Ca Reactor Help Please, Ain't Work'n

[jeffyounggren]

I have a Ca Reactor that seems to not be working. I have been having continual trouble getting the DKh up in my tank and decided to check the effluent from the reactor. Well, the DKh from the reactor was just a little below 9 which is not good. It is a Korralin reactor with new CO2 and media. Any suggestions for this?

Jeff

 

[Pyrrhus]

either slow down the effluent drip rate or increase the CO2.

 

[jeffyounggren]

If I speed up the CO2 rate the tank takes on a lot of gas that is insolvent. Suggestions?

Jeff

 

[chadfarmer]

what is the ph in the reactor?

never used that type of calcium reactor but they are not very hard to use

 

[jeffyounggren]

8.0 Ph

 

[getwood65]

8.0 in the reactor?

 

[carpus]

Hi, I just set up a korallin reactor 2 days ago. It helps alot if you keep a log with the time/date, effluent PH & KH, tank PH & KH, co2 drops, and effluent drops. Then you can figure out how to find the right adjustments from the patterns you see from your log

if your PH is low, up the co2 bubbles OR decrease the effluent drops
if your KH is low, up the co2 bubbles

visa versa

this thread helps alot CLICK HERE

remember to keep the PH in the reactor between 6.5-6.8 and KH above 25

 

[carpus]

o yea, remember to keep outlet 1 around 1-2 drop per minute. it allows the buildup of gas in the top of the reactor to escape

 

[TwistedTiger]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7680112#post7680112 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carpus
o yea, remember to keep outlet 1 around 1-2 drop per minute. it allows the buildup of gas in the top of the reactor to escape

There is no majic number for effluent drip rate, just set it at a rate you like and adjust the bubble count. I run mine at a rate where it is faster than a drip rate you could count, it's a steady but slow small stream that way my effluent valve doesn't plug. I chased ph inside my reactor for a while, then effluent alk for a while and effluent ph. Then after talking to someone that has been running a reactor for years with no problems on his advice I set my effluent rate and adjusted my bubble count until my tank mantained the alk/calc I desired, testing only the tank alk/calc and not worrying about reactor ph or effluent #'s. I now have a steady alk/calc at the level I desire, no problems and no adjustments.

 

[jeffyounggren]

Thanks to all. What I did was filled up the tank with a little medium and checked the bubbles to adjust for right rate. Miracle.
The DKh in the tank jumped to 14 in one hour. So, I will now check the tank to see the impact. Not really sure what was wrong here but kicking it and tweaking it seems to have done it.

Jeff