10" Red Devil
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Do you have it in the reactor itself and controll the co2 or do you actually have it in the tank so that if the ph plummets too far down it shuts off the solenoid valve?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Where do you put your ph controller probe for your calcium reactor setup?
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jdieck
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Usually it is installed in the reactor itself and depending on the reactor design it can be placed inside the first reactor chamber, inline inside the recirculation pipe, in between the first and second chamber or on a cup that gets the effluent before it overflows into the sump.
If it is a two chamber reactor I would not recommend to install it at the end (effluent cup) as the reaction time of the controller gets very slugish and teakes too long to react to PH changes on the first chamber.
If your reactor is not designed for a probe installation you can build a probe sump out of the following drawing:
If it is a two chamber reactor I would not recommend to install it at the end (effluent cup) as the reaction time of the controller gets very slugish and teakes too long to react to PH changes on the first chamber.
If your reactor is not designed for a probe installation you can build a probe sump out of the following drawing:
10" Red Devil
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9441226#post9441226 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
Usually it is installed in the reactor itself and depending on the reactor design it can be placed inside the first reactor chamber, inline inside the recirculation pipe, in between the first and second chamber or on a cup that gets the effluent before it overflows into the sump.
If it is a two chamber reactor I would not recommend to install it at the end (effluent cup) as the reaction time of the controller gets very slugish and teakes too long to react to PH changes on the first chamber.
If your reactor is not designed for a probe installation you can build a probe sump out of the following drawing:
Thanks very much! If it is going in the reactor itself what would be good parameters to set the controller for?
Thanks!
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
honestly, I started a thread like this many months ago because my Ca reactor didnt have a probe port, but I used to run the output into a cup where the probe lay before returning to the tank. Some people run the probe inside the reactor because they want to know the acidity inside the reactor.
OTOH, the pH of the tank is also critical for operation as well... the output of the Ca Reactor could be so high that your tank's pH takes a dive.
FWIW, then a few more 'technical' reefers got in on the discussion and they added that they like to have 2 probes on their reactors, at least the one in the tank as a failsafe, but that the one in the reactor is critical to knowing what the pH was inside for adjusting it.
So now I do this... when I refill a bottle of CO2 or media, the probe goes in the reactor to figure out the bubble rate/pH. Then, once thats under control, the probe goes into the tank to make sure the main system's pH doesnt drop below say... 7.8 as a failsafe. You could run both all the time, with an actual controller in the tank, and a regular monitor on the reactor... or both controllers... etc. It really depends on how reliable the reactor is, how high its output is, and what size tank. For instance, if you were to run a reactor in a tank smaller than 100g, I would put the probe in the tank rather than in the reactor if I had to pick... as with a smaller tank its much more dangerous to overdo the CO2 and kill the pH than it is to overdose Calcium. OTOH, if it was a 300g system, the worry isnt as great... so placing the probe in the reactor to make sure the reactor is running at optimal outputs all the time is more important.
OTOH, the pH of the tank is also critical for operation as well... the output of the Ca Reactor could be so high that your tank's pH takes a dive.
FWIW, then a few more 'technical' reefers got in on the discussion and they added that they like to have 2 probes on their reactors, at least the one in the tank as a failsafe, but that the one in the reactor is critical to knowing what the pH was inside for adjusting it.
So now I do this... when I refill a bottle of CO2 or media, the probe goes in the reactor to figure out the bubble rate/pH. Then, once thats under control, the probe goes into the tank to make sure the main system's pH doesnt drop below say... 7.8 as a failsafe. You could run both all the time, with an actual controller in the tank, and a regular monitor on the reactor... or both controllers... etc. It really depends on how reliable the reactor is, how high its output is, and what size tank. For instance, if you were to run a reactor in a tank smaller than 100g, I would put the probe in the tank rather than in the reactor if I had to pick... as with a smaller tank its much more dangerous to overdo the CO2 and kill the pH than it is to overdose Calcium. OTOH, if it was a 300g system, the worry isnt as great... so placing the probe in the reactor to make sure the reactor is running at optimal outputs all the time is more important.
10" Red Devil
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jdieck
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First I would recommend not to use the controller to control the CO2 but rather as a failsafe but use the PH readings to set your reactor.
In this mode the controller will shut off the CO2 when the minimum safe PH or recommended minimum for the media is achieved.
For ARM media I would set it to shut off the CO2 at 6.5
For large sized media like Gen-X or Schuran I would set it to cut off at 6.3
In any case the actual working PH for the reactor will depend on the output required to maintain the tank alkalinity. A good start point will be to adjust the CO2 bubble rate to run the reactor at 6.8 PH with an effluent of around 40 ml/min. Make alkalinity tests after each adjustment is made every 48 hours and if the alkalinity keeps dropping then increase the bubblerate to lower the PH in the reactor bu 0.1 each time, wait and re test until alkalinity is stable.
If you reach the minimum set of the controller (say 6.5 PH) and the alkalinity still drops then repeat the proces but increasing the effluent rate by 10 ml/min every time and adjusting the bubble rate to keep the 6.5 until the Alkalinity stops dropping.
10" Red Devil
New member
Very helpful thanks!! Yeah I have the schuran media the only size I can use in this reactor. I got a nano-reactor from aquaticsystemsdesign.com.
10" Red Devil
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So do you guys have your calcium reactors on a timer so that they go off at night??? Thanks!
10" Red Devil
New member
Why would I need a reactor with twice the capacity?
Thanks.
Thanks.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
the capacity only determined how long in between refills, not the output of the reactor.
Turning it off at night depends on the output of the reactor compared to how large the tank is. Some reactors have a higher output than others... but you can usually adjust the output based on the drip rate and CO2 input.
Turning it off at night depends on the output of the reactor compared to how large the tank is. Some reactors have a higher output than others... but you can usually adjust the output based on the drip rate and CO2 input.
10" Red Devil
New member
Man these things are confusing!!! :eek1:
The tank is probably about 26 something gallons.
The reactor is 3x12" single chamber calcium reactor. Eheim 1046 circulation pump. Includes in-line Ph probe port.
The amount of media it can hold is 2.2lbs of Schuran style media.
The tank is medium stocked it is a 20 long with 30lbs of live rock about 7 3-5" mini colonies of sps. I got the reactor to automate things quite a bit. Seems I should have done more research.
Thanks for the help thus far!
So based on this information what do you recommend as far as turning it off at night or just leaving it on? Also I guess I would hook up the controller to a timer and consequently this would turn off the solenoid since its connected to the controller, if I turn off the controller will the calibration of the controller be reset or lost?
The tank is probably about 26 something gallons.
The reactor is 3x12" single chamber calcium reactor. Eheim 1046 circulation pump. Includes in-line Ph probe port.
The amount of media it can hold is 2.2lbs of Schuran style media.
The tank is medium stocked it is a 20 long with 30lbs of live rock about 7 3-5" mini colonies of sps. I got the reactor to automate things quite a bit. Seems I should have done more research.
Thanks for the help thus far!
So based on this information what do you recommend as far as turning it off at night or just leaving it on? Also I guess I would hook up the controller to a timer and consequently this would turn off the solenoid since its connected to the controller, if I turn off the controller will the calibration of the controller be reset or lost?
jdieck
New member
Yes and no. Within the operational reange of the reactor yo can adjust the output but all reactors have a maximum capacity which depends in several variables but a couple of the key ones is retention time to permit proper dissolution and conversion of the CO2 to carbonic acid and to transport the ions away from the media surfaces and enough area for that CO2 to act upon.
More media and larger recirculation pump more area of exposure and more retenton time so higher saturated effluents are possible and as a result larger amounts of alkalinity being added for a given aquarium PH equilibrium.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
My pH probe sits in a Lees Specimen Container that hangs in the sump. The drip from the reactor fills the container and it spills over into the main tank. I use the pH controller to keep the reactor and container between 6.7 and 6.9. Been working great for almost 3 years now.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
True... the circulation pump is a limiting factor to how well the CO2 can mix in the first place. Perhaps the best idea isnt that we give general advice, but that a specific tank, load, and reactor are mentioned... that way all this 'in the reactor' or 'in the tank', controller or no controller setup can be more specific to the reactor/tank combo.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
See, now thats a perfect example of a setup where I would suggest putting the probe in the general tank water, not in the reactor. I would set the co2 to be generous, and put the solenoid under the control of the pH controller, and that controller on a timer to just work during the day when the lights are on the the pH is at a high. With a reactor on such a small tank, there is a greater need to make sure that the reactor's lowered acidity doesnt lower the pH of the tank too far.... rather than trying to make the pH of the reactor as low as possible.
10" Red Devil
New member
Ack! I already put the probe in the reactor and have been allowing the controller to run at night! Well guess I will change it again then. Where is a good spot in the sump to place the probe?
Thanks.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Dont get me wrong... use the probe to make sure your reactor is functioning properly, then remove the probe (you can just place it back in there from time to time to check the pH is still what you want for the first few months).
You can put the probe anywhere you want in the main tank... sump is a good idea.
See, when the reactor is so large compared to the tank, then its more important to make sure the pH of the reactor isnt lowering the pH in the tank too much.
When the tank is larger in comparison to the reactor, then its important to make sure you are getting the most from the reactor, as the likelyhood of the reactor actually dropping the pH in the tank is usually pretty low.
You can put the probe anywhere you want in the main tank... sump is a good idea.
See, when the reactor is so large compared to the tank, then its more important to make sure the pH of the reactor isnt lowering the pH in the tank too much.
When the tank is larger in comparison to the reactor, then its important to make sure you are getting the most from the reactor, as the likelyhood of the reactor actually dropping the pH in the tank is usually pretty low.
10" Red Devil
New member
Okay one more question I promise! Since I will be placing the probe in the sump what should I set the shutoff value to for the controller? 7.8?
Thanks!
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