Help tuning calcium reactor

[Nht8134]

Hello all, Im using a PM calc reactor and Im a bit confused of how to get my parameters right. I hope that someone will find the time to help a nooby get thru one of the most confusing aspect of my new tank setup.

pH 8.0
dKH 13
calcium 380
mag -no test kit yet

My dkh seems a bit high. How do I safely lower this and is it bad for my tank to have alkalinity this high? I have my controller to kick on the Co2 at 7.0 and my bubble count is at 1 per second.

As far as calcium goes, should I test use a calcium product to raise it or will the calcium reactor do the job for me by turning up the drip?

Thanks all in advance for any help.

 

[Billybeau1]

I do not use calcium reactors but jd is very experienced at this. I'll drop him a PM when I see him on line.

 

[sjames]

if this is a new tank your demand could be low to nonexistant.

Turning up the drip will make the effluent weaker at your current bubble rate and would not change the ratio at which cal and alk are being delivered.

What I would do is shut the co2 off, and see how long it takes for your alk to drop a few points.

What salt mix are you using?

 

[Nht8134]

Im using Instant Ocean Reef Crystal salt.

 

[bertoni]

That salt runs rather low in calcium, so those numbers seem reasonable. I'd turn off the reactor for a few days and let alkalinity drop. In the mean time, some calcium chloride, like Turbo Calcium, could be dosed.

 

[Nht8134]

Ok so I turned off my reactor for a couple of days and alk dropped to 9dKH. I added some liquid calcium and got the calcium up to 420. However, alkalinity went up to 11-12.

Im really confused as how to tune a calc reactor. How do I get my alk to go down?

My drip rate is almost a steady stream and I set my aquacontroller to kick on at 7.0 Ph.

 

[bertoni]

Alkalinity shouldn't rise unless something was added, like a pH buffer. Liquid Calcium won't do that. I might get a second opinion on the test kit, but I'd stop dosing kalk for the moment.

 

[Nht8134]

Im sorry. I shouldnt have used abbreviations. Im not using a kalk reactor but Im using a Calcium reactor. How do I keep the alkalinity to stay where I want it?

 

[bertoni]

If the alkalinity is rising, too much is entering the system somehow, and I suspect you just need to tune back the calcium reactor in injecting less carbon dioxide.

 

[Boomer]

Help tuning calcium reactor

A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.htm

Calcium Reactor setup calculator (CaCO3/CO2 reactors)
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html