Ph probe a MUST w/ Ca. Reactor?
- Thread starter chrowski
- Start date
chinaman4u
Premium Member
I run a calcium reactor without a probe.
The ph probe controls the co2 supply to the reactor to maintain the reactor at a certain ph. This is independent of the tank's ph. Here's some threads which helped me set up my reactor.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/reactor.html
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...886576&highlight=dial+and+calcium+and+reactor
The ph probe controls the co2 supply to the reactor to maintain the reactor at a certain ph. This is independent of the tank's ph. Here's some threads which helped me set up my reactor.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/reactor.html
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...886576&highlight=dial+and+calcium+and+reactor
stugray
Premium Member
I have a controller, but I dont actually use it to control my CR.
My CR can be dialed in and it will run perfectly until I run out of CO2. I do however use the probe to measure the effluent Ph until it is set. After that I use it to monitor tank Ph. I recheck the effluent abot once a week.
I keep it at ~6.5
Stu
My CR can be dialed in and it will run perfectly until I run out of CO2. I do however use the probe to measure the effluent Ph until it is set. After that I use it to monitor tank Ph. I recheck the effluent abot once a week.
I keep it at ~6.5
Stu
Henry Bowman
Reefing since '87
Ryan009,
That's how I have mine set up. Tank pH controls the reactor, it shuts the Co2 off when the tank pH drops below 7.92. I do have a probe in the reactor to monitor the pH so that I know the co2 / flow balance is keeping a pH of about 6.5
That's how I have mine set up. Tank pH controls the reactor, it shuts the Co2 off when the tank pH drops below 7.92. I do have a probe in the reactor to monitor the pH so that I know the co2 / flow balance is keeping a pH of about 6.5
tdwyatt
New member
Re: Ph probe a MUST w/ Ca. Reactor?
The pH controller has a low setting (below that of the tank water) and a high setting that keeps the pH of the ASW running past the probe within a specified range. You can use this to control the reactor by selecting a range that will dissolve the reactor media. You employ these settings to control the pH of THE REACTOR EFFLUENT, NOT THE TANK WATER. This means that you must place the pH probe of the controller in the effluent for the reactor, not in the tank water. Ideally this would be either with the probe directly in the reactor (i.e., through the top lid), or somewhere in the recirculation loop.
By keeping the pH of the ASW in the reactor chamber at 6.65 to 6.75, you have good dissolution of the media (mined coral aragonite) by the acidified ASW (remember, CO2 dissolved in seawater drops pH to the acidic side), without turning it into mush. Acidity lower than the pH range suggested begins to burn up you media without appreciable increases in Ca or alkalinity concentrations in the tank, turning the media into mud over time unless you have a BIG pump to drive your recirculation inside the media columns. The great thing about the controller is that it makes allowances for swings in tank pH that might otherwise take your pH outside your desired range that would otherwise occur when using a set delivery rate for your CO2. By using the controller, the pH inside the reactor never leaves your set range, so long as the probe is within specs and the gas supply steady*. This not only saves your CO2 gas, but keeps the tank from experiencing low drops into the sub-8.0 range through excessive use of CO2. When using a controller set up in this fashion, it becomes necessary to monitor the tank pH with a separate pH monitor/probe located upstream from the reactor effluent. This allows for adequate monitoring of the overall system in addition to supplying the CO2 to the reactor in a conservative manner.
HTH
*Check your regulator once every 4 to 6 months for obstructions in the needle valve. Commercial CO2 by nature is a relatively dirty gas. This trash collects on the valve seat and needle as the gas goes through the needle valve. This can usually be cleared out by gentle cleaning of the device after turning off the gas at the tank and removing the regulator. Symptoms that may indicate a need for this include gradually slowing bubble rates when the solenoid is on, or erratic function of the secondary pressure gauge without any adjustments to the device.
I am assuming that you mean a pH controller when you say "probe"... ...You don't HAVE to use a controller to run a calcium reactor, but it sure makes your reactor setup a lot easier to run and maintain.
The pH controller has a low setting (below that of the tank water) and a high setting that keeps the pH of the ASW running past the probe within a specified range. You can use this to control the reactor by selecting a range that will dissolve the reactor media. You employ these settings to control the pH of THE REACTOR EFFLUENT, NOT THE TANK WATER. This means that you must place the pH probe of the controller in the effluent for the reactor, not in the tank water. Ideally this would be either with the probe directly in the reactor (i.e., through the top lid), or somewhere in the recirculation loop.
By keeping the pH of the ASW in the reactor chamber at 6.65 to 6.75, you have good dissolution of the media (mined coral aragonite) by the acidified ASW (remember, CO2 dissolved in seawater drops pH to the acidic side), without turning it into mush. Acidity lower than the pH range suggested begins to burn up you media without appreciable increases in Ca or alkalinity concentrations in the tank, turning the media into mud over time unless you have a BIG pump to drive your recirculation inside the media columns. The great thing about the controller is that it makes allowances for swings in tank pH that might otherwise take your pH outside your desired range that would otherwise occur when using a set delivery rate for your CO2. By using the controller, the pH inside the reactor never leaves your set range, so long as the probe is within specs and the gas supply steady*. This not only saves your CO2 gas, but keeps the tank from experiencing low drops into the sub-8.0 range through excessive use of CO2. When using a controller set up in this fashion, it becomes necessary to monitor the tank pH with a separate pH monitor/probe located upstream from the reactor effluent. This allows for adequate monitoring of the overall system in addition to supplying the CO2 to the reactor in a conservative manner.
HTH
*Check your regulator once every 4 to 6 months for obstructions in the needle valve. Commercial CO2 by nature is a relatively dirty gas. This trash collects on the valve seat and needle as the gas goes through the needle valve. This can usually be cleared out by gentle cleaning of the device after turning off the gas at the tank and removing the regulator. Symptoms that may indicate a need for this include gradually slowing bubble rates when the solenoid is on, or erratic function of the secondary pressure gauge without any adjustments to the device.
Similar threads
