Calcium reactor question

Hard to say. Depends a bit on how big the cylinder is and how hard you push the reactor. With a 20 lb. cylinder and my own usage level (bubble every 2 seconds or so; 18 hrs/day), it will last about a year.
 
So I guess I am not too far off that mark... at my current rate I am guessing I will use a 5 lb. tank in about 6-8 weeks, although I have a fairly high flow through it at the moment.
 
Both, I am running probably around 4 bubbles per second and I am pushing around 300 gph through it.
 
My reactor internally circulates at about that rate, but the actual flow in/out of the unit is very slow - just a rapid drip, really. Maybe this is what you mean, but if you are actually running 300 gph out of the units then you are not running it properly, and both burning through CO2 much faster than you need and releasing it to your tank. With my dual chamber MTC ProCal I measure effluent pH to about 6.5 or so which requires about one bubble every two seconds or so; maybe slightly faster.
 
That is some serious flow
In 200 gallons of total water volume my reactor dispenses about 1 drop per second into the tank. My flow of Co2 is about 30 bubble per minute when required. (I monitor the PH inside reaction to 6.5/6.6 and the Apex controls the solenoid based on this)

A flow coming out at the rate you are describing is probably too fast to really let the reactor do anything as there is not enough contact time.
 
And I'd highly recommend using a ph probe to control your solenoid. It'll get you way more life out of a tank
 
I have a ph probe hooked up to my solenoid. i have the reactor plumbed in with other things and the water coming out is not a drip its more of a steady stream. I could buy a separate pump and dial it back i suppose but doing the math it isnt really worth it. i am using around 25-30 pounds of co2 at this rate over a year for a 300-350 gal system.
 
Do you have a valve where you effluent is coming out. This is how I control mine and I needed my drip rate little fast othere wise it clogs up and didn't work at all so it's a very fast drip and for about five months after adding it I was resting my alk every day or every othere day. But was needed to dial it in just remember the less co2 you add to your main system the less it will effect ph
 
I played with it a bit today and added a T to reduce the flow going into the reactor to see if I can get more life out of a tank. The effluent is still coming out at a decent rate, but much slower.
My reactor is technically undersized for my set up, but I am really only using it to help with my alk so I think this adjustment might get me on track. Since adding it my SPS look significantly better and there is a noticeable increase in their growth. Probably from the increased and stabilized alk.
 
Let me start by saying sorry if I say something you already know all this
But
Are you just starting to use a reactor?
Do you know a reactor is a Balanced supplementation of Alkalinity and Calcium (Not just alkalinity)?
Your parameters for alkalinity and calcium must be in the correct before you start using a reactor as the reactor will never just adjust the alkalinity without also adjusting the calcium

This is an excellent article I read when setting mine up http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/

Like others have said above test often (I did twice a day but only made small adjustments once a day at approx 24 hour cycles)

Check your PH also as a reactor will normally lower your PH a bit.

Good Luck
 
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