justgettinstarted
New member
just got my reactor and set it up last night... works great!
Korallin Calcium Reactor
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Salty in training
Premium Member
justgettinstarted,
Congrats on getting your reactor setup. You'll know if it works well soon. It will take some time fine tuning it.
Good luck,
Salty in training
Congrats on getting your reactor setup. You'll know if it works well soon. It will take some time fine tuning it.
Good luck,
Salty in training
justgettinstarted
New member
thanks...
I measured the effluent last night (after it had run for ~4hours) it was comming out above 16
lol... dont know exactly cause my salifert kit only goes to 16... but i didnt have time to do a dilution last night... so.. i will do that when i get home from work tonight...
I do have 1 question... I noticed that there is some gas that is below the media (under the filter floss stuff) is this normal???
my second question is... does everyones reactor make a little noise every time a CO2 bubble goes into the pump? i am assuming that this is the bubble getting chopped up by the impellar right?
(there are no microbubbles in my sump so i know thats not it!
I measured the effluent last night (after it had run for ~4hours) it was comming out above 16
lol... dont know exactly cause my salifert kit only goes to 16... but i didnt have time to do a dilution last night... so.. i will do that when i get home from work tonight... I do have 1 question... I noticed that there is some gas that is below the media (under the filter floss stuff) is this normal???
my second question is... does everyones reactor make a little noise every time a CO2 bubble goes into the pump? i am assuming that this is the bubble getting chopped up by the impellar right?
(there are no microbubbles in my sump so i know thats not it!
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
justgettinstarted
read the post i made above to see how to use your salifert kit to test the dKH of your effluent. you need to be checking your PH as well.
the 'gas' trapped below your media can be dislodged (and should be) by gently lifting the reactor and tapping it back down gently on the floor.
and yes it's normal for the CO2 to make the noise when it enters the impeller of the pump. you should not be able to see micro bubbles in the recirculation pumps output because the CO2 is disolved into the water as its chopped up.
kc
read the post i made above to see how to use your salifert kit to test the dKH of your effluent. you need to be checking your PH as well.
the 'gas' trapped below your media can be dislodged (and should be) by gently lifting the reactor and tapping it back down gently on the floor.
and yes it's normal for the CO2 to make the noise when it enters the impeller of the pump. you should not be able to see micro bubbles in the recirculation pumps output because the CO2 is disolved into the water as its chopped up.
kc
justgettinstarted
New member
i tested mine last night and got ~66dKH
i still need to check the pH though... both of the tank and the effluent
i still need to check the pH though... both of the tank and the effluent
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
unless you have a deltec reactor with their media your pushing it with the amount of CO2 your dumping into the reactor to get 66 dKH. in order for me to get that out of a reactor (and iv tried with a few brands and different media) the PH of the effluent is in the low 6's which can turn the media to mush very fast if you dont know whats going on.
you might want to back down until you get the PH checked.
kc
you might want to back down until you get the PH checked.
kc
justgettinstarted
New member
i will check the pH when i get home tonight... I am only putting in around 11 bubbles per min with a drip rate of about 35 drips per minuite... i am using the koralin reactor media
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
with those settings i dont see you getting 66 dKH out of the reactor.
you used the Salifert test kit? and you used 2 full 1ml syringes and then a little from a 3rd??? (if you followed the above mentioned way to use the salifert to test the effluent)
kc
you used the Salifert test kit? and you used 2 full 1ml syringes and then a little from a 3rd??? (if you followed the above mentioned way to use the salifert to test the effluent)
kc
Dragon_Slayer,
What media are you using? I use Koralith in my 1502 and I have to run the pH below 6.5 toget dKH over 30. I think this is why I struggle to keep the pH above 8.00 @ night. My tank dKH is about 11.8 but I have limewater for topoff to keep pH up! Sounds like you have tested several media types and have found the right one! Just thought I would save myself a little test time on this one!
Thanks,
reefala
Where in Southeast Alabama are you. I lived in Auburn for several years.
What media are you using? I use Koralith in my 1502 and I have to run the pH below 6.5 toget dKH over 30. I think this is why I struggle to keep the pH above 8.00 @ night. My tank dKH is about 11.8 but I have limewater for topoff to keep pH up! Sounds like you have tested several media types and have found the right one! Just thought I would save myself a little test time on this one!
Thanks,
reefala
Where in Southeast Alabama are you. I lived in Auburn for several years.
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
i use the CaribSea ARM, i cant get media local and have to order it in so if im going to have to order and pay shipping, i get the 50 lbs bags to make it worth my while.
i have a few lbs of the Koalith but have never used it so i cant comment on it but it seams a bit low on the PH for you to be getting over 30. what test kit are you using for dKH and how are you testing PH?
from people who use the Knopp media that i know they always give positives for it and say it gives great #'s even at 6.7 PH. makes me think your testing might be off maybe.
kc
i have a few lbs of the Koalith but have never used it so i cant comment on it but it seams a bit low on the PH for you to be getting over 30. what test kit are you using for dKH and how are you testing PH?
from people who use the Knopp media that i know they always give positives for it and say it gives great #'s even at 6.7 PH. makes me think your testing might be off maybe.
kc
I use the Salifert kit and the same procedure you described. The pH is tested through an aquadyne controller that is calibrated weekly with fresh buffer. It is very accurate. This morning my readings were 6.33 in reactor and 36 dKH. I think I read somewhere that the Koralith takes lower pH to dissolve. Maybe I was dreaming. I will try ARM and see how it goes. I just have to think of another excuse to tell my wife when another box from Marine Depot arrives. It seems like I get a box a week.
Have you ever measured the Phosphate in your effluent using the ARM? I can say one good thing about Koralith and that is low phosphates. Thanks for your help.
Have you ever measured the Phosphate in your effluent using the ARM? I can say one good thing about Koralith and that is low phosphates. Thanks for your help.
justgettinstarted
New member
kc,
I have to take apart my reactor today i think... because too much co2 is building up inside of it... and under the base plate thing... i dont really understand why... i am only bubbling @ 10bubbles per minuite...
but the strange part is...
It sounds like my eheim pump has air bubbles in it for something... because they should be very quiet right? mine will make a noise like it is chewing up air bubbles about every 3 seconds... but they are not CO2 cause i turned it off and it still makes this noise... so i am confused on whats going on... but i will take it apart and see if it is something is going on in there...
do you have any insight into what may be happening?
the very strange thing is when i unplug the pump... the co2 pocked under the media bed dissapears... and when i plug it back in it reappears... looks almost like the pump is hooked up in reverse... but i double checked my diagram and am pretty much 99% sure that cant be the case... but i dont know what else could be going on???
I have to take apart my reactor today i think... because too much co2 is building up inside of it... and under the base plate thing... i dont really understand why... i am only bubbling @ 10bubbles per minuite...
but the strange part is...
It sounds like my eheim pump has air bubbles in it for something... because they should be very quiet right? mine will make a noise like it is chewing up air bubbles about every 3 seconds... but they are not CO2 cause i turned it off and it still makes this noise... so i am confused on whats going on... but i will take it apart and see if it is something is going on in there...
do you have any insight into what may be happening?
the very strange thing is when i unplug the pump... the co2 pocked under the media bed dissapears... and when i plug it back in it reappears... looks almost like the pump is hooked up in reverse... but i double checked my diagram and am pretty much 99% sure that cant be the case... but i dont know what else could be going on???
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
Have you ever measured the Phosphate in your effluent using the ARM?
No, just the tanks and they are 0.00. i will though just to check. i dont think i get many if any, my macro algea never does good in this tank and all corals and coralline grow well.
justgettinstarted
did you evacuate the reactor compleatly of air before you pluged in the pump? open up the effluend drip line fully open and then while the reactor is running pick it up and gently bump it back down to dislodge all air trapped in the media.
also when you say you turned off your CO2, how long did you wait? it takes several min's before you stop getting bubbles of CO2 after cutting it off.
kc
No, just the tanks and they are 0.00. i will though just to check. i dont think i get many if any, my macro algea never does good in this tank and all corals and coralline grow well.
justgettinstarted
did you evacuate the reactor compleatly of air before you pluged in the pump? open up the effluend drip line fully open and then while the reactor is running pick it up and gently bump it back down to dislodge all air trapped in the media.
also when you say you turned off your CO2, how long did you wait? it takes several min's before you stop getting bubbles of CO2 after cutting it off.
kc
justgettinstarted
New member
did you evacuate the reactor compleatly of air before you pluged in the pump?
Yea i did.. and then before i ever turned on the co2 i primed the whole thing...
open up the effluend drip line fully open and then while the reactor is running pick it up and gently bump it back down to dislodge all air trapped in the media.
I was doing this last night... didnt really seem to help too much...
also when you say you turned off your CO2, how long did you wait? it takes several min's before you stop getting bubbles of CO2 after cutting it off.
My bubles were already set so slow that as soon as i turned them off they stopped comming... Plus my setup is a little different as i moved the brass check valve... mine is directly connected to the regulator and then the tubing is run from there to the CO2 inlet... so i dont think that i have nearly as much backpressure to bleed off when i turn off the regulator...
I am about to go home for lunch and will give it another go and see what happens!
Garrett
kc [/B][/QUOTE]
Yea i did.. and then before i ever turned on the co2 i primed the whole thing...
open up the effluend drip line fully open and then while the reactor is running pick it up and gently bump it back down to dislodge all air trapped in the media.
I was doing this last night... didnt really seem to help too much...
also when you say you turned off your CO2, how long did you wait? it takes several min's before you stop getting bubbles of CO2 after cutting it off.
My bubles were already set so slow that as soon as i turned them off they stopped comming... Plus my setup is a little different as i moved the brass check valve... mine is directly connected to the regulator and then the tubing is run from there to the CO2 inlet... so i dont think that i have nearly as much backpressure to bleed off when i turn off the regulator...
I am about to go home for lunch and will give it another go and see what happens!
Garrett
kc [/B][/QUOTE]
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
you may be sucking in air with your inlet water then. micro bubbles from the skimmer????
kc
kc
justgettinstarted
New member
i dont think so... cause my ca reactor pulls out of the last chameber of my sump.. and there are no microbubbles in my tank! i took it apart... and think i got i fixed... but i will have to see when i get home later tonight if there is CO2 build up again...
cant really slow down the bubbles and more so i think i may just have to turn up the effluent flow
cant really slow down the bubbles and more so i think i may just have to turn up the effluent flow
dragon_slayer
In Memoriam
accumulation is accumulation be it in the top or bottom, if it's in the form of a bubble it's not disolved CO2 and is not doing anything to help you disolve the media.
kc
kc
Biodragen
Premium Member
Don't know if this will help.
There is two outs and one in.
I use both of the outlets. The one that is coming right from the top in the center I have one to three drips per min. What this does keeps the CO2 pocket from forming on top.
I had followed the Directions and kept having this issue and having too much CO2 in the tank. Then Co2 pocket kept forming twice a week.
Using the directions work when using this method of both outlets.
Some directions may not be updated but I do know Korallin was experiencing issues of this happening. Using the second outlet took care of the issue.
Now It works great and I don't even have to touch it and my effluent is a constant PH of 6.88.
Do this and this will elimitate the problem.
Brian
There is two outs and one in.
I use both of the outlets. The one that is coming right from the top in the center I have one to three drips per min. What this does keeps the CO2 pocket from forming on top.
I had followed the Directions and kept having this issue and having too much CO2 in the tank. Then Co2 pocket kept forming twice a week.
Using the directions work when using this method of both outlets.
Some directions may not be updated but I do know Korallin was experiencing issues of this happening. Using the second outlet took care of the issue.
Now It works great and I don't even have to touch it and my effluent is a constant PH of 6.88.
Do this and this will elimitate the problem.
Brian
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