Korallin Calcium Reactor

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6514325#post6514325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thrlride
Thanks guys! Is it a problem that I don't have a needle valve controlling the flow from the panworld? It is simply providing a little flow from a 1/4" line.

If you do not have valve at all from the panworld and you have the needle valve for the effluent at the outlet, and your reactor is not leaking then the flow issue is not in the feed system and instead you may have an effluent flow that is too small as indicated above by Slayer. Again, the solution for this is to increase the effluent flow and adjust the CO2 (PH) to balance out the alkalinity. The minimum flow I have always recommended is 25 to 30 ml/min with 50 ml/min to 60 ml/min for better stability.

 

[thrlride]

I need to get figure out how many ml my cup holds so I can estimate that way.

I will try raising the drips per minute and the CO2 accordingly. Thanks guys!

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6514413#post6514413 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thrlride
I need to get figure out how many ml my cup holds so I can estimate that way.

Easy, get a watch with second indicating needle or a stop watch, and a measuring cup (You bake don't you? ).

 

[Codeman00]

I have a question about the "broken stream method". Doesn't the effluent pH have to be betwen 6.5 and 6.7 for the media to dissolve? If that's true, you don't have much of a window for adjustment, right?

Another question I ask, before I remove my reactor, clean it and hook it back up is there a problem with having long runs of tubing (3-4 ft) or is less better to solve this inconsistent drip rate problem?

I attached the nozzle with hole to the powerhead and the dripping still slows unfortunatlely. This is aggravating.

 

[dragon_slayer]

the broken stream method does not require a pH of any set value. the CO2 will cause an acidic condition and will dissolve media but as stated above it's defiantly not the most efficient use of the CO2.

kc

 

[Codeman00]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6516524#post6516524 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dragon_slayer
the broken stream method does not require a pH of any set value. the CO2 will cause an acidic condition and will dissolve media but as stated above it's defiantly not the most efficient use of the CO2.

kc

Any chances of lowering the tank pH to dangerous levels by doing this instead of dripping?

 

[dragon_slayer]

it would depend on the tanks demands as this would be the deciding factor on how much CO2 has to be pumped in. it's not so much the lowering of the effluent pH but the excessive CO2 that may come out of the reactor in a gas from and settle on the surface of the sump and hindering a good gas exchange. good ventilation in/over the sump would negate this worry.

kc

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6516791#post6516791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Codeman00
Any chances of lowering the tank pH to dangerous levels by doing this instead of dripping?

Usually the higher the effluent flow the higher the PH for the same amount of alkalinity added so it tends to balance out.

 

[afishfanatic]

I am having a lot of trouble keeping my alkalinity and calcium levels up. I broke down the reactor, cleaned it out, and then filled it with new media. I started out as you (Dragon Slayer) instructed in the beginning of this great thread. I increased the drip rate each day and the levels still do not get where they need to be. The PH in the tank is currently 8.0 and the effluent is 6.7. The alkalinity in the tank is 8.8 and the effluent is 18.8. The calcium in the tank is 360 an the effluent is 425. By the way I have the 1502. My tank is a 175 gallon with 25 gallon sump and fuge. Could it be that this reactor is not big enough to handle my tank? It is fully loaded with a few softies, lots of LPS and SPS.

 

[Codeman00]

afishfanatic....

You have talked about what the levels are now, but you haven't talked about how or if they drop from day to day.

This might be a stupid question...but are your calcium and alkalinity remaining constant in the tank with the reactor? That's all the reactor is supposed to do is to keep your levels constant. Once you have the bubble rate and drip rate set to keep a reactor pH between 6.5-6.7 (with ARM media) and the drip rate is set so that it keeps the tank alkalinity and calcium constant, then you want to add supplements to the tank to get the Ca and Alk back to where you want them. The reactor should then keep the levels to where you increased them and stable thereafter unless you add corals to the tank or they grow big enough to use more Ca and Alk.

The reactor should never be used to increase your Ca or Alk...just to keep them constant.

 

[afishfanatic]

Codeman,

I have been using Kent superbuffer to raise Alk and Kent Turbo Calcium to raise the calcium. The levels go up, and then drop back down within a day or 2. I am using ARM media. The BPM is set to about 1 bubble per second and the drip rate is almost to a stream. i just increased to these rates this morning and just added the Keny supplements an hour ago. I will test again tonight and again in the morning and post my results.

 

[dragon_slayer]

Dean

you haven't fully read and understood the instructions it appears. your addition of buffers constantly are only going to prolong the setup procedure. you'll first have to set the reactor to the demands of the system then use the supplements to get your levels up to where You want them and then check that the reactor is continuing to keep them there and adjust accordingly.

also I'm sure it's been mentioned in this thread somewhere and I've said it at least a thousand times in other threads Do Not Test Ca Levels In The Effluent. your simply wasting your test kit, this number is useless to you and provides no helpful information at all about the reactors output.

kc

 

[afishfanatic]

you haven't fully read and understood the instructions it appears

Yes I have fully read, and if I fully understood I would not be posting this.

I started the reactor at a slow rate similar to the rate you recomended in the beginning. After a couple of days of testing, the alk and Ca start dropping. I am not a genius, but to me that says the reactor is not producing enough....so I bump it up. I have continued this until I am where I am today. I DO NOT CONSTANTLY ADD BUFFERS. I give the reactor time to stabalize, test, and then adjust.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6525796#post6525796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by afishfanatic
I am having a lot of trouble keeping my alkalinity and calcium levels up. I broke down the reactor, cleaned it out, and then filled it with new media. I started out as you (Dragon Slayer) instructed in the beginning of this great thread. I increased the drip rate each day and the levels still do not get where they need to be. The PH in the tank is currently 8.0 and the effluent is 6.7. The alkalinity in the tank is 8.8 and the effluent is 18.8. The calcium in the tank is 360 an the effluent is 425. By the way I have the 1502. My tank is a 175 gallon with 25 gallon sump and fuge. Could it be that this reactor is not big enough to handle my tank? It is fully loaded with a few softies, lots of LPS and SPS.

I there.
There is always the posibility that the reactor can't cope up but the alkalinity of your effluent seems a bit low were a more usual range is in the 25 to 35 dKh. This could mean that you can either increase the CO2 or reduce the effluent flow. As you need added alkalinity I would keep the new higher flow and increase the CO2 rate lowering the reactor's PH down to about 6.5 and see if you get better addition.
If the tank's PH drops too much and if you are not adding the effluent trough the skimmer try dropping the effluent close or at the skimmer inlet, that will speed up the reaction with any remining CO2 and blow off any potential excess increasing the tank PH.
In addition if after increasing the CO2 (Increasing the effluent Alkalinity) your tank PH still drops too much or you need to increase the addition you can try adding a second chamber, after that if it still not good enough then per sure the reactor reached max capacity.
The attached links may help you.
Use the section No.2 of the calculator and read the notes of each of the three sections. Added info may help.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html
If you like DIY here are the drawings for a cheap second chamber and a probe sump. The use of the probe sump is in case your reactor does not have a sump for the probe already. Use it in between the reactor and the second chamber to measure the ouput PH of the reactor into the second chamber.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6516791#post6516791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Codeman00
Any chances of lowering the tank pH to dangerous levels by doing this instead of dripping?

Besides good ventilation in the sump you can try dripping near or at the skimmer's inlet, this will help vent the excess CO2 and increase the tank's PH.
Is your flow still unstable after increasing it?

 

[afishfanatic]

jdieck,

Thanks, I really appreciate the extensive feedback. As for the alk of the effluent being low, it was higher but has lowered as I have increased drip rate and BPM. At the initial (low) setting the alk measured 31. As I increased the BPM and drip rate, the alk measured 27.6, 21.5, and now 18.8. I have just put a new PH probe into my effluent cup to assure the numbers are correct. The current PH is 6.76. I am taking your advice and only increasing the CO2 rate. I will let you know how things go. Also I will move my effluent cup closer to my skimmer intake. Thanks again!

 

[jdieck]

It will work better, I just hope is enough to maintain your levels.

 

[Codeman00]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6530841#post6530841 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
Besides good ventilation in the sump you can try dripping near or at the skimmer's inlet, this will help vent the excess CO2 and increase the tank's PH.
Is your flow still unstable after increasing it?

The flow is still unstable as ever. I've done a lot of RC thread reading over the past few days...it seems like the slowing effluent drip problem is very common. It amazes me because the calcium reactor seems like such a simple device.

I'm fed up with tinkering with the CO2 and drip rate twice a day..its ridiculous. I just bought a DC peristaltic pump last night along with a potentiometer...an electrical engineer at work helped me spec the right pot out for the job. I should have a perfect adjustable flow rate peristaltic pump and end these problems for good.

I do appreciate your help though..it was a good try.

 

[mikeatjac]

Codeman00
I too had the same problem a while ago. I replace the check valve with an 18.00 one from marine depot and it cleared up the problem. I am not the only one that has had this problem.

 

[gregr]

mikeatjac- could you post a link to that check valve? thanks!