melev
Well-known member
If the media in your reactor turned to mush, you need to clean it out and refill it with new media.
The dKH of the reactor should be much higher, like 19 - 30 dKH. That way as it drips that higher alkalinity into the system, the tank's alkalinity will be within the target range of 8 to 11 dKH.
When setting up your reactor again:
1. Turn on the circulation pump on the calcium reactor.
2. Turn on the feed pump to the calcium reactor.
3. Open the pinch (or needle) valve on the effluent tubing to allow water to flow out of the reactor freely and remove any trapped air.
4. Pour RO/DI, distilled water, or the oil mentioned above (NOT SALTWATER) into the bubble counter.
5. Open up the main valve on the CO2 tank. The gauge on the regulator should jump quickly to show how many pounds of pressure is in the tank.
6. Slowly twist shut the regulator's knob on the front (this could be a screw on yours). This will increase the pressure and the needle will rise in the second gauge. I would set this to 12 lbs of pressure.
7. Open the needle valve on the side of the regulator to allow a bubbles to rise in the bubble counter. To start off, one bubble every three seconds is recommended.
8. Close the pinch valve on the effluent tubing so that the output is roughly 40-60ml per minute.
Things to keep in mind
Buffering it up for now is fine, but you'll have to do so daily until the calcium reactor is back online.
Remember that baked Baking Soda brings up Alk and pH, and unbaked Baking Soda will bring up Alk only.
The dKH of the reactor should be much higher, like 19 - 30 dKH. That way as it drips that higher alkalinity into the system, the tank's alkalinity will be within the target range of 8 to 11 dKH.
When setting up your reactor again:
1. Turn on the circulation pump on the calcium reactor.
2. Turn on the feed pump to the calcium reactor.
3. Open the pinch (or needle) valve on the effluent tubing to allow water to flow out of the reactor freely and remove any trapped air.
4. Pour RO/DI, distilled water, or the oil mentioned above (NOT SALTWATER) into the bubble counter.
5. Open up the main valve on the CO2 tank. The gauge on the regulator should jump quickly to show how many pounds of pressure is in the tank.
6. Slowly twist shut the regulator's knob on the front (this could be a screw on yours). This will increase the pressure and the needle will rise in the second gauge. I would set this to 12 lbs of pressure.
7. Open the needle valve on the side of the regulator to allow a bubbles to rise in the bubble counter. To start off, one bubble every three seconds is recommended.
8. Close the pinch valve on the effluent tubing so that the output is roughly 40-60ml per minute.
Things to keep in mind
- ARM dissolves at a pH of 6.5, while other products such as Schuran media needs to reach 6.2 before it will dissolve.
- To increase alkalinity in the effluent, either slow the effluent rate even more, or increase bubbles per minute.
- To decrease alkalinity in the effluent, allow more effluent to exit, or decrease bubbles per minute.
- Any changes or adjustments you make should be tiny ones. Test your tank the next day to see how the parameters are currently. Try not to overreact. You can fine tune the system gradually over several days or even weeks.
- It is very important to check the effluent tubing daily to make sure it is dripping or flowing at the normal rate. It can clog up, and if water cannot exit, the pH can potentially drop within the reactor to the point of causing all the media to melt down at once. Check the bubble counter as well.
- Clean the pH probe if you use a controller, and calibrate it every six months.
- Every six months, clean the reactor out well, clean the feed and circulation pumps and the tubing. Replace the media.
- Have an extra tank of CO2 ready, so when you run out you'll be able to swap tanks out immediately. Refill the empty tank at your convenience.
Buffering it up for now is fine, but you'll have to do so daily until the calcium reactor is back online.
Remember that baked Baking Soda brings up Alk and pH, and unbaked Baking Soda will bring up Alk only.
