Calcium Reactors, CO2 question

Hi all

I'm very much into planted aquariums. I have one of my tanks, a 40 gallon long, with pressurized CO2 going into it, sitting right next to the SW tank. We are just starting to add corals into our tank right now. Just softies right now. We have 4 tree corals, 3 red and 1 a peachey color, all of which are doing very well. We just picked up a large Xenia colony and a small zoa frag today. The two are still acclimating, and will probably not be done untl 1-2am. (been acclimating since 7:00pm).

We upgraded our lighting system, and have LEDs and VHOs. The LEDs are a brand called DSunY, a chinese brand, but the new LFS by us uses them in their display tanks and frag tanks, and the owner says he's been absolutely thrilled with them. And we are so far as well. The VHOs are two 140 Watt bulbs, one was just changed to a UVL Super Actinic, and the other still has the original AquaSun in it that came with the tank-which might be changed to a 10k White Actinic.

Eventually in the future, if our lighting is sufficient enough, we'd like to get into LPS and SPS. I'm particulary fond of brains and candy cane coral. Our LFS (Bosh's Reef here in GR Michigan), said that his coral and brain have been doing spectacularly under the lights, so hopefully we should be good to go with the LEDs and VHOs. I've been reading into calcium requirements for certain corals, and have started researching calcium reactors. I noticed they need pressurized CO2, and was curious, could I rework my CO2 regulator/bubble counter and solenoid system so that it run the calcium reactor as well? It is a 20lb tank that my hydroponics store only charges 4.99 to refill, and a Blueprint CO2 regulator (not really meant for aquariums, but I love it) with a solenoid and needle valve, that have performed VERY well from the getgo. The two tanks are right next to each other, and the CO2 tank is nestled between them. So essentially, if I added another needle valve and bubble counter, could I use the CO2 tank for a calcium reactor as well? I might just end up dosing liquid calcium at the beginning, but I know from experience with my planted aquariums, that liquid fertilizers get expensive VERY quickly.

Still brand new to SW, and my bf is new to reef style tanks, so if this is a silly idea please tell me!

Thanks in advance
-Kristina!

 

Yes, you can use the regulator and solinoid, but it would be better to have a pH meter connected than counting bubbles.

With that said, you won't need a reactor for a long, long time, if ever, with the coral you plan on keeping.

 

I have no experience with a co2 reactor but i would imagine there would be no problem with using the co2 you have. I do know that a co2 reactor is for heavily stocked tanks and most people are able to keep up with the demand with WCs, Kalkwasser, or 2 part. I personally am using kalk and WCs to keep my parameters stable which neither are very expensive and 2 part dosing doesn't have to be expensive either. Check out this article on making your own 2 part.

 

Well thats good to know. I'll give that article a read, if I don't have to deal with another tank using CO2, or spend more money then necessary, thats a plus LOL.