Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

Read the first page of this long topic. You'll see the recommendations


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah thank you! I had already read through the first several pages but thought those links were all just the connectors. Didn't see that last one for the PharMed tubing.
 
I feel like I'm having some kind of issue with my Calcium reactor setup. I've got a Masterflex with an MTC Minical and a Carbondoser. I've got the Apex keeping the pH at around 6.5. I've got a heavily stocked SPS tank that is healthy and growing but Alk is stuck at 5.5-5.8. I can't get it to go up. I've got the flow rate on the Masterflex set to 200 but it seems like no matter what I set it to, the Alk won't rise.

The other thing is, I don't see the actual media burning up at a fast rate? I'm reading accounts of people adding in more media every couple of weeks but I'm not doing that, even though I have the pH set to 6.5.

What should I be looking at?
 
I feel like I'm having some kind of issue with my Calcium reactor setup. I've got a Masterflex with an MTC Minical and a Carbondoser. I've got the Apex keeping the pH at around 6.5. I've got a heavily stocked SPS tank that is healthy and growing but Alk is stuck at 5.5-5.8. I can't get it to go up. I've got the flow rate on the Masterflex set to 200 but it seems like no matter what I set it to, the Alk won't rise.

The other thing is, I don't see the actual media burning up at a fast rate? I'm reading accounts of people adding in more media every couple of weeks but I'm not doing that, even though I have the pH set to 6.5.

What should I be looking at?

Questions:
1. How are you testing alk?
2. What media are you using?
3. Are you SURE you've properly calibrated the pH probe?
4. Have you measured CA and MG and, if so, what are those at?
5. Specific gravity of the tank? Salt used?
 
1) Salifert and Trident. Both report low alk readings. Salifert is reading at about 5.6. For the Trident, its so low I'm getting a "Bad Alk Range" error which means it thinks it is under 5.0.

2) Two Little Fishies Reborn

3) Yes I've calibrated the cX reactor probe multiple times with 4.0 and 7.0

4) Calcium is coming up at 463 and magnesium at 1361. This is per Trident. Salifert numbers aren't far off for these two.

5) 1.025 - 1.026, using Instant Ocean

6) No I actually haven't measured the dKH of the effluent but I suppose that is a good idea


I'm trying to figure out if something is wrong with my caclium reactor setup, or if I need to supplement with 2 part or kalk or something.
 
Just tested the effluent output twice with Salifert and got 7.15 both times.

So clearly, based on the effluent dKH, your media isn't melting properly. How big is your tank? What is the display tank pH? I think your CaRx setup is way out of balance based on the 200ml/min effluent flow rate.
 
Lowered the flow rate from 200 to 30. Waited 24 hours and effluent dkh is now 15. I think I just have the flow rate set too high?

My alkalinity was dropping so I figured I would gradually increase the flow rate and that's what I ended up at.

Tank is 150g and display ph is between 7.8-8.1 with co2 scrubber.
 
Increasing the flow rate LOWERS the effluent concentration thereby dropping Alkalinity.
To increase EITHER lower the flow or increase the CO2 rate.
DO ONLY ONE THING @ A TIME.
This way you will know what works & not guess if you did them both.
 
I feel like I'm having some kind of issue with my Calcium reactor setup. I've got a Masterflex with an MTC Minical and a Carbondoser. I've got the Apex keeping the pH at around 6.5. I've got a heavily stocked SPS tank that is healthy and growing but Alk is stuck at 5.5-5.8. I can't get it to go up. I've got the flow rate on the Masterflex set to 200 but it seems like no matter what I set it to, the Alk won't rise.

The other thing is, I don't see the actual media burning up at a fast rate? I'm reading accounts of people adding in more media every couple of weeks but I'm not doing that, even though I have the pH set to 6.5.

What should I be looking at?
.

Change your program to only shut down the co2 regulator if ph in reactor drops to less than 6.35. Then only adjust either the bubbles per second or the bubble size
 
I have just about finished my calcium reactor setup its taken just abit to do because ive been updating other things in my system lately but all i need is my c02 tank filled my tubing and connectors and my ph controller.
What is the best ph controller to get though aside from having a apex?
20221124_100701.jpg
 

Read this article.
I found it helped me understand calcium reactors better than anything else.
 
Back
Top