pH monitor question

[ericmcj31]

Any experience with this ph monitor?? I have a knop reactor i would be hooking it with.

 

[ericmcj31]

plugging into reactor--I assume to help monitor ph w/o nuking the tank!

 

[ericmcj31]

ok, let me double check then! thanks1

 

[william1]

Heres the link to the controller.

 

[william1]

I have thie same reactor and theres not a place to insert the probe into the reactor so I had to make a enffluent drip cup to place the probe to read the PH. if the ph inside the reactor gets to low the media will disolve and there will be a mess. the controller will sop leting C02 in the reactor when it gets to low or the desired range your looking for to disolve the media. I set mine at 6.9

 

[acroholic]

Do yourself a favor and buy the controller.:thumbs: No brainer for only $10 more than the American Marine unit. Milwaukee instruments SMS 122 is a good unit. I've used them for 10 years in my planted tanks. Same unit I use on my reef.
Dave

 

[skriz]

Yep, go with a controller-it's well worth it:

http://www.myreefcreations.com/product_info.php?products_id=102">Milwaukee</a> $99

or

[IMG]http://www.myreefcreations.com/index.php?cPath=57_61">American Marine </a>$189

 

[acroholic]

Skriz;249007 wrote: Yep, go with a controller-it's well worth it:

http://www.myreefcreations.com/product_info.php?products_id=102">Milwaukee</a> $99

or

[IMG]http://www.myreefcreations.com/index.php?cPath=57_61">American Marine </a>$189[/QUOTE]

I own both of these controllers.

When the MI SMS 122 first came out (maybe 9-10 years ago), you could buy them for about $85 each. Most common price I see nowadays is $110, so the MRC price is great.

The American Marine controller, OTOH, has not changed price in about 10 years at lease. I have had mine for about 11-12 years, and I paid $199 for it in 1997-98. It has even come down, in some cases, like the $189 price Raj posted.

A good feature of the AM unit, that the MI controller does not have, is a high set point. The AM unit has two three prong outlets. It will energize an outlet if the pH gets too high, or another if the pH gets too low, depending on your needs. I use the high setting on my AM controller to control power to my Tunze ATO and my MRC Nilsen Stirrer. If the pH of the tank goes above 8.5 the Tunze and the Nilsen get no power, allowing me to correct the problem before the pH gets too high in the tank.
Dave

 

[skriz]

That's a great idea Dave; I never thought about that. Looks like I'll be redesigning my setup once again!

 

[acroholic]

Skriz;249278 wrote: That's a great idea Dave; I never thought about that. Looks like I'll be redesigning my setup once again!

Got the idea from Reef Central. Saved my tank once that I know of. Especially useful if you hit that one time when your ATO is pumping a lot of water into the sump, combined with the stirrer going on your Nilsen.
Dave

 

[derek_s]

You can also get that redundancy with a contolling unit like a RK or ACJR. I have my ato pump cut off at 8.4+ ph, and the CA reactor cuts off at 7.8 or below with my ACJr.

Just a consideration if you plan on using a controller, you may not need the more expensive AM unit, unless you want multiple redundancy, which isnt bad either.

 

[derek_s]

dawgdude;249309 wrote: I agree! I havent purchased one yet, but after hearing that I would definately buy that before another controller!

So just to clarify (I know I even saw your set up but I was still in awe) your ATO runs through you kalk reactor. Then if your ph gets to high, it will cut off the ATO and therefore kalk since that means the ATO is stuck on. Did I get that right? So it prevents pH spike and a flood all in one basically?

Dave has discussed his setup with me in detail, and this is exactly what he means. The controller can detect a high ph, preventing any overshooting (or related flooding). Even though it doesnt fix the problem, it buys you time to figure out why everything is off.

It is also an electronic failsafe and not a mechanical one, so the odds of a massive failure (relay gets locked ON and floods/overshoots ph) is pretty nominal..

 

[derek_s]

Exactly. But the electronic failsafe is much more reliable than say a mechanical float. This is of course in the case of flooding. I dont know of any mechanical preventative for ph...!

 

[acroholic]

The AM unit may not prevent a flood. I use it in case of a pH spike from the Nilsen.

Unfortunately, you can't use the AM unit simultaneously for your Calcium reactor AND your Nilsen/ATO unit because you only have one pH probe. The probe either needs to be in the Ca reactor to control that or the sump/tank to control power to the ATO/Nilsen.

BUT, here is a reverse setpoint MI SMS 122 from Custom Aquatic that does the same thing the AM unit does for 1/2 the price.

http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/control/product/~product=DI-MKSMS122-RS">http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/control/product/~product=DI-MKSMS122-RS</a>

Dave