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V2 Reactor from TMC
In the April/May 2007 Edition of the Marine World Magazine, was published a Product Review of the TMC V2 Calcium Reactors, a product which we sell in our shop and online. This is the article. Calcium reactors. Perceived as essential by some and misunderstood or ignored by others these pieces of equipment are generally employed as part of a reef aquarium’s long list of optional add-ons to facilitate the addition of calcium to the system. Essentially what they do is to break down calcium carbonate into calcium and carbonate ions allowing aquarium corals and other organisms to take them out of the water column and recombine them as they lay down new skeletal material. The means of breaking down the solid medium is provided by carbon dioxide which is acidic in solution and forms bicarbonate ions when it reacts with calcium carbonate. Most reactor units are simply
vessels that allow carbon dioxide to be mixed with calcium carbonate based
media but they incorporate internal circulation pumps to allow for good
mixing of the water and prevent anaerobic pockets forming. Another feature
of the calcium reactor is that it is a pressurised chamber allowing a feed
pump to supply it with water and then to the aquarium or sump chamber.
Historically calcium reactors have been expensive pieces of kit despite
their simplicity especially when one considers that few are provided with
carbon dioxide or a feed pump. Thus when a system is made available that
contradicts this trend the industry is bound to sit up and notice. Copyright (C) Marine World Magazine Tropical Marine Centre’s (TMC) V2React is such a beast and it has a number of innovations that will cause their competitors to sit up and take notice. First and foremost this range contains three different models designed to run on aquaria from 800 to 1500 litres although the smallest reactor could be utilised on aquaria of more modest proportions than the stated volume. All of the reactors follow the same theme in having a pump fitted that not only creates internal flow but also pumps water from the aquarium through the reactor and back to the aquarium A simple enough process one might think but this separates this calcium reactor from many of its rivals as no feed pump is required. The second innovation is that this range is supplied with a carbon dioxide regulation valve. Although sourcing your own refillable bottle is necessary TMC provide the regulator which makes this reactor even more of a bargain. Regulators that are designed to allow the very small amounts of carbon dioxide that supply calcium reactors to pass through them can vary in price from £40-F80 depending upon the build quality and manufacturer. This can mean that aquarists contemplating a competitor’s calcium reactor may have to add a further £140-160 onto the price of the reactor and in many instances this will push it out of reach of many people’s pockets. TMC’s supplied regulator fits standard male thread bottles such as those supplied by other manufacturers and large companies like Air Products and BOC that have rental schemes available on larger bottles. The calcium reactor is also supplied with an integrated bubble and drip counter.
We installed a V2React on a 270 litre aquarium that
was established primarily for stony corals although others were also
present It seemed like a good starting point for this system. Installation
was fairly straightforward and we managed to have it up and running within
less than ten minutes. The beautiful thing about calcium reactors is that
they are quite simple and the only component that required “tweaking” was
the pressure gauge in order for it to supply the reactor with the
suggested rate of around one bubble per second, and the flow regulator
that determines how much water from the aquarium is passed through the
equipment.
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All information on this site is provided by the webmaster and, should there be a pricing error, it is my fault and not the shop or its staff. Any prices marked on stock shown on these pages were correct at the time the image was taken. If you have a question regarding the site Click to email me Erdington Aquatics 97-99 Church Road Erdington Birmingham B24 9BE England Telephone: 0121 373 1100 |
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