Looks like my Tricolor SPS is happy
- Thread starter Engloid
- Start date
DevinWolfe
New member
It has grown considerably since I last saw it about a week ago.
Cool. It's hard to tell when you see it every day. Last I checked, my alkalinity was up at about 10.3 and calcium was at 450. The alkalinity is what I think I need to watch. I really don't want it getting higher.
With this being my first SPS, it's good to see it doing well. Maybe I will invest in some more sometime soon, and one day be able to actually trade some stuff people want....instead of xenia or kenya trees. :dance:
Thanks. Do you agree that I don't need to go past 12 on alk?
My logic is this: If I run the valves on my calcium reactor wide open, I run as much effluent as possible...and can then tune my pH inside the reactor (by changing CO2 rate) such that it puts out effluent that will create an asseptable level of alk and calcium.
What this does is it avoids counting drips of effluent, which is more "iffy" and will require more frequent adjustments than just setting the pH controller for the CO2 and being done with it.
So far, my valves are not open all the way, but I am slowly getting to that point. I don't want to make drastic changes so I will slowly open the valves and if/when I see alkalinity or calcium go up too high, I will just bump the pH controller some to compensate. What this will do is just slow down the rate at which the aragonite breaks down. Right now, I'm at 6.72pH in the reactor, and it's holding about 10.3alk and 450calcium. Calcium could be a bit higher, but I will monitor it also.
Do you have any experience with the skimmers that allow you to put your effluent directly into them? Is that something I should look for in my next skimmer, or possibly go ahead and run my effluent line into my skimmer from the top?
GPhiAce
New member
I would not run the effluent into a skimmer. I don't think that it will serve any benefit or be harmful. Then again, I never tried to see it the skimmer would lower the Alk or Ca- shouldn't, but I don't know. You would run your effluent at the tip of your output for your skimmer if you wanted to put in on there some way. That would just keep your effluent in a high flow area.
Instead of counting the drops per minute or second, you could collect all the effluent over a period of time, measure the pH/Alk/Ca in the effluent and use that to adjust the rate, pH, etc. There are several ways to adjust it. As long as you know the basics about how it works. Make sure to make suttle changes and check frequently while you are establishing a baseline.
I would not go above 12 for Alk. I don't go above 9. There are several people who are succesful at keeping high Alk, I am not, and I have seen the negative effects of high and low Alk. The 450 Ca is fine.
Instead of counting the drops per minute or second, you could collect all the effluent over a period of time, measure the pH/Alk/Ca in the effluent and use that to adjust the rate, pH, etc. There are several ways to adjust it. As long as you know the basics about how it works. Make sure to make suttle changes and check frequently while you are establishing a baseline.
I would not go above 12 for Alk. I don't go above 9. There are several people who are succesful at keeping high Alk, I am not, and I have seen the negative effects of high and low Alk. The 450 Ca is fine.
I checked alk again today and I'm at 10.6, so it's lowered just slightly. If I do anything to adjust it, it will be to lower it slowly.
Do you agree with my logic that you can adjust the reactor by changing the pH inside, rather than changing the flow rate of the output, within reason?
Do you agree with my logic that you can adjust the reactor by changing the pH inside, rather than changing the flow rate of the output, within reason?
GPhiAce
New member
Yes, that is one way to "tune" your reactor. You should just make sure that you are within the range that your media needs in order to be dissolved. I don't remember exactly what that optimal range is (haven't used a reactor in about a year or so).
I am old school too. Meaning- sump to house my skimmer and dosing 2 part additives. I was "trained" mostly by Fishdoc11, so I have no choice but to be old school. There is a little Cee and ct-vol in there too, but still- old school, except for the Randy influence.
I am old school too. Meaning- sump to house my skimmer and dosing 2 part additives. I was "trained" mostly by Fishdoc11, so I have no choice but to be old school. There is a little Cee and ct-vol in there too, but still- old school, except for the Randy influence.
from what I understand, aragonite will break down in normal 8.0-8.3pH water...but will do so slowly. The lower you are in the pH, the faster it breaks down. Therefore, if I can achieve my desired tank calcium level at 7.0pH, I see no reason to lower it to 6.5.
So far, this is working pretty well and has allowed me to basically tune the reactor using a digital pH controller, instead of counting drops and using a valve that will change flow over time. It just makes me a bit more comfortable that way.
I'm not wide open on the valves though. I probably run half flow on the outlet, and have a slow drip on the canister vent, just in case any CO2 builds inside.
Thanks for the advice. Sometimes it's good to just bounce ideas off somebody to see if you still have some sanity or you're missing something really simple.
So far, this is working pretty well and has allowed me to basically tune the reactor using a digital pH controller, instead of counting drops and using a valve that will change flow over time. It just makes me a bit more comfortable that way.
I'm not wide open on the valves though. I probably run half flow on the outlet, and have a slow drip on the canister vent, just in case any CO2 builds inside.
Thanks for the advice. Sometimes it's good to just bounce ideas off somebody to see if you still have some sanity or you're missing something really simple.
macclellan
New member
So long as you are calibrating your pH probe over time.
