jdieck calculator question

[Avast Marine]

The Ca reactor setup page where the alk addition is measured for dkh: Shouldn't it be relative to the tank alk? If tank alk is 9dkh and effluent is 14dkh if I were to dose some suppliment to raise the tank alk to 12dkh would the effluent still be 14dkh? Or would it be 16dkh and then the calculation for addition would be off right?

I love this calculator and the chemistry calculator as well I just want to make sure I fully understand it.

 

[Boomer]

If the effluent of the reactor and tank are the same you are gaining nothing, so it is always higher for the reactor as you want to gain Alk from its lose or consupmtion. If you added a sup you would need to redial the reactor.

 

[Avast Marine]

But...if the ph and the flow rate is the same through the reactor shouldn't the alk addition be the same? For example, if I disolve 1 dkh/day through the reactor by setting my BPM and Ml/min at a certain point and the only thing I change is the tank water alk, wouldn't the effluent still be producing 1 dkh/day even though the effluent alk was a bit higher (since the tank alk is higher)? Would it be higher?

 

[Avast Marine]

^

 

[Boomer]

In that sense yes to a degree. What I was getting at, is that some use reactors and sup at the same time, so the reactor is returned to get a desired Alk due to Alk buffer input form a sup. When there is an increase in Alk into the reactor there is a slight need of lowering the pH. The lower the Alk fed input into the reactor the less CO2 is needed. Higher Alk requires a slightly lower pH to bring about the same dissolution of the media. You will not really know where you are at exactly tuneless you measure what is going in. Reactors and or reactors and sup's need to be tuned. There is not some math formula, in that sense, that will give you an exact number. The calculator is a guide. Here is another guide to reactors

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