Calcium reactor adjustment help please
- Thread starter twabatman2004
- Start date
twabatman2004
New member
Makes perfect sense. Thanks for the help.
twabatman2004
New member
I have to order a new probe for the Pinpoint PH controller. I am clueless about these things but I do know they need to be calibrated. Should I buy the PH solutions they sell or is there something I can use other than that? I have heard of people using vinegar or something like that.
twabatman2004
New member
Thanks.
Nano_Cubed
New member
ok not that there isnt great advice in this thread already but start with this rule of thumb...if you up the ammount of Co2 going into the reactor, up the effluent rate at the same %. then slowly dial your efluent rate back until you reach target. Clearly at the high bubble count to low effluent rate, the reaction time of the lowered ph water and the media is dissolving too quickly hence your high alk readings. the slower the effluent rate the higher the alkalkinity...again i will say it...the SLOWER the EFFLUENT rate the HIGHER the ALKALINITY. unless you really choke the Co2 out of the reactor. the best way to make minor adjustments are small adjustments to your effluent drip rate. The more you mess with the Co2 the more you will bang your head off the wall trying to figure out how to control it. get a decent bubble rate (1 bubble every 2 seconds) and start with a steady/broken drip rate...monitor/test more than once to see if levels are faling/climbing/stabilizing. then to LOWER the ALKALINITY of the EFFLUENT, you need to INCREASE the DRIP RATE a bit (less reaction time between media and acidic water) if you need to RAISE the ALKALINITY of the EFFLUENT, you need to DECREASE the DRIP RATE (more reaction time between the acidic water and media)...i agree with most...2 bubbles per sec is a ton of gas for your demand...your just flooring it every time you touch the co2 (not to jack the saying) and i dont mean how much your adjusting it. in general..if you touch the co2 at all your going to floor it. control the rate at which the reactor dissolves the media.
Think of camp fire, you toss a small stick on (effluent drip rate) you get a littl hotter, toss gas on (co2 adjustment) and you go pooooof! they are not a tricky device, its just not a device you can work with and not have patience...you shodl take at least a week (or 2 or 3 with your fluctuations) to dial your reactor in to set it and forget it. However that wont last long as your demand goes up...again when it goes up, dial the effluent drip rate back a bit, not up the gas...your gas should stay at the same level until your demand causes your effluent rate to be at such a low drip rate it cant keep up...then you start over by jacking open the effluent line, and upping the BR from 1 bubble every 3 seconds to 1 bubble every 2 seconds....and dal back away at your effluent line...sorry hope it makes sense...easiest description i can give on the subject...which by all means should not be short for this device if you truely want to explain for someone else to understand.
and FYI the alkalinity of your effluent should be between 30 and 50 ppm. So dont freak out about that test...if you tank tops 10 id be opening the effluent rate a bit to lower the alk of the effluent being introduced to the system water. Good balance of 9-9.5 will get great coloration and growth. . .the higher the alk the faster the growth...the lower the more colorful...until you dip 7 then your strangling the calcification process.
Think of camp fire, you toss a small stick on (effluent drip rate) you get a littl hotter, toss gas on (co2 adjustment) and you go pooooof! they are not a tricky device, its just not a device you can work with and not have patience...you shodl take at least a week (or 2 or 3 with your fluctuations) to dial your reactor in to set it and forget it. However that wont last long as your demand goes up...again when it goes up, dial the effluent drip rate back a bit, not up the gas...your gas should stay at the same level until your demand causes your effluent rate to be at such a low drip rate it cant keep up...then you start over by jacking open the effluent line, and upping the BR from 1 bubble every 3 seconds to 1 bubble every 2 seconds....and dal back away at your effluent line...sorry hope it makes sense...easiest description i can give on the subject...which by all means should not be short for this device if you truely want to explain for someone else to understand.
and FYI the alkalinity of your effluent should be between 30 and 50 ppm. So dont freak out about that test...if you tank tops 10 id be opening the effluent rate a bit to lower the alk of the effluent being introduced to the system water. Good balance of 9-9.5 will get great coloration and growth. . .the higher the alk the faster the growth...the lower the more colorful...until you dip 7 then your strangling the calcification process.
Last edited:
Nano_Cubed
New member
you also want to make sure your not crashing your ph in the reactor as well...thats why you NEED the controller...in the even that you have dialed your effluent back to far adn the co2 has dropped the ph in the reactor below 6.5 it will shut it off...not keep dropping and start melting your media...very easy tool to nuke a tank with if your not up to par on the science and usage of it. However ... plenty of knowledge to help you understand....now this is going to sound rude but its the truth....you should have done a lot more reading before picking this reactor up...YOu should have known how to control it before it was online...research will help alot for these kinds of purcahses...granted if you were talking 2 part i probably would have skipped by, but your inexperience can ultimately risk the health of your live stock and that is why it is so important to understand the tools and chemicals you are using before you jump off the deep end and end up with lime stone in your fish tank...
Nano_Cubed
New member
:hmm4:
