Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[Salty Balls]

It doesn't look as bad in the picture. But it also makes my pump run loud.


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[ReefTron5000]

That said, did you calibrate your pH probe with pH4 and Ph7 solution as opposed to pH 7 and pH10? If you calibrated with 7 and 10, then you will need to recalibrate with 4 and 7 since you need to calibrate using cal solutions in the lower range you are aiming for in the reactor. Otherwise, your pH readings will not be accurate.

Yes I did calibrate with 4 and 7. However after I calibrated, I had to remove the probe from the reactor for several days and had it just sitting in a bottle of water to keep it wet. Not sure if this would have thrown off the calibration. It was still connected to the Apex the whole time.

You might also make sure you are actually running at the set ml/hr on your pump by using a measuring device such as a graduated cylinder and to measure how much flow is actually coming out of the reactor per min just so you know your actual effluent rates are accurate. Not that it matters much since you are turning the reactor to your displays needs by controlling flow and reactor pH but at least you will know when that when you say you are pushing 50ml/min, that you are actually running that much flow.

I will do this.

 

[slief]

Yes I did calibrate with 4 and 7. However after I calibrated, I had to remove the probe from the reactor for several days and had it just sitting in a bottle of water to keep it wet. Not sure if this would have thrown off the calibration. It was still connected to the Apex the whole time.





I will do this.

I don’t think that would have impacted the calibration but testing it in some solution wouldn’t be a bad idea or even recalibrating if you have extra solution. Either way, I think that Apex control will be need to prevent the pH from getting too low in that small of a reactor because I don’t think you’re going to want/need to run anywhere near 50ml/min at even 6.6 pH. I have one customer running a Geo 612 x2 which is a dual 6”x12” reactor and at 14ml/min and 1 bubble every 11 or 12 seconds at 3PSI, the Apex has to shut the Co2 off every 1-2 hours maintaining a pH of 6.6 -6.7 range. If I could slow the Co2 rate down further I would but we have a 3 psi check valve and the carbon doser won’t go lower. The display is about 300 gallons, has been up for 2 years and has lots of soft, LPS and some SPS coral. We do expect the Alk consumption to increase but as it sits right now, we need the pH control to maintain the pH targets at the current flow rates so we keep the Alk and Ca levels from skyrocketing. Larger reactors can handle more Co2 and are easier to balance out without needed the controller constantly intervening. That said, run the Carbon Doser on a relay outlet (4 or 8) on a standard EB8. If you have an EB832 or EB4, it doesn’t really matter since they are all Relay outlets (no triacs) on those particular Energy bars.

 

[ReefTron5000]

Just got home, I'm about to connect it to the Apex.

Something I'm confused about -- while I was at work a couple hours ago I called and had my wife and had her disconnect the carbondoser power. However the pH in the reactor continued to go down. It went from 5.96 to 5.88. Shouldn't the gas flow have stopped with a carbondoser turned off? I assumed once it was off the pH would gradually increase again in the reactor. I don't see any bubbles in the counter.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

On the Mini Cal there is a check valve beneath the bubble counter.

 

[slief]

Just got home, I'm about to connect it to the Apex.

Something I'm confused about -- while I was at work a couple hours ago I called and had my wife and had her disconnect the carbondoser power. However the pH in the reactor continued to go down. It went from 5.96 to 5.88. Shouldn't the gas flow have stopped with a carbondoser turned off? I assumed once it was off the pH would gradually increase again in the reactor. I don't see any bubbles in the counter.

Yes. With the carbon doser unplugged, the reactor pH should start to go up shortly after cutting off the Co2 unless the regulator has an issue but if that was the case, you would see bubbles rising in the bubble counter. This leads me to question your pH probe. I would check it with some pH 4 or pH7 calibration solution for proper calibration or recalibrate it.

 

[slief]

On the Mini Cal there is a check valve beneath the bubble counter.

You are correct. I just looked at pictures of a MiniCal I had and it did have a check valve on the bubble counter and as I recall, it was a serviceable one. If he’s getting water down past that check valve, I would see if it comes apart and check it. Granted, that won’t address is current pH issue but it will certainly help protect his regulator.

 

[ReefTron5000]

Yes. With the carbon doser unplugged, the reactor pH should start to go up shortly after cutting off the Co2 unless the regulator has an issue but if that was the case, you would see bubbles rising in the bubble counter. This leads me to question your pH probe. I would check it with some pH 4 or pH7 calibration solution for proper calibration or recalibrate it.

Yeah the reading on it is not quite making sense. Just found my calibration solutions, going to do that in a minute.

Also, does it matter how much water is in the bubble counter chamber? Mine is damn near filled with water. There is like 1/2" of air at the top.

 

[ReefTron5000]

Probe was wildly off earlier. New reading post calibration is 6.82.

 

[slief]

Probe was wildly off earlier. New reading post calibration is 6.82.

:beer:

 

[ReefTron5000]

Still wondering about this

Also, does it matter how much water is in the bubble counter chamber? Mine is damn near filled with water. There is like 1/2" of air at the top.

 

[dodgerblew]

Good to see you're up and going

 

[slief]

Still wondering about this

Also, does it matter how much water is in the bubble counter chamber? Mine is damn near filled with water. There is like 1/2" of air at the top.

Nope. It doesn't matter. IN fact, mine is completely full. Its only purpose is to have water in it so you can count the bubbles.

 

[ReefTron5000]

I think you already touched on this but I'm basically finding it very very difficult to get consistent readings on the bubble counter. It is in no way corresponding to the Seconds per Bubble dial on the CarbonDoser. I know you mentioned this is because I have the PSI set so low. Right now I have it set at 3 PSI and 10 seconds per bubble. I think you also mentioned that this is the basically the lowest I can go with the regulator in terms of supplying co2 to the reactor? Do I have that right?

Basically I can't rely on the bubble counter other than being able to see there is in fact gas going to the reactor, correct? Hence the Apex.

 

[slief]

Basically I can't rely on the bubble counter other than being able to see there is in fact gas going to the reactor, correct? Hence the Apex.

You are correct. The bubble counter is nothing more than a means for you to see the gas released. The Carbon doser uses a solenoid that opens at set intervals based on the dial and it releases gas when the solenoid opens. The higher the pressure, the great the bubble size or the amount of gas passed with each opening of the solenoid. What passes through the tubing will break up into smaller bubbles that work their way out of the tubing. It’s very similar to how the effluent leaves the tubing into your sump. You likely have a 1/4” tubing and while the Masterflex outputs a consistent rate of flow as you have it set, what comes out of the tubing is a drip drip drip or a very broken up drip rate to slow stream depending on the flow rate you have set. You are running such a slow Co2 rate that what you see coming through the counter will be very inconsistent in terms of bubble size and bubbles per second but the carbon doser is releasing a very precise amount of Co2 between the bubble rate and output pressure. As such, don’t waste your time counting bubbles because you will drive yourself nuts doing so unless you are running a much higher bubble rate and even then, it’s not necessarily going to match what you have it set to because the gas will break up in the tubing and make it’s way out of the tubing as the pressure in the tubing sees fit. :thumbsup:

 

[ReefTron5000]

You are correct. The bubble counter is nothing more than a means for you to see the gas released. The Carbon doser uses a solenoid that opens at set intervals based on the dial and it releases gas when the solenoid opens. The higher the pressure, the great the bubble size or the amount of gas passed with each opening of the solenoid. What passes through the tubing will break up into smaller bubbles that work their way out of the tubing. It's very similar to how the effluent leaves the tubing into your sump. You likely have a 1/4" tubing and while the Masterflex outputs a consistent rate of flow as you have it set, what comes out of the tubing is a drip drip drip or a very broken up drip rate to slow stream depending on the flow rate you have set. You are running such a slow Co2 rate that what you see coming through the counter will be very inconsistent in terms of bubble size and bubbles per second but the carbon doser is releasing a very precise amount of Co2 between the bubble rate and output pressure. As such, don't waste your time counting bubbles because you will drive yourself nuts doing so unless you are running a much higher bubble rate and even then, it's not necessarily going to match what you have it set to because the gas will break up in the tubing and make it's way out of the tubing as the pressure in the tubing sees fit. :thumbsup:

Buddy I wish I could buy you a beer.

The pH has been kind of stable at little more than 6.5 for the last few hours. I have it set at just under 3 PSI and 10 seconds per bubble. Will monitor and see how it goes.

 

[ReefTron5000]

The questions never end...

I'm using a Masterflex 7523-60 with an ezload head. I'm unable to set the flow to anything lower than 30 ml/min. Pressing the down arrow just makes the 30 blink. I'm looking at the online manual but I don't see anything about this. Shouldn't I be able to go lower than this?

 

[slief]

The questions never end...

I'm using a Masterflex 7523-60 with an ezload head. I'm unable to set the flow to anything lower than 30 ml/min. Pressing the down arrow just makes the 30 blink. I'm looking at the online manual but I don't see anything about this. Shouldn't I be able to go lower than this?

That pumps minimum RPM is 10 RPM. Depending on what that head flows at with LS17 tubing, that could be correct. If the flow rate is 3 ml per rotation than that would explain it. FWIW. A standard Easy Load head such as a 7518-00 flows at 2.7ml per RPM with LS17 tubing so the minimum flow rate would me 27ml/min.

 

[ReefTron5000]

That pumps minimum RPM is 10 RPM. Depending on what that head flows at with LS17 tubing, that could be correct. If the flow rate is 3 ml per rotation than that would explain it. FWIW. A standard Easy Load head such as a 7518-00 flows at 2.7ml per RPM with LS17 tubing so the minimum flow rate would me 27ml/min.

Okay so I'm limited to a minimum flow rate of 30ml/min. Hopefully this will still work for my application.


Soooo last night there were further...developments. I had plugged the CarbonDoser into Outlet #8 in my EB8. It was off. I switched it to on manually and immediately heard a pop. Carbondoser no longer working.

The adapter I got for the CarbonDoser was a 12V .5A. I called AquariumPlants this morning to seek some advice and the guy said that many years ago they switched to a 1A adapter. I go to the office and try to find a replacement adapter and come up with a 12V .75A. Plugged it in and thankfully the CarbonDoser is working.

But now I'm hesitant to plug it in to the Apex again. Thoughts?

 

[slief]

Okay so I'm limited to a minimum flow rate of 30ml/min. Hopefully this will still work for my application.


Soooo last night there were further...developments. I had plugged the CarbonDoser into Outlet #8 in my EB8. It was off. I switched it to on manually and immediately heard a pop. Carbondoser no longer working.

The adapter I got for the CarbonDoser was a 12V .5A. I called AquariumPlants this morning to seek some advice and the guy said that many years ago they switched to a 1A adapter. I go to the office and try to find a replacement adapter and come up with a 12V .75A. Plugged it in and thankfully the CarbonDoser is working.

But now I'm hesitant to plug it in to the Apex again. Thoughts?

There is no reason you should have any concerns controlling it through the Apex. I've had mine plugged into my apex for years now and I've installed many others that way. If I had concerns, I would not have made that suggestion.