new CA reactor

R

ReefWreak

New member
Hey guys,

I just spent my afternoon and then after work time setting up my new Deltec PF501. I've got it running now 1-2bubbles per second and the effluent dripping at 1-2 drips per second. Recirc pump is running great, and I've got the pH probe secured in the top dipped down into the reactor's top chamber.

Ph has decreased from 8.6 to 7.3 in the last hour or so. Does that sound about right? I suppose it's really over a long period of time that counts. I don't know if the pH probe is accurate, as it was dry on the tip, covered by a cover to protect from damage, but it's an open almost cage like cover. I turned it on first and the pH measured at like 8.6 then just steadily dropped very quickly, so I unplugged it, reset in it's mount, then plugged it in again to see. It then settled at 8.6. I need calibration solution! How often does a probe need calibration or replacement?

I'm still terribly insecure about how it's supposed to be running, as it never seems to be consistent in anything, even the bubblecounter gets a bubble here, then a short pause with a bubble on the bottom of the inlet, then a bubble, then nothing, then a pause, then a bubble, etc. I've got the CO2 recovery line open ever so slightly, however if anyone (rogger) is familiar with the top of the reactor, is it supposed to be mostly air/CO2 up there, then the surface of the water in the chamber falls into the return? I'm just really unsure. :/

I tested the dKH just a minute ago to see if there was any change and there wasn't, the outflow measured 8dkh, so it probably isn't running yet.

I'm trying to be patient, and am being patient, I'm just worried about this or that or this or that. Should I be okay going to sleep with this setup on, or should I wait for the morning?

Does anyone know where I can get that silicone/rubber tubing locally? It doesn't use the standard RO hoses with John Guest fittings.


Anyway thanks for any recommendations or suggestions/comments.

Eric
 
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OK Eric good going.
As u know I now run a GEO.
Its such a difference to run a reactor with a PH probe. I fiddle with a knop back in the day an it was soo difficult.

Anyways TAKE A DEEP BREATH, nothing is happening to your tank at this settings, start slow and go slow.
60/60 its a great starting point for any reactor in fact is probably the recommended starting point for most reactors. Measure your alk and alk only for the first 48/72 hrs then make adjustments.

This article is simple and right ot the point and should help u from 2002.

I'll follow this thread like it was done for me by many club guys such as Chris and Roger and try to help u as much as I can.

Good luck and happy reefing, BTW get your clippers ready !!!!!!
 
Thanks for the encouragement and link Manny! Believe me, I've been to every Reefcentral sticky on how to run a calcium reactor, been through the deltec forums, equip forums, etc. :)

One thing though, when you had yours in the beginning, did you run CO2 24/7, or do/did you have it on a timer? I got the pH down to like 6.7 last night, then got scared of leaving it on overnight without me being there to moniter it, so I plugged the solenoid into the same circut that my halides are on so it only would add CO2 while the halides are on, so it can't effect the tank pH very much. How doe s that sound? Should I run 24/7 while I'm setting up?

Thanks again
 
The ph probe is hooked into the back of the solenoid hence ph low-solenoid off and no co2-thus no calcium being dissolved by the co2 until the ph raises again and so forth.
 
Uhm... I don't have a pH controller. My solenoid is just plugged into an outlet and run by timer. I'm either gonna buy a used controller soon, or wait until Rogger has the confidence in his aquatronica to get rid of his pH controller then I'll pick that up :p

I'm going to go grab some pH calibration solution packets from Barrier Reef in a few minutes, then I can make sure that my pH monitor is working.

Oh and Tim, or anyone else thinking about/setting up a reactor, this thread should help as well, and it helped me, even though it's for a Geo, but it's the same principle.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1162038
 
for the first few days, do very little adjusting with it, until the co2 stabilizes. when you do fiddle with it, adjust it, and test it the next day till your in the ballpark. you need to let it alone to stabilize long enough.

i dont think you should run it on a timer, the co2 will always fluctuate up and down too much.

mines dead on, but just for safe measure i have my ph controller setup if the whole tank ph were to drop too low, itd shut off my CR.


i calibrate my probe every month or so, sometimes 2.
 
I just calibrated my pH probe with 7 and 10.01, and it was about .5 off, so not so bad, except once it was calibrated, the pH reading inside the reactor was 6.1 so I shut off the CO2. If the pH was really at 6.1, shouldn't the media have melted/mushed? I thought if the pH was lower than 6.5 it melted? I've shut the CO2 off, and I'll wait for it to raise again then start up the CO2 again.
 
i calibrate my probe every month or so, sometimes 2.
Click to expand...
yikes I have not calibrated my probe in 4 months lol
I thinks its time lol
Eric chronically it will melt acutely no.

What's your alk?
Asuming u had all params in order prior to starting.
Anyways measure your alk start your reactor at 60/60 and measure in 48 hrs to make changes.
 
I just measured alk, it was 16dkh coming out of reactor, 8 in tank, 30bpm, reactor pH 6.55. I turned the CO2 down to 30 from 60 because the pH read so low. Fortunatly I've got the large grain (I think it's large grain, however it's about the same size as ARM. Is the GenX the large grain, where they're the size of large size food pellets?) Rowalith C+, so hopefully that'll help with keeping it from melting. It's also only like 50% white/tan grain aragonite, the other 50% are these brown pellets, but Deltec says that their Rowalith calcium substrate material is half of Rowalith C and half Rowalith W whatever those are...

I would do more research, but my internet is being ghetto and I'm lucky that I can post at all right now.
 
Ty Manny. I'm trying trying trying. To be fair, I've got nothing else to do but wait...

I just put the setup inside my stand... Not exactly where in it I was expecting, however it's in there and fits, so it should be ok.

Tank alk is at 7dkh now and the reactor is outputting at about 20dkh, so I think that's a good sign. reactor pH was at 6.6-6.7. I've still got a ton of organizing to do inside the stand now, so I'd say another week or so before things are settled in.

I'm still going to be doing 2part for a while to make sure everything keeps up. I cut the co2 down to like 20bpm, however my flow is up high because for whatever reason I can't seem to get a consistent drip rate regardless of what I do, and I even replaced the ball valve that came with it with another one from an LFS because of a leak and it's still leaking so I've got to get some zipties and maybe cut the hose back a bit but argh...

I'm just glad that there arn't any major leaks and that I've got the equipment. Unfortunately because it's so slow I tend to spend a lot of time downstairs away from my computer so I don't have anything to do to pass the time while anxiously watching that pH meter and waiting in-between alk tests... At least I've got work and customers to drive me nuts all day so I can't think about the reactor :p

Hey Manny, how is the confusa doing? :) :)
 
I'm still going to be doing 2part for a while to make sure everything keeps up- no reason to dose two part at all IMHO, it will make the diagnosing of any problems harder.
The confusa is doing good- pending some growth all is well.
 
Yea then I'm using the smaller media. I'm having problems with it melting together though because the pH did drop in it below 6.5. Hasn't melted all the way, but the recirc pump can't fluidize the media anymore :( stupid small grain media...
 
Hey Eric looks like standerd media to me 2. Anyways its not the media is the user lol j/k
I run small grain now my next one will be large as Eco carries it.
I would def consider a solenoid to turn off your reactor Co2 below a certain ph, whether u r using large or normal.


I did played with an old reactor bout 8 years back and it was so cumbersome that I decided against it and continued two part as u know. The solenoid ph controller is a great piece of equipment and offers some extent of peace of mind.

I don't think i would run a reactor w/o it.
 
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