ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Hey I just noticed you bolted down the pump - I just used Velcro - the big heavy duty stuff 
.
.
Calcuim Reactor fine tuning
- Thread starter ReefArtist
- Start date
CMcNeil
New member
not sure on that one.maybe the media is acting as a particulate filter.i got something else too.but ill post later after acclimation 
yes i bolted the pump down,that was how geo did it,so i aint changing it.those ehiems are so quite,i didnt even hear it.i had to touch it to make sure it was running.
yes i bolted the pump down,that was how geo did it,so i aint changing it.those ehiems are so quite,i didnt even hear it.i had to touch it to make sure it was running.
CMcNeil
New member
carol read this thread before going further with the reactor.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1065542
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1065542
Sailor_jon
New member
Thats my understanding. I havent ever been able to get the reactor to boost the levels up. Its great at maintaining, but it cant keep up with raising levels. If you over power it, then the medium gets soft..and you have a whole lot of undesirable problems you never bargained for.
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Well this morning the pH is steady at 6.65 - 6.68 with my drip rate at 30/min and my CO2 about 30/min. I had the drip going much faster and the pH was moving up as it should have (6.9). I backed it off and now it is holding very steady.
I took my Calcium reading this morning and it was 380 up 20 from yesterday - which is what I would expect. I know everyone disagrees with me on this but that's OK and that is the reason I started this thread - to discuss and converse.
I have to step through my thoughts to understand - so I hope everyone has patience with me. Please tell me where I go wrong and then we will understand the whys - I need to understand -sorrrrrry.
Here are my thoughts on the "Before calcium reactor is hooked up it must be at the level you want to maintain".
To me this doesn't make sense. It might take longer (much longer) but it should move the level up.
My level yesterday in the effluent was 560ppm, so logic tells me that if I have a gallon of water and the calcium level is at 360 and I drip water into that gallon that has a 560 calcium level, the calcium will increase - right? I think I might be right on that one - this is not adding or taking away anything but the calcium I'm dripping.
I don't have just a gallon of water I have 65g of water. From what I understand the media will get mushy at around 6.0 - 6.2 depending on the media used. I'm using C.R.M. from what I understand it's a good media and shouldn't break down easily - has anyone used this that could give us the breakdown numbers? I¡¦m going to go with 6.2 unless someone tells me that the CRM media breaks down at a higher pH.
So from what I understand ¡V the lower the pH the higher the calcium going out of the reactor. Just make sure the media doesn¡¦t get mushy by going to low. Are there other factors that will make the media breakdown to a mush? I know it will breakdown and that¡¦s the whole idea ¡V but not mush.
But now we need to think about alkalinity. How does this play into the picture? Normally when alkalinity goes down pH goes down ¡V is that right or wrong? if so, I have my effluent going fast to get my calcium in the reactor low to me this will increase my calcium level. Now I need to think about what this is doing to my tanks pH and my alkalinity levels - right?
Increasing CO2 decreases pH in the reactor and increases calcium output (My CO2 is set to come on when the level hits 6.9).
So I think it would be true to say that:
Increasing CO2 decreases alkalinity and pH
Then Increasing CO2 increases calcium
Increasing flow out of the reactor raises the pH and alkalinity
Increasing flow out of the reactor lowers the calcium level „² This might be the problem
In a large volume of water to increase the calcium a great deal you would have to have the flow out of the reactor so high to make a difference it would throw the other parameters off.
So, what about a 65g tank? It¡¦s easier to make a blanket statement and say you can¡¦t do it then calculate out at what point it would be better just to get it at a level and then maintain that level.
Any ideas on this?
I took my Calcium reading this morning and it was 380 up 20 from yesterday - which is what I would expect. I know everyone disagrees with me on this but that's OK and that is the reason I started this thread - to discuss and converse.
I have to step through my thoughts to understand - so I hope everyone has patience with me
. Please tell me where I go wrong and then we will understand the whys - I need to understand -sorrrrrry.Here are my thoughts on the "Before calcium reactor is hooked up it must be at the level you want to maintain".
To me this doesn't make sense. It might take longer (much longer) but it should move the level up.
My level yesterday in the effluent was 560ppm, so logic tells me that if I have a gallon of water and the calcium level is at 360 and I drip water into that gallon that has a 560 calcium level, the calcium will increase - right? I think I might be right on that one - this is not adding or taking away anything but the calcium I'm dripping.
I don't have just a gallon of water I have 65g of water. From what I understand the media will get mushy at around 6.0 - 6.2 depending on the media used. I'm using C.R.M. from what I understand it's a good media and shouldn't break down easily - has anyone used this that could give us the breakdown numbers? I¡¦m going to go with 6.2 unless someone tells me that the CRM media breaks down at a higher pH.
So from what I understand ¡V the lower the pH the higher the calcium going out of the reactor. Just make sure the media doesn¡¦t get mushy by going to low. Are there other factors that will make the media breakdown to a mush? I know it will breakdown and that¡¦s the whole idea ¡V but not mush.
But now we need to think about alkalinity. How does this play into the picture? Normally when alkalinity goes down pH goes down ¡V is that right or wrong? if so, I have my effluent going fast to get my calcium in the reactor low to me this will increase my calcium level. Now I need to think about what this is doing to my tanks pH and my alkalinity levels - right?
Increasing CO2 decreases pH in the reactor and increases calcium output (My CO2 is set to come on when the level hits 6.9).
So I think it would be true to say that:
Increasing CO2 decreases alkalinity and pH
Then Increasing CO2 increases calcium
Increasing flow out of the reactor raises the pH and alkalinity
Increasing flow out of the reactor lowers the calcium level „² This might be the problem
In a large volume of water to increase the calcium a great deal you would have to have the flow out of the reactor so high to make a difference it would throw the other parameters off.
So, what about a 65g tank? It¡¦s easier to make a blanket statement and say you can¡¦t do it then calculate out at what point it would be better just to get it at a level and then maintain that level.
Any ideas on this?
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
That's what I'm think - it does seem to be steady at a good pH and my calcium is going up - why dose and waste $ as long as it's not hurting anything. I've got to say - my water has never looked better .
.
Kubi
Active member
Technically if you RTM (which I do not) on the ca reactor I think they are suggesting to get your ca and alk at the parameters you want (NEW SYSYEM which they do not tell you) and set your reactor from there.
On a existing systems your parameters are going to be right on or close to what you want so the reactor does not have to work as hard to bring the ca and alk levels up. It will in time tho if started from scartch. I can change mine from 380ca to 420ca in 2 days and the same with alk bring it up or down.
I will get back have to go back to work
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Thanks Hawk'ster,
I actually think it does tell you to do that but my point was why? I think it's just a blank statement.
If mflamb with a 390g tank needed to raise his calcium level by 20ppm - that would be the same if I needed to raise my tank (65g) by say 100ppm. So that would be saying that he would have to dose to get his level back up and then he could start using his reactor again - this is not the case (I don't think). I don't understand the logic and I think it's just a starting point for everyone not a "you must" or it will not work. I'm just trying to understand everything better and I might be missing something - because I really don't completely understand anything.
I actually think it does tell you to do that but my point was why? I think it's just a blank statement.
If mflamb with a 390g tank needed to raise his calcium level by 20ppm - that would be the same if I needed to raise my tank (65g) by say 100ppm. So that would be saying that he would have to dose to get his level back up and then he could start using his reactor again - this is not the case (I don't think). I don't understand the logic and I think it's just a starting point for everyone not a "you must" or it will not work. I'm just trying to understand everything better and I might be missing something - because I really don't completely understand anything
.
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
I'm having a big problem with alkalinity (VERY high). Here are my parameter readings in my tank at 10:30 this morning:
Calcium = 400 - 420
pH = 8.0 (LOW)
alkalinity = 8 meq/l or DKH 22.4
What should I do to get the pH up and the alkalinity down? Any ideas would be appreciated - I'm trying to find some things online now.
Thank you,
Calcium = 400 - 420
pH = 8.0 (LOW)
alkalinity = 8 meq/l or DKH 22.4
What should I do to get the pH up and the alkalinity down? Any ideas would be appreciated - I'm trying to find some things online now.
Thank you,
CMcNeil
New member
As stated before. Take the reactor offline. I'd just shut off the Co2 and let water continue to circulate through it. That way, you keep from providing an algae growing area or the water becoming stagnant. THEN..... get your Ca and Alk balanced. If the tank is relatively new and the stocking of calcuim sucking corals is low, I'd leave the reactor "off line" and continue to add the 2 part type additive until such a time that you need to add it on a daily or every other day basis before starting the reactor again. Yes Ca Rx are designed for moderate to high demand situations.
It is critical that the system be at the targeted areas of Ca and Alk before starting the reactor back up.
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I do not know the right dosing rate for CO2 bubble and output water from reactor. My setting is the same setting as my friend who keeps SPS very well. How's your setting?
It is critical that the system be at the targeted areas of Ca and Alk before starting the reactor back up.
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I do not know the right dosing rate for CO2 bubble and output water from reactor. My setting is the same setting as my friend who keeps SPS very well. How's your setting?
