Korallin Calcium Reactor

[maxxII]

Jose,

I have a 75 gallon total volume system, with a moderate load of SPS, (mostly frags, some small colonies) a Derasa clam, A crocea, and a small Maxima. I'm running a 1502 at:

96 Drops per minute
15.1 ml/min
13 BPM Co2

Been this for about a month.

Dkh been holding between 10.4 and 10.8 since 03-14-06
Effluent Dkh has dropped from 34.4 on 03-20-06 to 23.84 today.
Ca 390
Mag 1290

I did change out some of the effluent tubing in order to lengthen it to drip into my skimmer compartment. The effluent tubing now has to go "uphill" slightly, which I suspect is causing it to drip slower. And by increasing the drip rate back up to 96-100 range, I'm guessing, I'm running the effluent through the reactor too fast.

Here's the question:

If I cut the drip rate from 96 per minute, down to 48 dpm, will the effluent Dkh double? Is there a direct correlation in this regard?

I realize the ml/min rate is slower than you reccomend, but my calcium and Dkh levels have been staying pretty steady. However, according to what I understand, my calcium levels should be in the 425-435 range with the Dkh at 10.8

Any advice is welcome.

Nick

 

[drock59]

jdieck,
Ive slowed the drip rate too much to 12ml/ minute, effluent pH of 6.7 and effluent dkh of 34.

Tank dkh is ~10.4. This has increase slightly since my last reading.

I take it I need to increase my effluent flow a bit? Thus decreasing effluent dkh....

Edit: increase effluent to approx 25ml/ minute... ill check alk tomorrow morning.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7113709#post7113709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drock59
jdieck,
Ive slowed the drip rate too much to 12ml/ minute, effluent pH of 6.7 and effluent dkh of 34.

Tank dkh is ~10.4. This has increase slightly since my last reading.

I take it I need to increase my effluent flow a bit? Thus decreasing effluent dkh....

Edit: increase effluent to approx 25ml/ minute... ill check alk tomorrow morning.

What we are looking for is minimum effluent so if your alkalinity increased at 12 ml/minute and the effluent rate was stable at that low rate try increasing the PH a bit now but lets see how your new adjustment will do.
I think you will be set at around 15 to 20 ml/min and a PH of around 6.8 keep playing that way, you want maximum alkalinity addition at the minimum effluent possible and maximum PH.

 

[drock59]

just tested and tank alk is 10.6 and effluent alk is 18 dkh. I think i will leave it here and bring my tank alk down slowly to around 8 or 9. Then ill drop my pH in the reactor to provide more alk in the effluent.

 

[hurleycr]

uhm....i havn't had to fool with my reactor for so long I forgot how to use it. How embarassing.

Just a quick check to see if i remember everything correctly.

Tank

ph = 7.8
Cal = 400
dkH = 6.1

Reactor Effluent

ph = 6.85
dkh = 40
dpm = 32
bpm = 12

Where the dkh is low in the tank I need to up both the bpm and the dpm......... right? the tests were taken at midnight so the lights had been off for about three hours prior to test time. So the Ph is lower.

I just refilled my bottle for the first time and am resetting everything. So just checking my process, prior to waisting an entire test kit.

 

[jdieck]

Remember that the target is to maintain the alkalinity in the tank not to increase it, otherwise you will keep on tweaking without rest. Adjust your alkalinity to the desired level with a supplement and then adjust the reactor until the level is maintained. As long as it is maintained do not mind the level as you can adjust it with a supplement.

"Where the dkh is low in the tank I need to up both the bpm and the dpm......... right? the tests were taken at midnight so the lights had been off for about three hours prior to test time. So the Ph is lower."

so you will do this only if your alkalinity drops (not becasue is low).

Now some things to notice:
a) The dKH of the effluent seems high for the test to be reliable. Some times there might be some media particles (dust) suspended in the sample and during tritration it will dissolve giving you a higher reading. but in reality it is irrelevant as long as you can adjust the flow / PH combo to maintain your alkalinity.

b) Because your tank PH is relatively low you should try to blow off some CO2. Insure that the effluent hose is outside the water, drip close to the skimmer suction and vent the room properly and increase aereation as much as you can.

c) I would recomend first fixing an effluent flow (a good start point is 25 to 30 ml/hr) and start at PH 6.8 keep lowering the PH by 0.1 every 24 to 48 hours (testing the tank at the same intervals) until your alkalinity is stable. If you reach 6.5 and the alkalinity still drops try now increasing the effluent by 10 ml/hr every 24 to 48 hours (while keeping the PH at 6.5) until your alkalinity is stable.

Hope this info helps

 

[hurleycr]

a) The dKH of the effluent seems high for the test to be reliable. Some times there might be some media particles (dust) suspended in the sample and during tritration it will dissolve giving you a higher reading. but in reality it is irrelevant as long as you can adjust the flow / PH combo to maintain your alkalinity.

Nope, I've tested and retested. I thought it should be around 30-35 also, as this is what it was prior to me refilling my bottle. I'm using salifert for all test, and a PH probe that was just calibrated. So no I'm sure the tests are accurate.

b) Because your tank PH is relatively low you should try to blow off some CO2. Insure that the effluent hose is outside the water, drip close to the skimmer suction and vent the room properly and increase aereation as much as you can.

Yes it is outside the water, I drip before the skimmer compartment, which after I'm finished tunning it will go directly into the skimmer. I also have a fan running for ventilation and heat controll under the tank.

c) I would recomend first fixing an effluent flow (a good start point is 25 to 30 ml/hr) and start at PH 6.8 keep lowering the PH by 0.1 every 24 to 48 hours (testing the tank at the same intervals) until your alkalinity is stable. If you reach 6.5 and the alkalinity still drops try now increasing the effluent by 10 ml/hr every 24 to 48 hours (while keeping the PH at 6.5) until your alkalinity is stable.

I have no way to measure ml/hr, so I'm speaking in dpm. I realize that the drop per min was a bit low. I increased both the bpm, and the dpm last night. I sorry I wasn't paying attention to what I was typing, I've done that twice now in three days, "low" was a poor choice of words. it should have been lower, than what it was a day before. It was at 8.4 the day before.

I read that I didn't want to get to the 6.5ish range with ARM. But i'm with you I thought that the dkh of the effluent was high, but I've been testing for three days now, multiple time per day, and I get 40 each time.

 

[thrlride]

Will the 1502 handle a 210 heavily stocked with clams and SPS?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7403559#post7403559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr

I have no way to measure ml/hr,

I read that I didn't want to get to the 6.5ish range with ARM

See you remember more than you tought

Do you have a watch with seconds needle or a stop watch and a measuring cup? To measure ml/min just collect the effluent in the measuring cup while measuring one minute. If the measuring cup is large just do it over several minutes and divide the amount collected into the number of mintes.

It is better not to get that low in PH if you can balance the alkalinity but as you increase your effluent rate the efflunet alkalinity would tend to drop unless you lower the PH. The good news is that you are getting good dissolution.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7403642#post7403642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thrlride
Will the 1502 handle a 210 heavily stocked with clams and SPS?

Probably not. Although rated for 400 gal if you are loaded you may need something bigger.

 

[hurleycr]

the tank alk hasn't dropped from 6.1 so, i'm going to supplement up now. Exactly what is best to use... limewater?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7405072#post7405072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
the tank alk hasn't dropped from 6.1 so, i'm going to supplement up now. Exactly what is best to use... limewater?

No, limewater is for maintenance only because for large adjustments it will increase your PH too much, besides if your calcium is at good level Limewater will also add it so you run the risk of exceeding it.
My preference for your case as your PH is low I would use baked baking soda on a 1:5 ratio with baking soda.
Check your Calcium too and if need to be try using Calcium Chloride (TurboCalcium).
Use the calculator to estimate the amounts to add:
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/chem_calc3.html

 

[hurleycr]

nope calcium is right at 400, in needs to go up to 430 because I want my dkH around 10. Yeah I love TurboCalcium, its great.

are you talking about like arm and hammer type of baking soda?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7405922#post7405922 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
nope calcium is right at 400, in needs to go up to 430 because I want my dkH around 10. Yeah I love TurboCalcium, its great.

are you talking about like arm and hammer type of baking soda?

Yes the one used for cooking that you get at the supermarket. Belive it or not, most commercial alkalinity supplements and the alkalinity in the salt mixes is basically either baking soda, baked baking soda or a mix of both. Baked baking soda; Sodium Carbonate is Also sold as soda ash or washing soda as it is used for laundry but bake your own as the laundry one might have perfums in it.
You can use only baking soda 9sodium bicarbonate) but it will have a small PH reducing effect for 12 hour after which comes back to normal. You can turn it inot soda ash (Sodium carbonate) by baking it in the oven. Spread it on a baking tray or pyrex and heat in an ordinary oven at 350Ã"šÃ‚°F for one hour to drive off water and carbon dioxide. let it cool in the oven and thats it, you got an increasing PH alkalinity supplement. If you mix it with baking soda you can mange how much you want your PH to rise. at about 1 of baked for 6 of regular PH will stay much the same. at 1 of baked for 5 of regular PH will increase slightly. note that neither the increase not the reduction in PH will be permanent, once it reacts with the CO2 in the tank PH will go back to normal.

Check your magnesium also, if low you can use Epsom Salts that you can get in milk carton like boxes at any pharmacy.

 

[hurleycr]

just wondering what would the effects of using a kalk reactor with the calcium reactor have. Is it going to screw up my alk, and calc. or will all stay normal, and the ph go back up?

 

[jdieck]

Actually I use both. I have the doser pump trough the kalk reactor to replace the evaporation but only at night, then I adjusted the Ca reactor to fill in the shortage of supplementation. With this system and reverse photoperiod at the refugium and frag tank I am able to keep a fairly constant PH without night/day cycles.
See the attached. This is a dynamic chart of my PH readings it updates automatically every hour.

Here is my tank status page which updates every 15 minutes. You will see by the red spots when the Ca reactor and the Kalk reactor are ON.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/frames.html

 

[hurleycr]

i think i'm going to make all make up water go through the kalk reactor.

is it going to have any ill effects on my alk and calc?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7408998#post7408998 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
i think i'm going to make all make up water go through the kalk reactor.

is it going to have any ill effects on my alk and calc?

You will just be adding more of both, so for a time you need to monitor your PH in case the evaporation is large and also your calcium and alkalinity not to exceed your targets as you are going to need to reduce the addition from the calcium reactor.
This might help somehow, scroll the page down and check section 3

http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/reactor.html

 

[thrlride]

My eheim pump on my 1502 reactor is making quite a bit of ticking noise that is driving me crazy. Any hints on how to get rid of it? I've shaken the reactor hoping to dislodge any air bubbles and I have taken the pump apart to inspect.

Any hints? If I can't get it to shut up I will put on longer tubing and put this pump under water to hopefully quiet it down.

 

[jdieck]

Presi:
No idea waht could it be, If you checked that there are no media grains inside and no bubbles then may be replacing the impeller may help. How old is it?