GEO Calcium Reactor 618 - Help!

Jose,
The new controller and CO2 regulator should be here Thursday and I will have it on line by Friday:thumbsup:
I increased the effluent to 65ml/min.
I had to add more baked baking soda this morning..
 
edandsandy said:
Jose,
The new controller and CO2 regulator should be here Thursday and I will have it on line by Friday:thumbsup:
I increased the effluent to 65ml/min.
I had to add more baked baking soda this morning..
Click to expand...

Got the controller? Keep on using baked baking soda until the reactor is setup properly and alkalinity is maintained. How is the Calcium doing? Usually alkalinity variations are more significant than the calcium ones but eventually calcium also becomes noticeable.
 
Yes, we received the controller and regulator Thursday..
Yesterday I was under the weather so nothing was done with the tank.
This afternoon I will have everything hooked up and let you know how it goes.
 
we installed all the new equipment and calibrated on Saturday.
Trying to fine tune the BPM has been difficult to say the lease...if you ever so lightly move the needle valve in either direction, it will stop or go so fast you can not count the bubbles!

The PH in the reactor is ever so slowly coming down.
It seems like the bubbles have not stopped since we hooked up all the new equipment, is that normal?

Today's readings are
Tank ph 7.80
Calcium 470
dKH 8.9 ALK 3.19

Effluent readings:
PH 6.90
Reactors PH 6.52
Calcium 650
dKH 31.7 ALK 11.18
 
I keep checking the reactor, this morning the PH I. The reactor was 6.52. This afternoon it was 6.59, so I increased the BPM ever so slight, now the PH in the reactor is reading 6.46 and the solenoid is still open...
I have the high set at 6.50
Low is set at 6.30 is this normal?????
 
Walked into the fish room this morning, the PH in the reactor was reading 7.70, the out 1 light on the PH controller was on and the light on the solenoid was on but no bubbles.
:headwallblue:
So I unplugged/plugged the PH controller for a second and the bubbles started again...
I'm really confused....what could make a brand new PH controller and/or solenoid valve stop working?
This is Ed beating my head on the wall :debi::debi::debi:And saying, now what... New equipment, same problem!?.

I'm not out of CO2, BTW.....
 
Last edited:
Jose,
We finally got all the new equipment installed and calibrated again....
We are just trying to fine tune it in now.
I noticed that the CO2 stays on for ~45 minutes and turns back on ~15 minutes later.... Is that ok?
Oh, and I can't seem to purge all the CO2... Any advise?
Thanks again for all your help :wavehand:
 
edandsandy said:
Jose,
We finally got all the new equipment installed and calibrated again....
We are just trying to fine tune it in now.
I noticed that the CO2 stays on for ~45 minutes and turns back on ~15 minutes later.... Is that ok?
Oh, and I can't seem to purge all the CO2... Any advise?
Thanks again for all your help :wavehand:
Click to expand...

45/15 is pretty good, the longer the on time the better. Once you have adjusted the reactor to maintain your alkalinity then you can try to extend the time the CO2 is on but can't be done if you are still adjusting the effluent and bubble rate.
Do not worry about the bubbles. As far as the effluent does not stop, the bubbles are not an issue.
 
Thanks,
We are testing every 24 hrs and making an adjustment as necessary. The alkalinity is still rising so we are adjusting the BPM... Calcium is stable.
 
Help US~

Help US~

Just got our GEO 618 package from premium aquatics. Set it up...not sure if it is right though.

Right now we have the solenoid plugged straight into the outlet(as opposed to the PH contoller) because I am not sure how to work the PH controller. The Ph probe is in the reactor.
Its only been running for 45 min.

Ph in main tank is: 8.2
Ph in reactor is:7.24
BPM:70
The drip rate into my sump is: 50ml per min.


The alk/dkh in my tank is REALLY LOW!
dKH:4.8
Ca:390
Both were low b4 Ca reactor was added.

What should the Two gauges on the reef fanatic regulators read? (I am brand new to Ca reactors and C02)

When and how should i connect the Ph controller?

Sorry I am really new to the reactors and have NO IDEA what I am doing. thanks for the help!
 
Hello All,

Thought I will revive this thread,I am using a Geo618 with a cole parmer peristalic pump set at 60ml/min andBPM at 60BPM on an AP regulator.ALK reading is at 8 and effluent ALK is at 14.My issue is I am getting lot of bubbles inside the reactor and the pump is making a sizzling sound similar to like it's not primed.Please advise what I can do to solve the issue as the pump sound is very irritating.
 
Haksar said:
Hello All,

Thought I will revive this thread,I am using a Geo618 with a cole parmer peristalic pump set at 60ml/min andBPM at 60BPM on an AP regulator.ALK reading is at 8 and effluent ALK is at 14.My issue is I am getting lot of bubbles inside the reactor and the pump is making a sizzling sound similar to like it's not primed.Please advise what I can do to solve the issue as the pump sound is very irritating.
Click to expand...

I am assuming you are referring to the recirculation pump. Have you tried purging the air out of the reactor using the effluent valve on top of the chamber while the pump is off? Once the air is purged out there shall be no more accumulation, if so look for a leak in the recirculation system (including the recirculation pump casing), look for the feed pump taking up air or bubbles if the level of the water level drops or look for overfeeding of CO2.
 
Yes the recirculating pump and I also tried purging by switching off the pump and then the bubbles clear up but as soon as I restart the pump the bubbles start again.I think there is an air leak on the elbow connecting the pipe to the pump and George from geo reef was very helpful in identifying the problem and also is sending me a few additional elbows to fit the pump.
 
Hoping someone can help me with my 618 setup, can't seem to get it to dial in. Over past 3 days my KH has been swinging almost 1dkh per day trying to stabilize. Either i shout up to much or drops. Currently my Apex controls my ph in the reactor and i have it setup to keep it between 6.5 and 6.55. Efluent right now is at 70ml/minute and I will take readings tomorrow to see how this holds. My solenoid does turn on and off about every 15 mins..Any suggestions? I have an AP regulator that i have sent to the company to repair so i will be switching to that one soon.
 
tassod said:
Hoping someone can help me with my 618 setup, can't seem to get it to dial in. Over past 3 days my KH has been swinging almost 1dkh per day trying to stabilize. Either i shout up to much or drops. Currently my Apex controls my ph in the reactor and i have it setup to keep it between 6.5 and 6.55. Efluent right now is at 70ml/minute and I will take readings tomorrow to see how this holds. My solenoid does turn on and off about every 15 mins..Any suggestions? I have an AP regulator that i have sent to the company to repair so i will be switching to that one soon.
Click to expand...
Try not to over do it. Start back at the point were the alkalinity slowly drop then make small adjustments only every three days to give the system time to stabilize. Once adjusted, maje small reductions to the bubble count until the controller cuts off only ever hour to two. Again small adjustments is key. If alkalinity drops too much make a manual addition to correct the level. DO NOT try to adjust it using the reactor as you will always overshoot. If the alkalinity goes to high, unplug the solenoid until the level goes down and restart the reactor but with slightly reduced effluent flow.

Jose
 
jdieck said:
Try not to over do it. Start back at the point were the alkalinity slowly drop then make small adjustments only every three days to give the system time to stabilize. Once adjusted, maje small reductions to the bubble count until the controller cuts off only ever hour to two. Again small adjustments is key. If alkalinity drops too much make a manual addition to correct the level. DO NOT try to adjust it using the reactor as you will always overshoot. If the alkalinity goes to high, unplug the solenoid until the level goes down and restart the reactor but with slightly reduced effluent flow.

Jose
Click to expand...

Jose,

thank you for replying to my post. Since I last posted this I've been able to figure this part out and my alk is a steady 8.5 daily. The problem i am having now though is stumping me because I still can't figure it out and I've also posted about this under some other threads. I'm using a 20lb co2 tank (its not purchased, company just swaps it out every time i need to fill it) and twice in a row now, the tank has gone empty in about 2 weeks time. Both times I was using a recently purchased (used) AP.com regulator. The tank pressure when i initially connect it would ready about 800 or so PSI and would stay there for about just over a week..then it would start droping almost daily and within a few days it would be all gone.

I did check for leaks using soapy water and I did not see any. The settings i used on the regulator where 3 seconds per bubble and running secondary pressure at between 10-12 PSI. My effluent flow rate was also about 60ml/minute.

I just got my 3rd 20lb tank on Tuesday this week and I have now connected it using my old Reef Fanatic regulator and we'll see now how it goes. The PH in the reactor is being kept between 6.53 and 6.5 and my apex is turning the solenoid on and off about every 90 minutes but i've noticed sometimes it will keep it on for almost 3 hrs. I think my bubble count right now with the Reef fanatic regulator is about 40 bubbles /minute and my flow rate is about 40ml/minute. Lots of people keep telling me it has to be a leak. Well, i can't find any....can the AP regulator be causing this? I've also made sure that the co2 tank is indeed 20lbs when i get it.
 
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