Calcium reactor Calculator Question

[thysrof]

Alrighty,just tested and Ca Reactor Affluent Alk is 784 ppm or 43.8 DKH tank alk is 150 ppm or 8.4 DKH Affluent flow rate 4 ML per minute. Which calculator should I use.

Thanks Bob

PS I'm using a Korrallin 1502 and I leave the air bleeder valve open slightly and dripping otherwise the reactor chamber fills with air or I guess CO2 and stops dripping affluent

 

[thysrof]

forgot the link to the calculator

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html

 

[northbay-reefer]

if your alk is 8 thats perfect, dial in your calcium to about 420 and your are set. I never use the calculator :lol: I just go by feel

 

[thysrof]

Ok,Will do I put the new pinch valve on the affluent drip line and I'll be able to get a real good consistent drip. The one that came with it and the rain drip one from HD we're real peices of garbage.

Tom,
I know you and Jason told me last night,but could you tell me again how increasing or decreasing the Affluent drip rate and the bubble count on the CO2 effect ALK and Ca.

Bye the way my Ca was 405 and I added a little CA part 2 so should be right at 420 Ca

Thanks Bob

 

[corndogg]

So, now you need to know what your CA is. Tomorrow test both CA and ALK again. If either dropped, then you need to increase co2 and drip rate a small amount to compensate.

If it increases then you have it too high and slow it down a little.

Keep doing this until you are not making additions of two part for about a week. Then you can cut back on testing less ofton. I still prefer to test alk every 7-10 days and CA 2-3 weeks.

BTW, those reactor settings are perfect ie. drip rate, pH and Alk.


P.S.

af·flu·ent (fl-nt, -fl-)
adj.
1. Generously supplied with money, property, or possessions; prosperous or rich. See Synonyms at rich.
2. Plentiful; abundant.
3. Flowing freely; copious.
n.
1. A stream or river that flows into a larger one; a tributary.
2. A person who is well-off financially: "the so-called emerging affluents" Leslie Tweeton.

ef·flu·ent (fl-nt)
adj.
Flowing out or forth.
n.
Something that flows out or forth, especially:
a. A stream flowing out of a body of water.
b. An outflow from a sewer or sewage system.
c. A discharge of liquid waste, as from a factory or nuclear plant.

 

[jdieck]

Use Section 2 Adjust the Reactor.
Assuming your system has around 130 gallons with those parameters you are adding around 7.4 ppm per day which for most tanks it is very little (0.4dKh) but your testing will decide.
Try adjusting it for contant alkalinity. The reason is that alkalinity measurements are more accurate than calcium and also alkalinity changes will be more noticeable as alkalinity changes 50 ppm for every 20 ppm of calcium.
I usually recommend for the Korallin to use the line from the top of the chamber (The one you are using as a vent for the bubbles) as the effluent line and do not use (just shut off) the line that comes out of the piump piping.
This simplify adjustments and improves stability and any bubbles will leave the reactor with the effluent.
Also I try to keep an effluent that is higher. At 4 ml/min it is very difficult to maintain a stable drip. For an initial setting try between 15 and 20 ml/min.
Adjust your CO2 bubbles so the reactor effluent is at a PH of around 6.8
If you are using ARM media try not to let the PH go below 6.5 CO2 bbbles in the reactor may indicate too high a CO2 bubble rate.

Finally:
Increasing the effluent PH (reducing CO2) reduces the alkalinity
Reducing the effluent PH (increasing CO2) increases the alkalinity

Increasing effluent flow increases alkalinity addition if maintained at same PH, When increasing the effluent rate you need to also increase the CO2 to keep the same PH
Increasing the effluent rate without adjusting the CO2 to maintain the same PH may or may not increase alkalinity addition as the effluent PH will increase.

Reducing effluent flow reduces alkalinity addition but similarly CO2 should be reduced to maintain the same PH as PH o fthe effluent will tend to drop as the effluent flow is reduced.

 

[thysrof]

Thanks for the info guys,I think I'm close already.

yesterday alk 150 ppm Ca 400

today alk 156 ppm Ca 410

I'll test again today and make adjustments or additions

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10878317#post10878317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thysrof
Thanks for the info guys,I think I'm close already.

yesterday alk 150 ppm Ca 400

today alk 156 ppm Ca 410

I'll test again today and make adjustments or additions

If during that perios you did not added any supplement then the reactor is set up already to maintain the levles, do not try to increase them using the reactor but do a manual addition if any adjustment is needed and the reactor will keep it there.

 

[corndogg]

Thanks for chiming in jdieck. It's always great to hear it straight from the source.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10880886#post10880886 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by corndogg
Thanks for chiming in jdieck. It's always great to hear it straight from the source.

Hope it helps...