PH controllers for Calcium Reactors
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I prefer these. Not the most cost effective, but great to calibrate and well built.
I prefer the SMS 122 because it is way easier to calibrate than the AM unit, IME. I have had this AM unit for about 13 years, so maybe it has changed and is easier now, but it is the 2 decimal point accuarcy that makes it more difficult to calibrate, because if my calibration solution is 10.01, then I have to have 10.01 on the meter, not 9.99 or 10.04. The SMS 122 is a single decimal point acuracy, and can be calibrated in just a couple minutes. Definitily not as accurate as the AM unit, but I don't need two point accuracy for a calcium reactor.
The AM unit has two three prong outlets, one that can be set to energize at a high pH reading, and one that can be set to energize at a low pH reading. You would use the high pH outlet for CO2 control to a calcium reactor. I use the low setpoint outlet to control my Nilsen Stirrer and my ATO, so if my pH spikes above 8.5 or whatever pH I set it to work at, the AM unit turns of electricity to my ATO and my Nilsen so I don't spike the pH in the tank.
This setup is helpful, for example, in the case where you forget to manually turn off the ATO and you are drip acclimating some fish or coral, so your ATO is running a lot more than usual, and it can actually stir the kalk up in the Nilsen to the point of spiking the tank pH ( tank water cloudy with Kalk). I've done this a couple times and the AM unit saved the day.
Dave
The AM unit has two three prong outlets, one that can be set to energize at a high pH reading, and one that can be set to energize at a low pH reading. You would use the high pH outlet for CO2 control to a calcium reactor. I use the low setpoint outlet to control my Nilsen Stirrer and my ATO, so if my pH spikes above 8.5 or whatever pH I set it to work at, the AM unit turns of electricity to my ATO and my Nilsen so I don't spike the pH in the tank.
This setup is helpful, for example, in the case where you forget to manually turn off the ATO and you are drip acclimating some fish or coral, so your ATO is running a lot more than usual, and it can actually stir the kalk up in the Nilsen to the point of spiking the tank pH ( tank water cloudy with Kalk). I've done this a couple times and the AM unit saved the day.
Dave
