Dialing in calcium reactor

[petrasb]

I bought a CR-6 calcium reactor. What is the best method of dailing it in? I have a ph controler that is set to 6.8-7.0 on the reactor. My parameters are:
alk 10.
ph 8.1
cal. 480
I am at 1 bubble every 2 seconds. and ph prob in reactor is 7.2. Should I slow the drip rate feeding into the tank to raise my ph in the reactor? Or just leave it alone?

 

[calireefer]

I don't have a reactor but I've done a lot of reading as I plan on buying one as soon as I can afford it.

That being said here's a good article that should help you out:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php</a>

Also off the top of my head you need to lower the reactor PH to 6.5-6.7 or your media will not dissolve.

 

[kzoo]

calireefer;126966 wrote: I don't have a reactor but I've done a lot of reading as I plan on buying one as soon as I can afford it.

That being said here's a good article that should help you out:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php</a>

Also off the top of my head you need to lower the reactor PH to 6.5-6.7 or your media will not dissolve.[/QUOTE]


Matters what media you are useing.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

kzoo;127577 wrote: Matters what media you are useing.

not really. Essentially all reacttor media is made of the same thing, crushed up coral skeleton. Some "Large piece" medias can tolerate a lower pH and dissolve more proliferantly to add calcium and alk a bit quicker.

But anyway, back to the question at hand, does you reactor have 2 chambers? Where are you measuring the pH? What is your effluent rate (in ml/min)? Knowing this will depend on where to set the other factors.

 

[kzoo]

jmaneyapanda;127661 wrote: not really. Essentially all reacttor media is made of the same thing, crushed up coral skeleton. Some "Large piece" medias can tolerate a lower pH and dissolve more proliferantly to add calcium and alk a bit quicker.

But anyway, back to the question at hand, does you reactor have 2 chambers? Where are you measuring the pH? What is your effluent rate (in ml/min)? Knowing this will depend on where to set the other factors.

My point was that if it is larger media than you need to set the ph lower to melt the media, and with smaller media you you would set th ph higher. So I guess that would make a difference on the set-up. The do the same but I guess he was asking about set-up right?

 

[petrasb]

It is a dual chanber reactor with a ph probe to control the co2. I am holding the ph in the reactor at 6.7-7.0. Unfortunatly I threw the media boxes out, so I cannot remember the manufaturer. It is not very large media though. I am at a fast drip out of my return line, about 60ml/min. I need to lower my alk in my tank, I am at about 10.0dkh and 480-500 for cal. I just raised may drip rate to a fast drip instead of the slow drip that I had to try and bring things into balance better. Here is a pic of my new set up in my basement.
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[dannybradley]

A dKH of 10 is fine for that calcium level. I would assume your magnesium is fine to support that ratio.

 

[kzoo]

wow nice setup, if you lower the co2 rate a small amount and drip rate, it should lower the alk but with a reactor it takes 24hrs to see what the change has done. A reactor is for mantaining levels, so when you are done lowering it to the right level you will have to reset it to maintain the level. The good thing is when you get it right it will be little or no changes needed again.

 

[petrasb]

Thanks,
My Mag. is 1050, a little low, I will add some in a few days after I play with the reactor some more.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

No, what I meant was where is the pH probe measuring the water? In an effluent cup> Bteween the chambers? where? This will mandate what you want to set the controller at. FWIW, you do nOT have to lower the pH to dissolve larger media. It will dissolve just fine at 6.5 like all calcium bicarbonate. It just has a smaller surface area, and is less likely to "mush" at a pH of 6.5 to 6.0. So, dont think you HAVE to run bigger media at 6.0, it is untrue.

As a general guide, if you increase the effluent rate, the alk will drop. If you decrease it, the alk will increase. If you increase the bubble rate, the alk will raise, and if you decrease it, the alk will lower. Balancing these factors is how you dial in a calcium reactor. You will just ahvce set it up, let it run for a day or two, and test everything. Adjust as needed, wait a day or two and test again. Repeat.
There is really no way anyone can say set it to X bubbles wiith an effluent of Y ml/min, because clacium consumotion varies immensely from tank to tank.