Measuring the pH probe in reactor...

[Mr James]

I have the GEO 612 Calcium Reactor. I am feeding it with a Mini-Jet 404 turned down as far as it can go. I have a pH probe in both the sump and the reactor. I want to control the reactor pH with my Apex.

I know the program for the Apex, but the problem I have been having is that the water in the sump and the water in the reactor have the same pH. How do I get the reactor pH down? I have tried turning the co2 on manually via the Apex, but the tank pH drops too. I have turned down the Mini-Jet 404 to the lowest setting (18gph) to try and reduce the amount of GPH in the reactor, but it isn't working.

Any suggestions?

 

[thefu]

OK, there are a lot of variables, but here is the most universal starting point.

- Set your Reactor effluent (drip) to between 20-30ml/min
- Set the bubble rate for your CO2 to about 60 bpm
- Don't worry about the recirc pump
- Put your PH probe in a small (<50ml) cup with the tube from the effluent. Clip it to the inside of your sump so it overflows into the sump and the overflow drips through the air before hitting the sump water (if your PH probe is built-in to reactor, thats fine but still have effluent drip through air into sump)
- Depending on your reactor medium set your PH program for a set point between 6.4 and 6.8 (more coarse requires lower PH).
- In the PH program have the high/low on/off variance no more than .1 PH
- Let it run for 8 hours and then test the effluent with an Alk test kit. You may want to use low-resolution mode on a salifert kit or it will take more than 1cc of test fluid. if you do remember to double result
- Alk should be roughly 3x what you want the tank alk to be. If it is not high enough, set PH a bit lower, wait, and test again.
- Stabilize tank Alk where you want it without the reactor
- Measure Tank Alk 24 hours later and then 48 hours later. If the Alk is going down, increase effluent drip rate.


Simple, Thats it! :dance:

 

[aquamanic]

Makes me want to run out and get one! :hmm5:

 

[thefu]

Ya, but once it's set it works like clockwork keeping ca and alk stable without having to add kalk or 2-part. Dialing it in can be a pain but the above makes it sound worse than it is once you understand the process.

 

[Mr James]

Thanks a bunch!! In the past I had never had a CR with the ability to utilize a probe. Thanks again!!