CO2 regulator. A pH monitor can be used to give you a constant reading of the pH inside the reactor chamber, or better yet, a pH controller can be connected to the solenoid on the CO2 regulator to automatically adjust the amount of CO2 being injected thus keeping the pH constant at all times.

As the CO2 is injected into the reactor chamber it lowers the pH level inside the reactor causing the calcium based media to dissolve into calcium carbonate. As a result the water leaving the calcium reactor is rich in calcium carbonate, which your corals and invertebrates will use to grow their skeletons and shells. Pink and purple Coraline Algae will also flourish with the use of a calcium reactor covering your live rock and adding beautiful color to your reef.

When purchasing a Calcium Reactor you will also need a CO2 bottle, CO2 regulator, 2 small pumps, and ARM reactor media. We also recommend adding a pH monitor or pH controller to fully automate your calcium reactor.

Single Chamber vs. Dual Chamber

Dual chamber calcium reactors help to dissipate any excess CO2 that leaves the first chamber of the reactor. The water coming out of a single chamber reactor often has a pH of 6.6-6.7, while the water coming out of a dual chamber reactor often has a higher pH of 7.1-7.1.