New 220 gallon build
- Thread starter KurtsReef
- Start date
KurtsReef
Premium Member
According to the manual it comes calibrated, the ORP and PH are both the "Lab Grade" probes and new. I did pick up the calibration fluids as well but have not calibrated either yet.
I think they probes are correct, my PH was always at the top of the scale with the test kit using which the top color would be 8.6 or higher just never knew how high from that point. The occasional PH reading would come in lower than 8.6
I actually added some distilled vinegar to the system yesterday to drop PH, eventually getting it down to 8.1 however before bed went to the basement and found it to be right back up to 8.6
Not sure what would cause the rise in PH, did not add anything to the system so for some reason it just seems to run high. I have never used a calcium reactor but understand they drop the PH levels some through the use of the Co2
Looking forward to seeing how the Ca reactor helps the system parameters this weekend. (Going to find some articles on PH now to see possible causes of high PH issues)
I think they probes are correct, my PH was always at the top of the scale with the test kit using which the top color would be 8.6 or higher just never knew how high from that point. The occasional PH reading would come in lower than 8.6
I actually added some distilled vinegar to the system yesterday to drop PH, eventually getting it down to 8.1 however before bed went to the basement and found it to be right back up to 8.6
Not sure what would cause the rise in PH, did not add anything to the system so for some reason it just seems to run high. I have never used a calcium reactor but understand they drop the PH levels some through the use of the Co2
Looking forward to seeing how the Ca reactor helps the system parameters this weekend. (Going to find some articles on PH now to see possible causes of high PH issues)
RandyO
Active member
Hey Kurt,
Be real careful adding vinegar to your system. It can result in bacteria blooms and cloudy water.
A high pH is not such a bad thing, IMO.
Your pH will fluctuate during the day, and will be at it's highest right when the lights go out, and the lowest right when the lights come on, unless you are running other reef tanks on the same system with reverse lighting. (basically, a light is always on somewhere)
I don't pay too much attention to pH readings. If your calcium and Alk are in check, you should be in good shape. Over time, your Calcium reactor will help lower your pH from all the CO2 being injected into your system.
Be real careful adding vinegar to your system. It can result in bacteria blooms and cloudy water.
A high pH is not such a bad thing, IMO.
Your pH will fluctuate during the day, and will be at it's highest right when the lights go out, and the lowest right when the lights come on, unless you are running other reef tanks on the same system with reverse lighting. (basically, a light is always on somewhere)
I don't pay too much attention to pH readings. If your calcium and Alk are in check, you should be in good shape. Over time, your Calcium reactor will help lower your pH from all the CO2 being injected into your system.
RandyO
Active member
Look in the yellow pages under gas. Tbat should get you to the cylinder gas.
I usually go to mill's welding. Cost less than 10.00 to fill a 5lb tank. If you have a 20lb tank, Harvest Moon has tanks you can just swap out. They charge around 17.00 for a refill. They also sell full 20lb tanks for 100.00. It's always nice to have a backup tank.
Harvest Moon is in Cheektowaga in the Airport Plaza on Union, near Genesee.
Or check here for a place closer to you.
http://www.yellowpagecity.com/US/NY/Buffalo/Gas+Industrial+Medical+Etc+Cylinder+&+Bulk/
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
ditto that.
low pH is the thing to avoid.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
I went by "Harvest Moon", what a cool shop. I also picked up a fan there to vent the cellar they had some interesting items could turn the entire cellar into a farm.
Anyway picked up a 40lb tank and got it hooked up around 6:30 last night, here is the ACIII readings from yesterday.
So running a Ca reactor seems to have more benefits than simply raising the Ca levels of your system. From what I gather it also lowers your PH and raises the ORP as well as adding some trace minerals as it breaks down the media in the reactor.
Should have hooked this thing up a couple months ago.
Anyway picked up a 40lb tank and got it hooked up around 6:30 last night, here is the ACIII readings from yesterday.
So running a Ca reactor seems to have more benefits than simply raising the Ca levels of your system. From what I gather it also lowers your PH and raises the ORP as well as adding some trace minerals as it breaks down the media in the reactor.
Should have hooked this thing up a couple months ago.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
You have a controller. Very kewl!
The fact that a Ca reactor lowers pH is generally regarded as a drawback, not a benefit.
Scrutinizing that data, based on pH it looks like your lights turn off at 16:00.
I'm wondering why ORP constantly rises, though.
Does running a Ca reactor raise ORP? I've never heard of that before
The fact that a Ca reactor lowers pH is generally regarded as a drawback, not a benefit.
Scrutinizing that data, based on pH it looks like your lights turn off at 16:00.
I'm wondering why ORP constantly rises, though.
Does running a Ca reactor raise ORP? I've never heard of that before
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Gary, Yes decided to get one it came in last Thursday.
1600 is when the reactor was turned back on yesterday. My lights go off at 2030 right now have not hooked up anything to the controller yet except for the probes. The lighting will be changing to actual sun times + 3 hours so lights will come on 3 hours after sunrise and go off 3 hours after sunset.
It appears that the c02 does raise ORP, the readings were pretty consistent at 180-200 unless the reactor was running. The reactor ran a few hours yesterday before the tank I got with it ran out of C02 which is why the numbers started out where they are on the screen print posted above.
1600 is when the reactor was turned back on yesterday. My lights go off at 2030 right now have not hooked up anything to the controller yet except for the probes. The lighting will be changing to actual sun times + 3 hours so lights will come on 3 hours after sunrise and go off 3 hours after sunset.
It appears that the c02 does raise ORP, the readings were pretty consistent at 180-200 unless the reactor was running. The reactor ran a few hours yesterday before the tank I got with it ran out of C02 which is why the numbers started out where they are on the screen print posted above.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
that makes sense- pH started dropping when CO2 was turned on.
I still don't understand that rising ORP, though...
I still don't understand that rising ORP, though...
KurtsReef
Premium Member
I hooked up the MH lighting and Ca reactor to the ACIII, not as difficult as I thought the programming would be. Plan on getting the moonlights set up as well and then deciding what other items I want on it (The DC8) as I only have 8 controlled outlets. Think I will be putting two of the three MH bulbs on one timer and the third on second timer instead of using one timer per bulb as I have it set up right now.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Well, another thing that raises the ORP reading is when an overflow sock gets clogged enough for the water to come out and over it with all the bubbles. It jumped up about 80 points while that was going on.
I really do not understand the ORP and have found very little reading on the subject.
I really do not understand the ORP and have found very little reading on the subject.
rjrobert
Premium Member
Here's is a pretty detailed article on it.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php
What I took from studying the article is don't worry about ORP
I changed my graph on the AC3 to just show Temp and PH. "When" I get the calcium reactor I will use the port as the secondary PH probe and will not even record ORP.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php
What I took from studying the article is don't worry about ORP
I changed my graph on the AC3 to just show Temp and PH. "When" I get the calcium reactor I will use the port as the secondary PH probe and will not even record ORP.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Going along with the C02 and ORP readings, I posted this in a thread in the Chemistry forum:
When I set up the Ca reactor this past Saturday the PH in the system was around 8.9 and the ORP was at 200
A few days later and here are the readings, notice at 0530 this morning I decided to add more C02 going into the reactor to help speed up the break down process and drop the system PH a bit more on a consistent basis. The other result of C02 seems to be a rise in ORP.
So, from my understanding an ORP of 450 is where you start to get into a dangerous zone? In my limited experience here, it would seem the C02 is adding to the ORP reading, what else may be adding to that reading?
First time I ever ran a Ca reactor.
Date Temp pH ORP
17:00 10/07/2007 83.4 8.32 384
18:00 10/07/2007 83.7 8.33 376
19:00 10/07/2007 84.0 8.37 384
20:00 10/07/2007 84.1 8.40 385
21:00 10/07/2007 83.9 8.42 384
22:00 10/07/2007 83.7 8.42 385
23:00 10/07/2007 83.5 8.43 384
00:00 10/08/2007 83.3 8.44 387
01:00 10/08/2007 83.1 8.44 389
02:00 10/08/2007 83.0 8.44 390
03:00 10/08/2007 82.8 8.45 392
04:00 10/08/2007 82.6 8.46 391
05:00 10/08/2007 82.5 8.46 395
06:00 10/08/2007 82.3 8.47 398
07:00 10/08/2007 82.2 8.47 398
08:00 10/08/2007 82.1 8.48 400
09:00 10/08/2007 82.2 8.48 400 (2 MH Lights went on)
10:00 10/08/2007 82.6 8.49 400 (3rd MH light on)
11:00 10/08/2007 83.3 8.46 398
12:00 10/08/2007 83.7 8.53 340
13:00 10/08/2007 84.1 8.51 377 (3rd MH went back off due to temp)
14:00 10/08/2007 84.3 8.48 394
15:00 10/08/2007 84.4 8.49 399
16:00 10/08/2007 84.6 8.49 401
17:00 10/08/2007 84.7 8.46 403
18:00 10/08/2007 84.8 8.47 406
19:00 10/08/2007 84.9 8.45 403
20:00 10/08/2007 85.1 8.47 404 (Other two MH lights go out for night)
21:00 10/08/2007 84.9 8.46 405
22:00 10/08/2007 84.7 8.48 406
23:00 10/08/2007 84.5 8.48 406
00:00 10/09/2007 84.4 8.47 407
01:00 10/09/2007 84.2 8.49 407
02:00 10/09/2007 84.1 8.47 408
03:00 10/09/2007 83.9 8.49 408
04:00 10/09/2007 83.8 8.48 408
05:00 10/09/2007 83.5 8.47 409
06:00 10/09/2007 83.3 8.44 417 I turned the C02 'up' adding more to the CA reactor at about 5:30am this morning
07:00 10/09/2007 83.0 8.39 424
08:00 10/09/2007 82.9 8.34 429
09:00 10/09/2007 83.0 8.32 430
10:00 10/09/2007 83.4 8.30 428
11:00 10/09/2007 84.0 8.34 426
12:00 10/09/2007 84.2 8.31 426
13:00 10/09/2007 84.3 8.30 426
14:00 10/09/2007 84.4 8.33 425
15:00 10/09/2007 84.5 8.33 425
16:00 10/09/2007 84.5 8.32 424
17:00 10/09/2007 84.3 8.14 444
18:00 10/09/2007 84.4 8.26 420
19:00 10/09/2007 84.2 8.25 423
20:00 10/09/2007 84.1 8.27 424
21:00 10/09/2007 83.6 8.34 425
22:00 10/09/2007 83.1 8.33 426
When I set up the Ca reactor this past Saturday the PH in the system was around 8.9 and the ORP was at 200
A few days later and here are the readings, notice at 0530 this morning I decided to add more C02 going into the reactor to help speed up the break down process and drop the system PH a bit more on a consistent basis. The other result of C02 seems to be a rise in ORP.
So, from my understanding an ORP of 450 is where you start to get into a dangerous zone? In my limited experience here, it would seem the C02 is adding to the ORP reading, what else may be adding to that reading?
First time I ever ran a Ca reactor.
Date Temp pH ORP
17:00 10/07/2007 83.4 8.32 384
18:00 10/07/2007 83.7 8.33 376
19:00 10/07/2007 84.0 8.37 384
20:00 10/07/2007 84.1 8.40 385
21:00 10/07/2007 83.9 8.42 384
22:00 10/07/2007 83.7 8.42 385
23:00 10/07/2007 83.5 8.43 384
00:00 10/08/2007 83.3 8.44 387
01:00 10/08/2007 83.1 8.44 389
02:00 10/08/2007 83.0 8.44 390
03:00 10/08/2007 82.8 8.45 392
04:00 10/08/2007 82.6 8.46 391
05:00 10/08/2007 82.5 8.46 395
06:00 10/08/2007 82.3 8.47 398
07:00 10/08/2007 82.2 8.47 398
08:00 10/08/2007 82.1 8.48 400
09:00 10/08/2007 82.2 8.48 400 (2 MH Lights went on)
10:00 10/08/2007 82.6 8.49 400 (3rd MH light on)
11:00 10/08/2007 83.3 8.46 398
12:00 10/08/2007 83.7 8.53 340
13:00 10/08/2007 84.1 8.51 377 (3rd MH went back off due to temp)
14:00 10/08/2007 84.3 8.48 394
15:00 10/08/2007 84.4 8.49 399
16:00 10/08/2007 84.6 8.49 401
17:00 10/08/2007 84.7 8.46 403
18:00 10/08/2007 84.8 8.47 406
19:00 10/08/2007 84.9 8.45 403
20:00 10/08/2007 85.1 8.47 404 (Other two MH lights go out for night)
21:00 10/08/2007 84.9 8.46 405
22:00 10/08/2007 84.7 8.48 406
23:00 10/08/2007 84.5 8.48 406
00:00 10/09/2007 84.4 8.47 407
01:00 10/09/2007 84.2 8.49 407
02:00 10/09/2007 84.1 8.47 408
03:00 10/09/2007 83.9 8.49 408
04:00 10/09/2007 83.8 8.48 408
05:00 10/09/2007 83.5 8.47 409
06:00 10/09/2007 83.3 8.44 417 I turned the C02 'up' adding more to the CA reactor at about 5:30am this morning
07:00 10/09/2007 83.0 8.39 424
08:00 10/09/2007 82.9 8.34 429
09:00 10/09/2007 83.0 8.32 430
10:00 10/09/2007 83.4 8.30 428
11:00 10/09/2007 84.0 8.34 426
12:00 10/09/2007 84.2 8.31 426
13:00 10/09/2007 84.3 8.30 426
14:00 10/09/2007 84.4 8.33 425
15:00 10/09/2007 84.5 8.33 425
16:00 10/09/2007 84.5 8.32 424
17:00 10/09/2007 84.3 8.14 444
18:00 10/09/2007 84.4 8.26 420
19:00 10/09/2007 84.2 8.25 423
20:00 10/09/2007 84.1 8.27 424
21:00 10/09/2007 83.6 8.34 425
22:00 10/09/2007 83.1 8.33 426
KurtsReef
Premium Member
If you have any questions about what happens with H2O2 in a reef system, I put it in for the ICH issue. Details are HERE
Not a total disaster as many would think, not for the faint of heart though.
Part of this may explain the ORP readings jumping up with the introduction of CO2 via the Ca reactor though. I was not putting those two things together until my brother mentioned it.
Not a total disaster as many would think, not for the faint of heart though.
Part of this may explain the ORP readings jumping up with the introduction of CO2 via the Ca reactor though. I was not putting those two things together until my brother mentioned it.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Hooked up that fan I picked up at Harvest Moon in the cellar tonight and ran it for about 30 minutes...what a difference in humidity.
Also built a frag rack in the sump with egg crate, should have built it outside the sump and then placed it in. Of course I thought of this about 1/2 way through the process.
Need to divide the old lights from the 75g and hang them over the sump and refuge now, cant really decide exactly how I want to proceed with that.
Also built a frag rack in the sump with egg crate, should have built it outside the sump and then placed it in. Of course I thought of this about 1/2 way through the process.
Need to divide the old lights from the 75g and hang them over the sump and refuge now, cant really decide exactly how I want to proceed with that.
