how do i know if i need a calcium reactor?

[kissman]

I am currntly running a fish only tank. Its 55 gasllon. I have about 60lbs of live rock a anemone and a clown fish. I am getting ready to add a 20g refugium. I wanna start getting some corals as soon as my nitrates drop using the fuge. What should I look for and what brands do you recommend. Please help. Everything I seem to find is for a tank much bigger than mine. Can you have to much Calcium and what about PH levels are the gonna drop even though I have a reactor or will it maintain the PH of 8.2?

[ereefic]

Personally, I wouldn't even think about a reactor at this point. Unless your going full blown SPS and lots of them, you can use different methods of maintaining Alk. and Cal.

Depending on the corals you plan on keeping, regular water changes with a good salt mix may be enough. Otherwise, there are 2 Part Additives, Kalkwasser, or Buffer and Calcium. I'd look into those methods at this time.

[kissman]

thanks, i have not done any reading in sometime. although my tank has been up, i have kinda gotten out of all the new things that come out. just looking to see what i need to upgrade. new things coming out all the time