Desperate Ca. Reactor Help

[ClownReef®]

All,

This is something I've struggled with since I purchased it.

About 4 months ago I purchased a Vertex Ca. Reactor.

I followed the manufacturers instructions but have NEVER been able to dial it in.

These are my latest testings:

5/25
Alk 6 dkh
Calcium 480 mg/l
Mag 1140

-----------
5/30
Alk 6 dkh
Calcium 480 mg/l
Mag 1110
-------------
06/01
Alk 7dkh
Calcium 480 mg/l
Mag 1130
-------------
6/6
Alk 6
Calcium 460
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6/7
Alk 7
Mag 1130
Ca 460
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6/8
Ca 460
Alk 7
Mag 1290
-------------
6/10
Ca 480
Alk 8
Mag 1200
----------

6/12
Ca 520
Alk 7
Mag 1485

Im using Salifert for Mag, API for Ca, and Red Sea for Alk.

As you can see its not consistent. Im not dosing anything.

Everything is connected to my Vertex Cerebra. I have a selenoid shut off at 6.5 but no range for it to pump CO2 per another RCer advise. I havent seen a bubble in months. The PH inside the reactor sits at 7.5 consistently.

All I do is make sure the output into the tank doesnt clog.

How can I start over? Shut the reactor off, then make sure the parameters are where I want them?

Should I have ranges set for the selenoid to go on/off and pump CO2?

Im incredibly confused.

Please help!

Thank you

 

[Larz_1]

Here's the method I used to set up my first CaRx.
Maybe it will point you in the right direction.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gwlvfgDvQqg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[scuzy]

Desperate Ca. Reactor Help

I have my ph in my vertex at 6.35. I have my masterflex push 75ml/min to my system. I just adjust the CO2 bubbles to make sure the reactor ph stays constat at 6.35. so hard it's been maintaining my alk 7.9 calc 420-430 and mag at 1250 I just manual dose mag if it changes or not keeping up.

Btw my co2 solenoid is constant on since I'm using the masterflex.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

http://reef.diesyst.com/
Please read this method, it's easy & works like a charm for me.
I don't even have a probe on the reactor.

 

[jda]

Using a probe and solenoid will always result in uneven results. PH gets low, CO2 shuts off, but it still produces for a while... PH goes up, CO2 comes on and it takes a while for the reactor to start producing again. You will have uneven times on both ends. This is something, like many, in reefing that sounds better than it actually is.

Learn how to tune it by hand. Start with about 40 drops and 10 bubbles per minute and go from there. Any of the links above will help too. I promise, after a while, you will get to where you can just look at the bubble rate and drip rate and tell if it is working or not... kinda like the guys who read the green screens in The Matrix.

 

[tkeracer619]

It depends on the type of regulator you have but I wouldn't run a cheap regulator without a probe. They tend to go crazy.

Set the gas to come on when ph is higher than 6.5 and off when lower than 6.3. I agree with JDA that it is not an ideal situation but at least it will get you churning CO2.

What type of regulator do you have? As Scuzy mentioned many of us are using masterflex peristaltic pumps for feed pumps. This eliminates all that nonsense about keeping the output from getting clogged as well as fluctuations in effluent rate. Personally, I'd never run another reactor without a masterflex but they aren't necessary. Definitely something you should read up about. We're up to about 100 pages in this thread but the first few posts still hold true so give them a look over and see if this is something you want to do. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2368618

That said, I am sure you are eager to just see the thing work. So lets get to that point before you consider purchasing anything additional.