Getting a calcium reactor!!

bhodges82

bhodges82

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So I purchased a used reactor from a member and started acquiring the other related equipment needed to run my reactor. I got a pm1 module and a ph probe for the apex, a smaller kamoer adjustable peristaltic pump for the feed and started to test it all out in a Rubbermaid, I soon remembered that I don’t like used equipment ‍ I ordered a new aquamaxx tech t2 reactor and plan on setting it up next week. My question is are there any tips for setting up a new calcium reactor? I was going to set the ph to 7.0 on & 6.9 off then test after a day, can someone maybe help with the apex programming?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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Congrats on jumping to the CA reactor team!

This is the program I have for the CO2 solenoid - pretty basic. I have the CO2 set to stop dosing if the tank gets down to a pH of 7.8 as a safety for a runaway CA reactor drip rate or other catastrophic tank situation.

Fallback OFF
If pH_CA > 6.75 Then ON
If pH_CA < 6.65 Then OFF
If pH < 7.80 Then OFF
Defer 000:30 Then ON

Set the bubble rate on the CO2 solenoid to about 1 bubble per minute.

Set the effluent drip rate to about 1 drop per second.

Set the CA reactor pH to your starting points (7.0 and 6.9 are fine). Let the CA reactor run for a day and test the Alk of the reactor effluent. You may have to use 1/2 effluent and 1/2 RODI water and double the test kit reading. Keep dropping the pH of the reactor by .05 (6.95 and 6.85 would be the next step). Wait 24 hours and test again. Adjust again if needed. Target 25-40 dkh on the effluent. Any lower and your effluent drip rate has to be so fast it will suppress your tank pH. Too high and you risk melting your media to mush.

Once you have the effluent concentration tuned, then you can focus on getting the drip rate correct. Similar process: Measure tank Alk, record. Set the drip rate to 1 drop per second. Let it run for 24 hours. Measure Alk. If the Alk stays steady, run another 24 hours and retest. If the Alk dropped, slightly increase the drip rate. Wait 24 hours and retest. Rinse and reapeat until your Alk is steady.
 
Last edited:
bhodges82 said:
It’s hard to follow with all the posts not really being in order and referring to comments that aren’t even there. I did read some things of it though.
Click to expand...

Yea... $@#$%@

It was in order when we went live on Xenforo but an update or add-on messed up some of those older threads. The relevant info is in post 73 of that thread.
At some point soon I'm going to condense it in a new thread to use as a new sticky. That will make the needed info readily available.
 
That reactor is very close to the GEO 618 I have. Here's my tips.

Since you're using a Kamoer, calibrate it & set it to run at 55ml/min. Then let it run with no CO2 for a few days.
During those days measure and adjust your Alk, Cal & Mag where you want to keep it. Once you have it set turn off all dosing and track the drop in Alk for a 3 days minimum.

Post up the following info:

Tank size & total water volume.
Post a FTS of the DT.
List the A, C & M numbers your shooting for. (A & C are the most important)

Once that's done we can help you dial it in.
 
anit77 said:
That reactor is very close to the GEO 618 I have. Here's my tips.

Since you're using a Kamoer, calibrate it & set it to run at 55ml/min. Then let it run with no CO2 for a few days.
During those days measure and adjust your Alk, Cal & Mag where you want to keep it. Once you have it set turn off all dosing and track the drop in Alk for a 3 days minimum.

Post up the following info:

Tank size & total water volume.
Post a FTS of the DT.
List the A, C & M numbers your shooting for. (A & C are the most important)

Once that's done we can help you dial it in.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I currently add 100 ml of cal and alk daily at this point. That’s 1 dkh per day on a 150 gallon total volume system. I’ll hopefully come home Tuesday with my new equipment and follow your lead.


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Calcium reactor arrived today, it’s unpacked and filled, feed pump is feeding. Will do tests and post picture of tank tonight. #stoked


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120 gallon display
22 gallons in sump
5-6 gallon refugium
20 gallon frag tank

Overall ~165 gallon system
Display running 3 radions & 4 t5
Approx 1400 gph via basement sump

Current parameters
Calcium 400 (salifert)
Alkalinity 8.34 (hanna)
Magnesium 1395 (salifert)

Ideal goal
Cal 450
Alk 9.5
Mag 1375

456520d3a187e934b1702a966cf740d9.jpg
ebe89482cb0478b0925198e868571cdb.jpg
c9db0aa7e1c48cbbc7c44631cae6f6bc.jpg



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19e29a2d5010410da541484325f0cff6.jpg
5a033c234605242b22bf544e72505f4e.jpg


So of course right out of the box we have a problem.....fortunately I had a syncra 1.5 pump to steal parts from while this is getting replace under warranty.


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That sucks. Glad you had the spare parts though.

With all the rock and sand in the 120 it probably has around 80-90 gallons in it. All four of them aren't filled to the top either.
A conservative guess is you have about 120 gallons of total volume.

With keeping your Alk in the 9-9.5 range running the mag a little higher won't hurt anything.

What was the 100ml dose of 2part holding your Alk & Cal at?
 
anit77 said:
That sucks. Glad you had the spare parts though.

With all the rock and sand in the 120 it probably has around 80-90 gallons in it. All four of them aren't filled to the top either.
A conservative guess is you have about 120 gallons of total volume.

With keeping your Alk in the 9-9.5 range running the mag a little higher won't hurt anything.

What was the 100ml dose of 2part holding your Alk & Cal at?
Click to expand...

Alk would be around 9-9.5
Cal around 400-450

I didn’t put caps on my dosing jugs so evaporation would change the potency of the dosed as the time went on.


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If you're still dropping 1dkh a day and you verify that over the next couple days then starting with the co2 at 6.9 on 6.8 off and a flow rate of 55ml/min would be a good starting point.
You need to have the system at your desired points when you start the co2. Then monitor it daily and adjust the parameters back up with 2part if it's still dropping. I don't think those numbers will go up with that ph setting, you'll likely be adjusting the ph down a little over the next week to meet that demand.

Also that demand and 2part dose match up pretty good with a total water volume in the 120~125 range.
 
bhodges82 said:
@anit77 Should I dose my alk back up? At the rate of decline I will be at 6 dkh tomorrow.... not good
Click to expand...
Sorry I didn't see this till just now.

Yes, you should be dosing the 2part and keep your params where you want them until you start the co2. Even after you start the co2 you should be bumping them back up while you dial the reactor in.
 
You also let it drop too low and it'll take a couple days to get it back up to your desired points. Everything I said above mentioned keeping things where you want them with daily adjustments. Don't adjust the alk back up to 9.5 in one day. Try to make .75dkh increases twice a day until you get it back above 9 if you can. But no more than 1~1.4 if done in a shorter time. You'll have to watch your pH too.

By the time you get everything back you'll be ready to start the co2.
 
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