Keeping Alk stable w/ Calcium Reactor?

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dawgface

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I recently hooked up a MRC MR6 Calcium Reactor to my system. I dosed A&B initially to get them to my prefered point. I'ts been been roughly 4 weeks since the reactor went online and the numbers have stayed pretty much right on.

Ca - 450
Alk - 5.5 meq/L
MG - 1450
PH - 8.0
SG - 1.026

I tested again lastnight after skipping a week and the numbers were on except ALK.

Ca - 450
Alk - 3 meq/L
Mg - 1400
PH - 8.0
Salinity - 1.026

I was really expecting the Alk to stay on track with the Ca. Should I expect to still have to dose even after using the reactor. The tank has was I consider a minimum of SPS (I just got about 15 frags) 4 colonies, one clam and a ton of softies. Moderately heavy fish bioload.

Tank is 190g with 75-100g sump.

Thanks in advance for any insight...

Jesse
 
I have the same exact problem except with my cr 4. Params are almost the same except my ph is alil higher and was wondering the same question.I am currently just adding some alk to my top off for the time being...

System is 150 DT - 30 frag - 55 sump
 
WTH?

My CR2 is running and the ALK creeped up to 18 - reactor is offline now
 
I hate all of you...

My CR2 (with a bubble rate of 100 million per minute) and I've got

Cal: 375 (finally!... had been 350 or lower)
Alk: 3.5 Meq/L
Mag: 1325
pH: 8.15-8.25
Sg: 1.025
 
DawgFace;681341 wrote: I recently hooked up a MRC MR6 Calcium Reactor to my system. I dosed A&B initially to get them to my prefered point. I'ts been been roughly 4 weeks since the reactor went online and the numbers have stayed pretty much right on.

Ca - 450
Alk - 5.5 meq/L
MG - 1450
PH - 8.0
SG - 1.026

I tested again lastnight after skipping a week and the numbers were on except ALK.

Ca - 450
Alk - 3 meq/L
Mg - 1400
PH - 8.0
Salinity - 1.026

I was really expecting the Alk to stay on track with the Ca. Should I expect to still have to dose even after using the reactor. The tank has was I consider a minimum of SPS (I just got about 15 frags) 4 colonies, one clam and a ton of softies. Moderately heavy fish bioload.

Tank is 190g with 75-100g sump.

Thanks in advance for any insight...

Jesse
Click to expand...

Have you done any large water changes lately? Just a thought, but your salt mix could be the culprit rather than your reactor.

Also, you are still in the correct range of alkalinity for a reef aquarium, 2.5-4 meq/L. Alkalinity is the most reactive parameter of the three we test for. I would suggest testing for another couple days to see if this is a trend, or just a variance related to the time of day you tested. If you have not read this already, here is an article by Randy Holmes Farley about this very topic:
a>
 
That was going to be my next suggestion....im using salinity and compensating for the low mg via neo mag in my reactor. Could this have any effect as well?
 
Acroholic;681378 wrote: Have you done any large water changes lately? Just a thought, but your salt mix could be the culprit rather than your reactor.

Also, you are still in the correct range of alkalinity for a reef aquarium, 2.5-4 meq/L. Alkalinity is the most reactive parameter of the three we test for. I would suggest testing for another couple days to see if this is a trend, or just a variance related to the time of day you tested. If you have not read this already, here is an article by Randy Holmes Farley about this very topic: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php</a>[/QUOTE]


Great read! Thank you.

Edit: [QUOTE=][B]Crewdawg1981;681350 wrote:[/B] I hate all of you...

My CR2 (with a bubble rate of 100 million per minute) and I've got

Cal: 375 (finally!... had been 350 or lower)
Alk: 3.5 Meq/L
Mag: 1325
pH: 8.15-8.25
Sg: 1.025[/QUOTE]


Have you checked for leaks in the regulator and/or line? What is the PH in the Calcium Reactor?
Click to expand...
 
DawgFace;681401 wrote: Have you checked for leaks in the regulator and/or line? What is the PH in the Calcium Reactor?
Click to expand...

well, the line from the regulator to the bubble counter is brand new and doesnt appear to be leaking. Dave came out to look at the setup and was as puzzled as I am.

I' have the Apex keep the pH inside the first chamber ~6.5-6.6 to keep the ARM media from turning into slush. To do this, I have the bubble counter going crazy... no way could you count these. If I cut it back to a countable figure, the pH goes over 7 real quick.

This is at ~50-60mls/min.
 
Crewdawg1981;681412 wrote: well, the line from the regulator to the bubble counter is brand new and doesnt appear to be leaking. Dave came out to look at the setup and was as puzzled as I am.

I' have the Apex keep the pH inside the first chamber ~6.5-6.6 to keep the ARM media from turning into slush. To do this, I have the bubble counter going crazy... no way could you count these. If I cut it back to a countable figure, the pH goes over 7 real quick.

This is at ~50-60mls/min.
Click to expand...

I'm a little confused... Do you have the Apex control the regulator? If so is the regulator always on to keep the ph where you want it? Reason I'm asking is you shouldn't adjust your bubble rate to raise calcium/alk as slower bubbles will get you to the desired ph and then your Apex will turn it back on when it reaches your hysteria mark. If crazy amount of bubbles is what it takes to keep your ph down in that tiny little cylinder then I believe you have a significant leak somewhere. On my MR6 I drop my PH in less than a minute down from 6.7-6.6, hysteria is set to .01. Put some soap and water on a dish towel and run it over (while on) all of the componets. If you don't have any bubbles, you don't have a leak. Next thing I would tinker with is the affluent drip rate, have you tried lower that down?
 
I have the apex control the solenoid, but it is open pretty much all teh time. As soon as it reaches its low set point, it takes about 10 minutes to go back up again, and the solenoid opens back up.

If I slow down the bubble rate to something closer to the recommended 60 or so per minute, the pH goes way up and NEVER comes back down. Tried that too.

the leak, if there was one, would be between the bubble counter and the recirc pump correct? I'll give it a shot tonight.

I have tinkered with the effluent drip rate, and it does work if I lower it to like 10-20mls per minute (but still ~70-90 bpm).
 
Crewdawg1981;681429 wrote: I have the apex control the solenoid, but it is open pretty much all teh time. As soon as it reaches its low set point, it takes about 10 minutes to go back up again, and the solenoid opens back up.

If I slow down the bubble rate to something closer to the recommended 60 or so per minute, the pH goes way up and NEVER comes back down. Tried that too.

the leak, if there was one, would be between the bubble counter and the recirc pump correct? I'll give it a shot tonight.

I have tinkered with the effluent drip rate, and it does work if I lower it to like 10-20mls per minute (but still ~70-90 bpm).
Click to expand...

I'd check for leaks everywhere since your checking as leaks around the reg. and C02 tank are common and leading cause of empty tanks =) But yes I think in this specific problem the leak would be between the BC and Recirc pump.
Outside of that I wonder if there is such a thing as bad or stale C02.... that maybe an asinine question but outside of that I'm stumped!
 
DawgFace;681434 wrote: I'd check for leaks everywhere since your checking as leaks around the reg. and C02 tank are common and leading cause of empty tanks =) But yes I think in this specific problem the leak would be between the BC and Recirc pump.
Outside of that I wonder if there is such a thing as bad or stale C02.... that maybe an asinine question but outside of that I'm stumped!
Click to expand...

I thought about leaks in the regulator/bubble counter/CO2 line as well when I went over there, but when you have a leak in one of these you don't put air into the system, you just empty out the cylinder because the reg, bubble counter, and line to the reactor are under pressure. In other words, it is a one way leak out, and not in. Even with a CO2 leak, the reactor should be working better than it is. The only way outside air would be entering the reactor would be from a venturi type effect from the recirculation pump if there were a leak at the fittings or something similar. But Crewdawg's reactor was not filled with bubbles when I saw it in operation. Air in a reactor would show itself easily because it is nowhere near as soluble in water as CO2 is.

I thought maybe there was massive CO2 degassing going on since crew's tank is on the first floor and his equipment is in the basement, but that really doesn't mean anything either because the reactor is a closed system and there should be absolutely no problems like he is having going on.

I believe the above to be correct, but please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Grant, I suppose your actual CO2 gas could be very dilute in the cylinder. I have a couple spare 5# CO2 tanks at my place. You could borrow one and replace your cylinder with it and see if a different CO2 tank would help. PM me if you'd like to try that.
 
I may do that Dave. I need to stop by for some mesh netting anyways. I'll PM you soon...

Sorry to hijack the thread
 
Crewdawg1981;681445 wrote: I may do that Dave. I need to stop by for some mesh netting anyways. I'll PM you soon...

Sorry to hijack the thread
Click to expand...

No worries bud, I think I've found my answers so let's figure out yours.
 
I have had the same problem with alk not being stable and it always my magnesium was low.

Edit: I have had the same problem with alk not being stable and it alwayswas my magnesium was low.
 
I'll try and swing by this weekend to swap out CO2 canisters. Honestly, that would explain a LOT. I've got my fingers crossed thats the issue!
 
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