Calcium Reactor Automation

[jahorgos]

How does a PH controller control the PH level of your tank (specifically)?

I realize that you have it connected to a calcium reactor and it controls a solenoid valve to your CO2 inlet. Does this solenoid just go full open and full closed? Or does the controller send out a variable signal that controls the flow? My guess is that the flow is controlled via a manual valve and the controller just turns CO2 on and off as needed?

 

[TCU Reefer]

The controller just controls the pH of your effluent. It shuts down when the set pH reaches it's lowest level to prevent the effluent from dropping the main tank's pH too much.

The controller is either on or off. The acutal CO2 regulator dictates what type of bubble rate your CO2 tank will be feeding the reactor. The needlewheel valve on the regulator lets you fine tune the bubble rate at which you desire.

Clear as mud?

 

[FishTruck]

It is also important to control the pH in the reactor to prevent your media from turning to mush.

For example. I am using a CO2 regulator and a neptune aquacontroller. Also, a GEO calcium reactor with an optional pH probe insert. There are other ways to do this. But...

I have the pH probe from the aquacontroller in the calcium reactor. The regulator (which sits on the CO2 tank) has a solenoid built into it (turns on and off) and a needle wheel to control the rate at which CO2 is introduced into the reactor when the solenoid is open.

The aquacontroller turns the solenoid on and off to keep the pH in the reactor around 6.0. (Above this and the media won't dissolve. Below this, and the media turns to mush). With this control, the needle wheel probably does not matter so much as long as it is open enough to feed enough CO2 to get the pH in the reactor down to 6.0. This pH should be the same as the effluent pH.

The next point of control is the rate at which the effluent comes out of the reactor. This is a simple little valve of some sort. In my case, this is adjusted by hand to keep alkalinity and calcium where I want it without lowering the pH of the tank. Trial and error here.

With the aquacontroller, If I wanted to get fancy, I could also use the pH of the tank as another control point. With a second pH probe in the tank, it could be set to cut off the CO2 if the tank pH drops below a certain point.

I am sure someone will chime in with other ways to manage your reactor.

Ryan.

 

[TCU Reefer]

FishTruck,

What type of media are you using? I've had ARM melt at around 6.0 before so now, I try not to let my pH in the reactor get below 6.4.

 

[FishTruck]

Right now I am using Gen X media. pH 6.0 is the lowest setting I would consider... just as hypothetical example (probably a bad one). I actually have it at 6.9 right now. I think most people are posting using pH around 6.7 - 7.0 with the GEO reactor.

 

[jahorgos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11864450#post11864450 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FishTruck
It is also important to control the pH in the reactor to prevent your media from turning to mush.

For example. I am using a CO2 regulator and a neptune aquacontroller. Also, a GEO calcium reactor with an optional pH probe insert. There are other ways to do this. But...

I have the pH probe from the aquacontroller in the calcium reactor. The regulator (which sits on the CO2 tank) has a solenoid built into it (turns on and off) and a needle wheel to control the rate at which CO2 is introduced into the reactor when the solenoid is open.

The aquacontroller turns the solenoid on and off to keep the pH in the reactor around 6.0. (Above this and the media won't dissolve. Below this, and the media turns to mush). With this control, the needle wheel probably does not matter so much as long as it is open enough to feed enough CO2 to get the pH in the reactor down to 6.0. This pH should be the same as the effluent pH.

The next point of control is the rate at which the effluent comes out of the reactor. This is a simple little valve of some sort. In my case, this is adjusted by hand to keep alkalinity and calcium where I want it without lowering the pH of the tank. Trial and error here.

With the aquacontroller, If I wanted to get fancy, I could also use the pH of the tank as another control point. With a second pH probe in the tank, it could be set to cut off the CO2 if the tank pH drops below a certain point.

I am sure someone will chime in with other ways to manage your reactor.

Ryan.

Interesting. Yeah I was thinking that having the ph controller in the reactor would keep my ph in my tank perfect but apparently thats not the case.

If I understand correctly then I will have no choice but to have two controllers to fully automate my ph value?

As well is their any harm in having a way oversized calcium reactor?