ca reactor causing low ph

[jjoos99]

I just thought that I would share what I have been experiencing in my tank lately. I have had a ca reactor running for years now and have always had low ph issues. I have a mr2 dual chamber reactor and thought that the co2 wouldnt make it into the tank. I built a kalk reactor and started running my ato water through the kalk reactor in hopes or raising the ph. I had raised the ph in the reactor to decrease the alk output. It did raise my ph to a more normal level in the tank but I tested my alk and it was pushing 11 (ouch). I shut off both my co2 and the kalk reactor to allow the alk to come down. I tested tonight and my alk has dropped to 9 after about 2 weeks. The big change is my ph has finally been a pretty steady 8.2 With the ca reactor I was lucky to get above 8 during the day. This pretty much has told me my ca reactor has been driving down my ph all along. I am thinking of trying running just kalk and see how that goes. I have had slow sps growth that I have felt the lower ph has been causing. I will probably let the alk come down some more then start the kalk reactor back up.
Jeff

 

[ca1ore]

Effluent from a CaRx will always be low. Mine measures at about 7.2. I route it to the skimmer which effectively blows off any CO2. No material effect on tank pH which is 8.3 during the day and 8.1 at night.

 

[jjoos99]

Effluent from a CaRx will always be low. Mine measures at about 7.2. I route it to the skimmer which effectively blows off any CO2. No material effect on tank pH which is 8.3 during the day and 8.1 at night.

I really like that idea. How do you keep track of your output amount? I know most people use the drip rate of their output. The method I use is have a slow constant stream output and have my controller adjust my reactor internal ph level until I maintain the alk level in the tank that I am looking for. Real simple but i occasionally need to make sure the output is constant. How are your monitoring your output?
thanks
Jeff

 

[ca1ore]

I run the dual-chamber MTC ProCal which has a gauge on it for effluent flow, plus I feed it with a masterflex pump which has a flow knob.