Multiple filtration questions

I have decided to go for a deep sand aragonite bed, the particle size is good enoug and it's live aragonite sand, If the aragonite keeps the aquarium buffered, keeps the calcium levels good and stable (as far as I have read), Is it necesary to have a calcium reactor?

Would you advice to have a couple of reactor for phosfate and nitrate media?

Regarding biological filtration, does it make a difference the size of the live rock on it's biological filtration capabilities?

Thank you so much!

 

The DSB will not buffer the tank, your pH in the tank is too high to dissolve the sand and see any effects.
I run a 5-6" 330 lb DSB in my 100G system and still use a calcium reactor.

If you have a DSB, lots of live rock and a refugium containing macroalgaes you will not need any nitrate medias. I use GFO in a Phosban reactor for phosphates and it works well.

The more porous the live rock the better its capabilities since it can house much more beneficial bacteria.

 

I agree with the previous post, you don't need to run a Ca reactor, but you will need to dose if you have a heavy hard coral load. The sand bed will not add any Ca to the water, although I do believe it helps to maintain the Ph of the tank. If you have enough rock and a DSB, then you won't need any nitrate removal media. Although I do recommend running some ferric oxide somewhere in the system.

 

What is the Ferric Oxide for?

Do you think it would be wise to buy a couple dosing pumps from the start?

I was actually planning to have a large refugium/sump with another DSB and lots of algae for nitrates and in a separate chamber lots of live rock.

 

GFO or GFH, granular ferric oxide and granular ferric hydroxide and iron impregnated sand media that removes phosphates and other things. Its been used in the drinking water industry for years as an arsenic removal media.

I prefer a calcium reactor myself over dosing, its plug and play once its set up and requires almost zero attention for months on end. No mixing up batches of solutions and filling containers. To each their own but I would never go back to dosing.

 

Oh all i knew about phosphates is that they are bad and I needed a reactor for It (didn't really do the research flow and lighting takes a lot of time ^^) All i knew was that i was going to buy some seachem media and that's it ^^.

I know nothing about calcium reactors how hard is it REALLY to setup one? do you always need CO2 for them?

Dosing would still be necesary for all the other traces and mineras needed right?

 

I dose absolutely nothing in any of my tanks except what the calcium reactor does for the big one. Frequent water changes using a good salt mix is all that is necessary unless you have a heavily stocked SPS or hard stony coral tank. Salt has everything in it that is needed unless the stony corals are depleting the calcium faster than you can add it. Thats usually way down the road, a new system will never have that demand.
Never ever add anything to a reef system unless you first have a very good test kit for each substance in the additive and you use the kit on a regular basis and know for a fact the element or substance is depleted. Did I say never, I can't stress that enough. Too many people add things because the LFS or a friend told them too and have no idea how it affects their system. Its too easy to throw a system out of whack by indiscriminantly adding things that are totally unnecessary.

Pass on any additives or supplements and concentrate on regular water changes with a good name brand salt mix and you wil be much better off and have money in your pocket!

 

Ah ok thank you so much! this was one of the big answers I was looking for thank you!

 

Agree 100% with this..... Also running carbon and GFO will help, but not needed unless you feed heavy or have a high bio load. Here is a link to buy them cheaper them most places and some good articles on how to use.

Bulk Reef Supply - Bulk Reef Supply Articles - GFO Instructions

 

I disagree on the carbon, it should be run 24/7/365 in all systems especially someone just getting started. Carbon is cheap insurance and helps keep water quality in check. It is especially good if you keep a mixed reef including softies like leathers along with some LPS and SPS as they will be having constant chemical warefare or battles for dominance. The carbon adsorbs much of what they secrete into the water and makes things managable. I have systems both with and without and the ones with carbon and GFO are much easier to take care of, look much healthier and the water coloration is much more clear.