need help dialing in my calcium reactor...

[Ian]

This isnt the first time Ive posted this but my alk is around 5.5 and my cal. is 350. Also my mag. is 1300.

I top off with kalk & dose turbo cal.

What can I do to my reactor to balance my levels (reduce/increase effluent, reduce/increase co2) and reduce calcium dosing maintence???

 

[sandman450f]

First raise your dkh to your pref, usually 9-11 up using reefbuilder dkh or similar, calcium to 420+, mag is fine, then start fine tuning ur reactor http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1076137&highlight=ca+reactor+setup


DONT try to use the reactor to bring your levels up. Get ur levels correct then use the info in the thread mentioned to keep them there.

 

[Ian]

my alk is 5.5 m/L or 15.4 dKH

Cal. 350

 

[Ian]

and the reactor has been going for 6+ months...

 

[sandman450f]

that not good, I would never have assumed you meant meq/l. you need shut that sucker of and drop down to 3.2 -3.9

Iv'e heard of people with high alk, but i'd think youd have some serious issues being that far up there

 

[sandman450f]

Here ya go, a bit down the page and you'll see ur in danger of major snow storms, hope you gotta plow!!! j/k http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.php

 

[Ian]

Ill chech out that link. As you have realized, Id like to lower my alk. and raise my cal.

 

[sandman450f]

stop dosing, shut off co2 and alk will drop on its own. Ca will be easier (without precip depending on ph) to increase once alk drops. I would completely ditch the kalk unless ca reactor can't handle the load. Seems to me like ur trying to work with too many variables at one time.

Keep in mind w/ a ca reactor you never want to use it to raise/lower levels other than minute amounts. Parameters should be set by other suplementation then regular dosing discontinued while reactor is being setup and fine tuned. While setting the reactor you likely will need to dose or alternatively discontinue the reactor until levels are kept stable, but only in prescribed one time amounts to bring back to target range.

Once the reactor is tuned correctly, then you can see whatever minute shift there is and add kalk or whatever other suplement to offset that shift. i.e. if after everything tuned as close as you can get say you have a dkh drop of .1 / .2 per week then dose into your topoff accordingly (or maybe try a better needle valve if range too high). If you are trying to adjust kalk dosing levels at the same time as adjusting reactor you are in for a huge headache. I have a shift of .1 dkh or so per week and just toss in a bit of reef builder dkh to offset. CA alway remains in the 470+ range (maybe 500+ depending on the way you read the test) so I nvr worry abt that.

 

[Ian]

I appreciate your help Sandman...

 

[lemonsx4]

sent you a PM

 

[CW from the OC]

Are you using a Ph probe and controller on the efluent from the reactor? If not, you really should. Spend the $$ and get one. Once you have that in place, you can set the flow through the reactor to a reasonable level, then control the Ph with the controller (which will turn the CO2 on and off as needed). This removes flow from the equation, and lets you easily focus on effluent ph to control how much CA you are adding to the tank.

But first, get your parameters stable, as others have mentioned.

 

[Frankysreef]

turn off your co2 and dose with turbo calc to get your calc up...

Test every day until alk goes down... then turn reactor back on.

I have a fast effluent drip rate, but a slow bubble count.

Works for me.. but each media is different.

The crushed coral gave me results like yours, then I switched media to koralife and my calc went way up.

 

[Bebo77]

i hate getting them "dialed in" i went to 2 part

 

[Ian]

Thanks all... mucho appreciation...