Korallin Calcium Reactor

[thrlride]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9003611#post9003611 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
thrlride

does yours go all the way up the tube when it mixes? I think mine does I've really never paid any attention to it.


How can I be addeding too much when I start with a low effluent rate, and a low bubble rate, and test alk. Then if it doesn't hold that morning I adjust, test at night, test at morning and adjust?

I do that till it holds? Is there another way because I'm going to start tuning it again tom. night. any help is much appreciated.

Oh yeah, it goes all throughout the tube when the circ pump comes on. I could probably change the circulation time down to 1 minute but that would still probably mix the entire thing.

If my line of thought is correct you could be adding too much calcium by have the drip too fast and the bpm too much. The alk of the effluent ought to be the same if the ratio of dpm/bpm are the same. Meaning 40 dpm with 20 bpm would have the same alk as 80 dpm with 40 bpm. But the 80 dpm/40bpm would be dump much more calcium in to your system.

That's how it works out in my head anyway, it could very well be falst.
What I would do is tinker with the settings until you get it stable, check your calcium in your tank and make note of that. Ensure the reactor keeps those settings and several days later see what the calcium in the tank is at. If it is the same then make note of your settings. If not then adjust accordingly.

 

[Laakmann]

Okay, now I am looking at the Geo Calcium Reactor 624. Any recomendations on what CO2 regulator and media I should get for this system?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9002859#post9002859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thrlride
Can you describe this design? My reactor simply stirs the solution every 6 hours for 5 minutes in a roughly 30" tall acrylic tube.

Take a look at the first picture. This design sucks the mixed Kalk into the pump at the middle horizontally and pumps it back in directed at the bottom center. The pump suction will send it back to the bottom before it rises any higher.

In other designs the pump's suction is vertical, that may force the mix to go higher before turning back down into the suction like in the following picture where the suction tube is close to the top. This can be easily fixed by just cutting the suction pipe with a diagonal (45* cut) to make it shorter to about between 3/4 and 1/2 of its original height.

With the stirring design (Magnetic or mixing bar), if it is done too fast or too long the mix will swirl rising the sediment too high.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9003611#post9003611 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hurleycr
...How can I be addeding too much when I start with a low effluent rate, and a low bubble rate, and test alk. Then if it doesn't hold that morning I adjust, test at night, test at morning and adjust?

I do that till it holds? Is there another way because I'm going to start tuning it again tom. night. any help is much appreciated.

That is the right procedure to follow just test 24 hours in between adjustments (not night and morning) as it usually takes that to stabilize the addition.
I am thinking on other potential reasons why your Alkalinity may suddenly drop in proportion to your Calcium. Here are some ideas:

a) Your salt mix may be high in Calcium and low in alkalinity so when you change water you trow off the balance. This usually happens with Oceanic Salt.

b) Your initial Additions of Turbo and/or baking soda may not be completely stabilized before you try to adjust the reactor, just weight a bit longer.

c) Adding supplements manually or changing water between tests can make adjusting difficult.

d) Effluent drip rate is not stable and it drops over time or bubble rate increases over time.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9004384#post9004384 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
That is the right procedure to follow just test 24 hours in between adjustments (not night and morning) as it usually takes that to stabilize the addition.
When adjusting for contant alkalinity usually the Calcium takes care of itself as the addition also include Calcium in the same proportion as it is used by precipitation and coral growth (20 ppm per 1 meq/lt) this balance may be trown off if you have alkalinity consumption higher than the balanced Calcium. This usually occur in new tanks where nitrification adds acids to the water or with some supplements that adds such acid (Like vitamins containinc vitamin C).
Here is some reference that may give you some ideas:

When Do Calcium and Alkalinity Demand Not Exactly Balance?
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm

I am thinking on other potential reasons why your Alkalinity may suddenly drop in proportion to your Calcium. Here are some ideas:

a) Your salt mix may be high in Calcium and low in alkalinity so when you change water you trow off the balance. This usually happens with Oceanic Salt.

b) Your initial Additions of Turbo and/or baking soda may not be completely stabilized before you try to adjust the reactor, just weight a bit longer.

c) Adding supplements manually or changing water between tests can make adjusting difficult.

d) Effluent drip rate is not stable and it drops over time or bubble rate increases over time.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9003971#post9003971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Laakmann
Okay, now I am looking at the Geo Calcium Reactor 624. Any recomendations on what CO2 regulator and media I should get for this system?

Most CO2 regulators are good for the purpose. If you are using a controller you will need a regulator that include a solenoid valve.
Also insure that the regulator has a pressure adjusting knob in the center of the body. Some regulators have a pre-set pressure which will limit your flexibility for adjustment.
Also look for ones that have dual gauge to measure the cylinder pressure as well as the regulator output pressure.

Here is a couple of posibilities:
The M3 regulator basically has all it's needed. Needle valve is not the super duper precision but will do the job well at buble rates higher than 6 to 10 bpm (over 90% of reactors setups use above this rate)
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CO3117

Milwakee: A bit too sensitive on the needle valve but is workable:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...Product_Code=MIL-MA957&Category_Code=co2units

Reef Fanatic: Has a very good needle valve but the pressure is pre-fixed.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...roduct_Code=RF-CO2-REG&Category_Code=co2units

Regarding Medias Schuran will be OK although it is more expensive and difficult to find in the US.
I would recommend Gen-X as a good alternative, I have tested it for about 6 months, it comes very clean, dissolves well (Does not really need below 6.5 PH as many large sized medias do) and tested for phosphate at 0.02 ppm or below which way below the 0.05 ppm generally accepted as the uper limit fro proper maintenance.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...PROD&Product_Code=PC-CRM&Category_Code=cmedia

 

[hurleycr]

has to be B or C....

I use IO, and I can dial any DPM or BPM without any problems.

 

[thrlride]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9004277#post9004277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
Take a look at the first picture. This design sucks the mixed Kalk into the pump at the middle horizontally and pumps it back in directed at the bottom center. The pump suction will send it back to the bottom before it rises any higher.

In other designs the pump's suction is vertical, that may force the mix to go higher before turning back down into the suction like in the following picture where the suction tube is close to the top. This can be easily fixed by just cutting the suction pipe with a diagonal (45* cut) to make it shorter to about between 3/4 and 1/2 of its original height.

With the stirring design (Magnetic or mixing bar), if it is done too fast or too long the mix will swirl rising the sediment too high.

Mine follows the second design. So I should cut the tube to a shorter length?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9006748#post9006748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thrlride
Mine follows the second design. So I should cut the tube to a shorter length?

Yes you can do that. Cut one piece at a time and test mixing to find out the level it works the way you want it.
When I used that design it worked perfectly cut down to the middle but you may try 3/4 first and if still too high then cut a bit more.
Digonal cut seems to work better than perpendicular.

 

[lestat737]

PH falls too fast in tank

PH falls too fast in tank

My problem is as so.

I have an aquacontroller controlling solinoid on CO2 tank as PH in tank falls under 8.0. Valves open up as PH goes over 8.0. Problem is that PH keeps falling under 8.0 and stays there untill many days where the aquarium would recover from that drop of PH.

Consequence during that time the aquarium is not fed with Calcium.

What to do ?

Dave

I have an Korallin 1502 for an 100 gallon tank. My present drop/bubble count is 2 drop per minutes/ 5 bubble per minute. Its the lowest I could manage given the constrain of the very unprecise vlaves.

 

[jdieck]

Re: PH falls too fast in tank

Re: PH falls too fast in tank

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9196043#post9196043 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lestat737
My problem is as so.

I have an aquacontroller controlling solinoid on CO2 tank as PH in tank falls under 8.0. Valves open up as PH goes over 8.0. Problem is that PH keeps falling under 8.0 and stays there untill many days where the aquarium would recover from that drop of PH.

Consequence during that time the aquarium is not fed with Calcium.

What to do ?

Dave

I have an Korallin 1502 for an 100 gallon tank. My present drop/bubble count is 2 drop per minutes/ 5 bubble per minute. Its the lowest I could manage given the constrain of the very unprecise vlaves.

The problem with that mode of control is that it assumes the low PH is due to the reactor. If it is not the reactor (Like when the low PH comes from the CO2 in the air) you cut the reactor's CO2 but the PH stay low so the alkalinity drops so the PH swing increases so it will stay low for longer and longer causing what in control systems is called a negative feedback where the direction of control goes the oposite way that what it is intended.

The soluion will be to remove that limitation from the controller. Let the reactor operate continuously and maintain your alkalinity at the 10 dKh level. Improve tank aereation or get some fresh air in the room once in a while and have the effluent drop near the skimmer suction.

 

[tonggao]

Please help! I have a reasonably heavily stocked 120G SPS dominated tank, and I have be struggling to keep alk/cal above 8kh/400 with a PM kalkreactor and Korallin 1502 in the last couple of months after I set it up (I have to dose 2-parts to keep it from going too low). So I finally measured the effluent alk, and it only shows kh of 16 with ARM media and PH of 6.7. I tried all kinds of settings with drip rate/bubble rate/ph from 50/10/6.5 to 120/32/6.5, and the highest kh value I can get is 23. The pump seems to be running fine, and I even took it apart and cleaned everything. There is no bubble in the reactor. Could someone please help me to raise the KH value of my Korallin? What is the safe PH value for ARM before I turn it into mud? Thanks in advance!

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9246011#post9246011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tonggao
Please help! I have a reasonably heavily stocked 120G SPS dominated tank, and I have be struggling to keep alk/cal above 8kh/400 with a PM kalkreactor and Korallin 1502 in the last couple of months after I set it up (I have to dose 2-parts to keep it from going too low). So I finally measured the effluent alk, and it only shows kh of 16 with ARM media and PH of 6.7. I tried all kinds of settings with drip rate/bubble rate/ph from 50/10/6.5 to 120/32/6.5, and the highest kh value I can get is 23. The pump seems to be running fine, and I even took it apart and cleaned everything. There is no bubble in the reactor. Could someone please help me to raise the KH value of my Korallin? What is the safe PH value for ARM before I turn it into mud? Thanks in advance!

Set the controller for 6.4 to 6.5 PH and drip rate between 60 to 80 ml/min. IME that is were the maximum alkalinity aoutput will be on a Korallin 1502 with ARM media.

 

[tonggao]

Thanks a lot jdieck! What is the highest kh value you see with a Korallin 1502 with ARM?

 

[jdieck]

You will be seeing about 25 to 27

 

[SDguy]

I'm about to change the media in my 1502 due to a slight CO2 mishap

Anyways, I like the ARM. But I've been hearing about genx and such. Can larger media be used in the 1502? Without a second chamber, how low would the effluent pH be? What about rumblings I've heard about layering different sized media? Any benefits there?

 

[jdieck]

I would not recommend large sized media for a single chamber reactor. Recirculation increases but still not enough to compensate for the drop in exposed area. To accelerate dissolution you need to lower PH even more just also increasing the lowering effect on your tank PH.

 

[SDguy]

As I suspected. Thanks

 

[mcurl98]

Is it normal for CO2 pressure to drop when it gets hot? My second pressure guage seems to drop as it heats up which drops my bubble rate. I've had steady pressure and rate for months now. It was about 95 today and my pressure dropped to almost zero. The main tank guage is unchanged. Is it a solenoid problem? I have been reluctant to dial it up as, when it cools at night, the pressure and rate climb back up. I did just turn it up to about 5 (usually around 20). If I crank it up to 20 when it is warm, I am afraid the rate will be too much for the reactor-not sure if the needle valve will limit it enough if the pressure gets up to 40. Any ideas? My set up is outside. Thanks!

 

[jdieck]

I hope for safety sake that although you keep your cylinder outside it is in a shaded area. You should always keep the CO2 cylinder in the shade.
Usually cheaper regulators will change the setting due to changes in temperature, there are many metal pieces that may change their dimensions like the inner spring that regulates the force over the diaphragm, the lenght of the pressure control knob, even the internals of the needle valve. I would say that usually solenoids will not have that effect, they are either fully open or fully closed.
So insure the cylinder does not get any direct sun then adjust the regulator if hot to 10psi, if cool to 25 psi and see how it goes.