Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[AcroporAddict]

Furthermore, this started happening when the gas was turned on. I had with the gas off for a little while and this didn't happen.

There's your proof you don't have air coming into the reactor anywhere. Besides, you would have water leaking if your tubing was cracked anywhere. Your reactor is a positive pressure environment, if not by a lot.

I'm using TLF Reborn media. That being said it is "coarse".

I only have the reactor half full atm, do you think it would get better if I filled it all the way? Or is a different, smaller media the only option. I spent a pretty penny on this setup and if I need to add more to it I'd rather sell it and get a different reactor.

You could try adding more, but a finer media is what solved the issue for me. I also lowered the bubble rate slowly until I am using the bare minimum to maintain my reactor pH setpoint. Too high a bubble rate could be part of the problem as well, but with the free circulation the coarse media provides, the CO2 forms large bubbles, vastly cutting down on the surface area exposed to water and media, and more of it leaves the reactor through the effluent tubing undissolved.

In the scheme of things, buying a bit more reactor media is not that high a cost vs scrapping the entire thing. And GEO reactors are among the best on the market, IMO. Most others would be a lateral or a step down quality wise.

I would get some ARM regular, the kind that looks like crushed coral, and fill the reactor half with ARM and half with reborn, and see what it does. You do not have to add a second reactor inline like I did. I happened to have one laying around unused, so I did it that way. You don't have to use ARM regular, but any type that is crushed coral consistency in size. The smaller size is the important part. You can separate the Reborn from the smaller media with a sponge if you have one, or not, really doesn't matter IMO.

Increasing the media is not a big issue. If you do, just monitor your KH, and if you see it creep up from the extra media, just raise your pH setpoint inside the reactor until your kH levels off to your desired reading.

Also, the best possible scenario would be to have the finer media in the bottom half of the reactor vs the top, but that would be a little more work, but well worth it in the long run. FWIW, I have had a GEO 612 in operation on a 100 gallon reef for several years.

 

[EvMiBo]

Zachts - I just sent out an email to GEO's customer service. They've been helpful in the past, don't know why I didn't do that yesterday.

I guess I'll wait to see what they say and go from there. I appreciate the help thus far, will keep you posted.

 

[zachts]

There's your proof you don't have air coming into the reactor anywhere. Besides, you would have water leaking if your tubing was cracked anywhere. Your reactor is a positive pressure environment, if not by a lot.





You could try adding more, but a finer media is what solved the issue for me. I also lowered the bubble rate slowly until I am using the bare minimum to maintain my reactor pH setpoint. Too high a bubble rate could be part of the problem as well, but with the free circulation the coarse media provides, the CO2 forms large bubbles, vastly cutting down on the surface area exposed to water and media, and more of it leaves the reactor through the effluent tubing undissolved.

In the scheme of things, buying a bit more reactor media is not that high a cost vs scrapping the entire thing. And GEO reactors are among the best on the market, IMO. Most others would be a lateral or a step down quality wise.

I would get some ARM regular, the kind that looks like crushed coral, and fill the reactor half with ARM and half with reborn, and see what it does. You do not have to add a second reactor inline like I did. I happened to have one laying around unused, so I did it that way. You don't have to use ARM regular, but any type that is crushed coral consistency in size. The smaller size is the important part. You can separate the Reborn from the smaller media with a sponge if you have one, or not, really doesn't matter IMO.

Increasing the media is not a big issue. If you do, just monitor your KH, and if you see it creep up from the extra media, just raise your pH setpoint inside the reactor until your kH levels off to your desired reading.

Also, the best possible scenario would be to have the finer media in the bottom half of the reactor vs the top, but that would be a little more work, but well worth it in the long run. FWIW, I have had a GEO 612 in operation on a 100 gallon reef for several years.

My though on the leak was on the CO2 line since that was closed off by a valve and could still be sucking air in. I'm not that familar with GEO reactors but depending on where the CO2 is injected it could still be a negative pressure line even with the rest of the reactor pressurized....likely any leak would need to be between the bubble counter and the injection point. But for it to be frothing up like that something is causing too much gas either air or CO2 to build up in the reactor, otherwise it would not be doing that.

If no leak seems evident I would start by dropping the CO2 rate way down. How does your reactor pH look?

 

[AcroporAddict]

My though on the leak was on the CO2 line since that was closed off by a valve and could still be sucking air in. I'm not that familar with GEO reactors but depending on where the CO2 is injected it could still be a negative pressure line even with the rest of the reactor pressurized....likely any leak would need to be between the bubble counter and the injection point. But for it to be frothing up like that something is causing too much gas either air or CO2 to build up in the reactor, otherwise it would not be doing that.

If no leak seems evident I would start by dropping the CO2 rate way down. How does your reactor pH look?

If you had a leak in your CO2 line, you would be seeing uncontrolled bubbles being sucked in through the bubble counter. If you had a crack in the reactor or anywhere else you would have a water leak. Your reactor is a slightly positive pressure environment. I don't know how to say it any more precisely. MY reactor PH is 6.4.

 

[tkeracer619]

Remove the ph probe holder from the top of the reactor and use the port as your effluent output. Plug the factory effluent output. You can easily make a probe holder out of a pvc tee and some fittings.

The trapped gas will have a place to go. I am almost positive this will fix your issue.

 

[EvMiBo]

Here's a video of the bubble issue I'm having...

This is Geo's response: "A bubble or two at the lid is normal. If it isn't enough to interrupt flow it isn't anything to really bother with."

Fwiw, I haven't showed them the video yet. I'm sending it now...

<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/112525597?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="500" height="888" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/112525597">IMG 1162</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5116083">Evan Bogdon</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

 

[EvMiBo]

Remove the ph probe holder from the top of the reactor and use the port as your effluent output. Plug the factory effluent output. You can easily make a probe holder out of a pvc tee and some fittings.

The trapped gas will have a place to go. I am almost positive this will fix your issue.

Where would you put the tee + pH fittings?

 

[AcroporAddict]

Remove the ph probe holder from the top of the reactor and use the port as your effluent output. Plug the factory effluent output. You can easily make a probe holder out of a pvc tee and some fittings.

The trapped gas will have a place to go. I am almost positive this will fix your issue.

FWIW, the effluent line is located at the apex of the circulation pump plumbing going into the center of the lid, at a higher than the pH probe port. OP can just turn off the Eheim 1048 recirculation pump and allow the reactor feed to purge the CO2 that would collect at the effluent port without changing a thing.

Turn down your CO2 flow to just what is needed to reach your reactor pH setpoint, and if the problem still happens, which it probably will, switch to a smaller reactor media size and your problem will be solved.

The larger media size doesn't keep the CO2 trapped at the bottom of the reactor media long enough to dissolve because it keeps very open space between the pieces, allowing the CO2 to just freely circulate.

This is really not a difficult issue to take care of.

 

[hkgar]

MasterFlex 7520-50

MasterFlex 7520-50

Before I list it on ebay I thought I would give readers of this thread the opportunity to purchase my Masterflex L/S precision variable speed drive, 1 to 100 rpm.

I have been using this pump with my reactor and it has been great. Very pleased.




Asking $225 plus shipping.

 

[IUfan]

Got my calcium reactor running this week, had this thing for about 8months but taken me this long to understand how a calcium reactor works and find time to hook it all up.

The reactor is in my fish closet, made this small acrylic box to catch any spills.

Using a Cole Parmer doser, bought used on eBay, works really well. Also allows me to place the reactor 10' away in the closet, just using 1/4" tube that easily runs through the wall and under the carpet to the tank.

The fish closet and the DT.

Just got to say a huge thanks to TKE, you are the man. I have sent you so many questions over the past 6months, and you have kindly answered every single one of them. Appreciate it!

 

[skidrow52]

This thread is amazing, made a lot of folks to start their calcium reactors including myself Thx to all here

 

[tkeracer619]

Awesome setup iu! Looks great.

I love the progression of this thread and everyones participation. You all rock!

 

[EvMiBo]

Cool pics IU. I have a geo612 and the same pump I believe (can't remember the numbers off the top of my head). Are you running it with an aquariumplants reg?

 

[IUfan]

Yeah with the AP regulator. Rock solid.

Here's my first couple of tests.

Been dropping the Ph down slowly, started at 6.70, then 6.60, 6.50, and now at 6.45.

For 6.45 Im at just under 3psi, and 30bpm, running at 40ml/min

 

[hkgar]

Hey IU, whats your flow rate?
MSU fan here.

 

[IUfan]

40ml/min right now. Only been running with Co2 for 3 days now though.

 

[hkgar]

If you need to increase or decrease the ALK change the bubble rate or th pressure. So not adjust the flow rate. Decreasing flow rate decreases reactor ph and increasing flow increases ph

 

[IUfan]

Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

Not sure I understand, so I'm going to write down how I interpret what you said.

You mean if I need more ALK in my tank, increase the flow rate, then increase the bubble count to set the PH again, this creating the same effluent alk, but in higher quantities because of the extra flow?

Is this what you meant?

 

[hkgar]

No, TKE makes reference to it somewhere in this thread, but either change the bubble rate and/or the pressure (bubble size). Do not change the flow rate. You want to change the effluent alk. If you want to increase the alk and you increase the flow rate your ph in the reactor will go up because the flow through water will be in the reactor less time therefore decreasing the effluent alk (less media being dissolved). It would be like the cat chasing its tail.

 

[IUfan]

Ahh got you now.

Yeah I was planning on leaving it at 40ml/min, and working with the Co2.

I saw where many use 30ml/min, but mine has to travel almost 10' so that's why I was leaving it at 40. Do you think I should drop down to 30?