Thinking about adding a calcium reactor to my 58g help!!
- Thread starter Jettareefer
- Start date
DSMpunk
Active member
I had an aquariumplants.com (now carbondoser) and the solenoid or whatever froze up this year. I called them up and they said it wasnt worth fixing, which is kind of irritating because right on their page it says the exact opposite. (If it ever breaks send it in and we will fix it for under 50$. This is the last regulator you will ever buy!) BS
Don't get me wrong, I had it for almost 6 years without issue, but my point is they can ALL break.
I currently have a milwaukee on a Koralin 1502. Fillling it up is a pain, but once its dialed in the reactor is rock solid. I only use the regular size ARM media. The more coarse the media, the more C02 it takes to dissolve. Some media also is relatively high in phosphates as well.
Make sure you have a GOOD pinch/ball valve too. Trying to adjust a drip rate with a cheap one is an exercise in futility.
Don't get me wrong, I had it for almost 6 years without issue, but my point is they can ALL break.
I currently have a milwaukee on a Koralin 1502. Fillling it up is a pain, but once its dialed in the reactor is rock solid. I only use the regular size ARM media. The more coarse the media, the more C02 it takes to dissolve. Some media also is relatively high in phosphates as well.
Make sure you have a GOOD pinch/ball valve too. Trying to adjust a drip rate with a cheap one is an exercise in futility.
If you ever have the time, you should do a write up on solenoid maintenance. With my Milwaukee and Reef Fanatic regulators it was the solenoids that failed on me and after working on them a few times and replacing a couple I decided they weren't consistent enough and I replaced the entire regulator for something more reliable.
Couldn't agree with this more. If you have something long enough it will eventually fail. I try to pay more attention to failure rate than anything else. Most people aren't in this hobby for more than a few years, so longevity isn't always a need or concern. Just do happens to be something I look for in equipment now.
Jettareefer
New member
Jettareefer
New member
Aqualund
New member
I have never had a Milwaukee regulator that didn't become clogged or outright fail inside the first 6-8 months it is in operation. I think in the past 5 years I've employed maybe 6 or 7 on different systems? No, 7, I have 7 out and about. The small pressure valve always fails within a year...but easily replaced. All in all they work the best for the first six months, and can work just fine after they are taken apart and cleaned...but each successive cleaning shortens their lifespan significantly.
On the other hand, the two CD regulators I have been using for two years now have never failed once, whether due to clogging or just outright failure...they just never have.
Milwaukee has always been great customer service and eager to help...I just can't stand the anxiety of taking a 3 or 4 day trip and wondering if this is the time the milwaukee regulator is going to fail or not.
In regards to the best set up...do yourself a favor and invest in a decent cole parmer peristaltic pump...you can get a used one that will work forever for less than $200...and then you never have to worry about inconsistent drip rate or clogs or anything. truly a set and forget.
On the other hand, the two CD regulators I have been using for two years now have never failed once, whether due to clogging or just outright failure...they just never have.
Milwaukee has always been great customer service and eager to help...I just can't stand the anxiety of taking a 3 or 4 day trip and wondering if this is the time the milwaukee regulator is going to fail or not.
In regards to the best set up...do yourself a favor and invest in a decent cole parmer peristaltic pump...you can get a used one that will work forever for less than $200...and then you never have to worry about inconsistent drip rate or clogs or anything. truly a set and forget.
Jettareefer
New member
The peristaltic pump would be a good investment. I have so many options my head spins but another couple of questions for you experts.
1. The effluent dripping into the sump what ph values would you likely see?
2.I see that PM sells a 2nd camber for media to add that helps raise ph values would this be overkill or make it more efficient? I like the concept and wouldn't mind forking the cash out for it.
3 I know you run a ph probe in the reactor camber but in addition do you run on a effluent cup in the sump as well for measurement ?
I can't wrap my head around how the the ph in the reactors supposed to be 6.5-6.7 as the media dissolves does it raise the ph flowing through effluent flowing into the tank?
Bare with me please i don't mean to annoy anyone I'm just confused to death over here.
1. The effluent dripping into the sump what ph values would you likely see?
2.I see that PM sells a 2nd camber for media to add that helps raise ph values would this be overkill or make it more efficient? I like the concept and wouldn't mind forking the cash out for it.
3 I know you run a ph probe in the reactor camber but in addition do you run on a effluent cup in the sump as well for measurement ?
I can't wrap my head around how the the ph in the reactors supposed to be 6.5-6.7 as the media dissolves does it raise the ph flowing through effluent flowing into the tank?
Bare with me please i don't mean to annoy anyone I'm just confused to death over here.
Last edited:
Aqualund
New member
Typically the effluent will be lower PH than your system. By how much depends on the system and its setup, but it will only be a couple points higher than the calc reactor itself, sometimes it will be the same.
I have found my best mix of alkalnity and calcium with a PH of about 7.3 in my calc reactors believe it or not....but then again every system is completely different.
The additional chamber is typically for "de-gassing" in which the axtra co2 in the effluent that hasnt been bound...instead of going into your tank is given another chance to bind with the media and come out as calcium/alkalinity...reducing the severity of PH drop in your main system.
Some people have the effluent drip into a chamber that has an airstone in it to increase the degassing effect and raise PH back up...while others, like me, simply have kalkwasser in the top off to counter the ph drops.
I have found my best mix of alkalnity and calcium with a PH of about 7.3 in my calc reactors believe it or not....but then again every system is completely different.
The additional chamber is typically for "de-gassing" in which the axtra co2 in the effluent that hasnt been bound...instead of going into your tank is given another chance to bind with the media and come out as calcium/alkalinity...reducing the severity of PH drop in your main system.
Some people have the effluent drip into a chamber that has an airstone in it to increase the degassing effect and raise PH back up...while others, like me, simply have kalkwasser in the top off to counter the ph drops.
fishguy597
Member
You could also put the effluent into the intake of your skimmer. I run my carx 6.5-6.7 and my tank ph is 7.8-8.1. If I went higher which I have I don't put out enough ca, alk,mag to keep up, 7.3ph in the carx would not work in my system.
Jettareefer
New member
Where would I tie into the skimmer input ? The only forseeable way I could think on my system would be through the air line. The concept is the skimmer will oxygenate the excess co2 out of the system ?
fishguy597
Member
Basically you want to take the effluent tube after your valve to the inlet of the pump on your skimmer. Looking at you sig I assume you have a skimmer in your sump.
