Calcium Reactor adjust effluent or ph

[JAMSOURY]

When your tank starts consuming a lot of alk, how much is to much effluent flow in which it would be better to drop the melting point (ph) in the reactor?

I’m currently feeding the reactor at 40ml/min which isn’t too much at this point. My ph is set from 6.60 - 6.70, so I can drop it to adjust the melting point.

How high do you run your effluent?

 

[Ultra Aquatics]

I run my effluent at 50ml/min, I never adjust this. I reduce my PH when consumption increases. Has worked well for me for 2 years now.

 

[OrionN]

It is a lot easier to control and keep the reactor output level steady if you have a variable control pump. Either increase the flow and keep the pH the same or decrease pH will increase Ca out out. Either way, you will have to increase CO2 input.
My tank is large and require a lot of Ca. I try to add the maximum CO2 to lower the chamber pH to minimum (or start to have waste CO2). If I need more Ca, then I increase flow and increase CO2 also. IME, if you only increase flow without increase CO2, you will not have much increase in Ca output.

 

[JAMSOURY]

I run my effluent at 50ml/min, I never adjust this. I reduce my PH when consumption increases. Has worked well for me for 2 years now.

How much do you like to reduce it by? 0.10? And what is your current ph now?

 

[Ultra Aquatics]

How much do you like to reduce it by? 0.10? And what is your current ph now?

I reduce it in increments of .05, right now my spread is 6.7-6.8.

 

[JAMSOURY]

It is a lot easier to control and keep the reactor output level steady if you have a variable control pump. Either increase the flow and keep the pH the same or decrease pH will increase Ca out out. Either way, you will have to increase CO2 input.
My tank is large and require a lot of Ca. I try to add the maximum CO2 to lower the chamber pH to minimum (or start to have waste CO2). If I need more Ca, then I increase flow and increase CO2 also. IME, if you only increase flow without increase CO2, you will not have much increase in Ca output.

Oh yeah that makes sense. I remember injecting so much co2 when I ran an open line but I’ve recent switched to a peristaltic pump and it is way better.

 

[jda]

I raise or lower my bubble and effluent ratio (both) to meet the demand of the tank. I have no idea what the pH is... I keep the effluent dKh at 25, or so. This keep the tank pH high and has no chance of melting media or wasting co2.

If you just keep lowering the pH, this leads to inconsistent results as media melts or you reach the capacity of your reactor. You can also waste co2 this way and lower your tank pH. This might not happen for a while, but it does to nearly everybody.

 

[14 foot reef]

I raise or lower my bubble and effluent ratio (both) to meet the demand of the tank. I have no idea what the pH is... I keep the effluent dKh at 25, or so. This keep the tank pH high and has no chance of melting media or wasting co2.

If you just keep lowering the pH, this leads to inconsistent results as media melts or you reach the capacity of your reactor. You can also waste co2 this way and lower your tank pH. This might not happen for a while, but it does to nearly everybody.

This is 100% the way to do it correctly !!!!!

 

[OrionN]

The media dissolves as it get use up. Hopefully your Ca reactor circulation pump is strong enough such that it can push through and continue with circulation of the fluid though the reactor chamber effectively. There is always media melts, that is what it suppose to do in a Ca reactor.
If your need is much below the capacity of the reactor then adjust it however you want to get adequate output. If you have a large tank and high demand, then either get a huge, expensive Ca reactor to have capacity much more than need. Or else push the Ca reactor output to the need.
My need is near the maximum output of my reactor. I have to modified my reactor to increase output. I wrote about it in the article below. If you need to push your reactor to it's max, then this is the way to do it (or get a larger reactor)

Optimize Calcium Reactor: OrionN's modification

Calcium reactor is a very efficient and cheap way to add Ca, Alkalinity and trace elements to our reef aquariums, especially those that require high level of Ca and Alkalinity input light large SPS and clam tanks. In order to supply this high...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'll put in a promotion for folks to stop EVER using the word melt with respect to calcium carbonate in a CO2 reactor. It does not melt, it dissolves. lol

Saying it "melts" is akin to saying you are planning to "fly" your car to the grocery store. Folks may understand what you are saying, but it isn't correct.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just turned my unit off. I have NO fluid coming out of return line from reactor and need to find out why

 

[OrionN]

I just turned my unit off. I have NO fluid coming out of return line from reactor and need to find out why

Often there are sponges growth in the line which jammed and occluded the flow. I am 95% sure that this is what happened in your reactor. Also reactor intake needed to be screened or else a snail may crawled in there and really mess up your pump.

Regarding "melt"
I know that melt is incorrect. I only used it because the previous user used it (meaning as dissolved) as if it is a very bad thing. I just wanted to point out that media get use up and will get smaller and smaller resulting in increase resistant for flow thought the reactor chamber.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Often there are sponges growth in the line which jammed and occluded the flow. I am 95% sure that this is what happend in your reactor. Also reactor intake needed to be screened or else a snail may crawled in there and really mess up your pump.

I removed intake line and blew through it easily but there are snails in that part of sump.
I sucked through the return and the taste- yuk. but get very little coming out. I only had it running since December. My alk jumped to 13 when this happened and calcium was at 540. Now it has calmed down ( shut unit down early march)

 

[JAMSOURY]

I raise or lower my bubble and effluent ratio (both) to meet the demand of the tank. I have no idea what the pH is... I keep the effluent dKh at 25, or so. This keep the tank pH high and has no chance of melting media or wasting co2.

If you just keep lowering the pH, this leads to inconsistent results as media melts or you reach the capacity of your reactor. You can also waste co2 this way and lower your tank pH. This might not happen for a while, but it does to nearly everybody.

Ahhh I see, that makes complete sense! Thanks!

Are you running a dual stage regulator or something like the carbon doser to accurately raise/lower bubble count

 

[jda]

I am currently running three - a Tunze, M3 and a high end stainless victor with a high precision needle valve. Some of them are easier to fine tune than others, but they all work fine once you learn how to move them in very small amounts.

 

[pasquale petrovia]

I drove myself nuts trying to count the bubbles to 10 per minute. Almost impossible. I started by setting the effluent flow and then gradually opened needle valve to lower the PH on my probe slowly. Takes a while with the Milwaukee regulators. I will eventually splurge for carbon doser

 

[JAMSOURY]

I drove myself nuts trying to count the bubbles to 10 per minute. Almost impossible. I started by setting the effluent flow and then gradually opened needle valve to lower the PH on my probe slowly. Takes a while with the Milwaukee regulators. I will eventually splurge for carbon doser

If you use vegetable glycerin for the fluid in the bubble counter, it is way easier to count. It slows it down and looks cool like a lava lamp

 

[OrionN]

If you use vegetable glycerin for the fluid in the bubble counter, it is way easier to count. It slows it down and looks cool like a lava lamp

And it won’t dry out quickly either. No need to continue to refill it