Calcium reactor, wants versus need.

[Billfromtr]

Looking to set up a carx system and from what I am reading, there are more than one way to tune and set it up, but they all work off 3 variables, co2 bubbles, effluent flow, and PH. This can be further simplified, because co2 plus effluent flow equals a certain ph, so if you can fine tune the co2 and flow you dont need to monitor PH. Watching the BRS videos, they make it seem like the best way to set and tune is to get the the expensive parts for this equation. The $359 Carbon Doser for a regulator, A wifi enabled $300+ peristalic pump, and then a bare minimum Milwalkee PH controller but better yet a full apex system. Don't get me wrong, I would love to get all that high end stuff, GEO reactor included, but is anyone running a successful system with a $199 Aquamaxx reactor, getting a steady flow of effluent with a cheap pump or even gravity feed, and just tuning the bubble count manually with a basic $100 reactor. I could be all in for less than $500 if its possible. Thoughts? Advice?

 

[GoVols]

Thoughts? Advice?

Yeah,

If your going that route:

Go with a very, very good dual stage regulator.

I would not trade my GLA SS Pro dual stage regulator, that they do not make anymore.

 

[Billfromtr]

Yeah,

If your going that route:

Go with a very, very good dual stage regulator.

I would not trade my GLA SS Pro dual stage regulator, that they do not make anymore.

So, what’s good besides the Carbon Doser?

 

[GoVols]

So, what’s good besides the Carbon Doser?

Better than the Carbon Doser:

So I wanted to start a build thread on how to put together an Alanle style DIY dual stage regulator. Over the last couple of years, after building a couple of my own regulators, I have been helping a bunch of memebers, both here and on RC, with sourcing parts and putting together their regulators.

Before getting started on your regulator build, please read Alanle’s DIY regulator threadHERE.

Here is my own, full stainless Victor dual stage regulator.

 

[ReefGeezer]

So, I set up an expensive system. It runs great. It really is set & forget... BUT... You really only need a reactor, a regulator with a good needle valve, (maybe) a bubble counter, a CO2 supply, and a good alk test kit. Maybe a pH meter just to check up on the system is a good idea.

Input by gravity feed, a small pump, or a plenum could supply water & a small needle valve can control the water flow rate. Some regular maintenance and adjustment might be needed, but otherwise this arrangement works and is used by many hobbyists. Dialing in is just a matter of adjusting flow of CO2 & water until a predetermined alkalinity (the sweet spot) is attained.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am battling with maintaining 6.5 ph. Seems alk is high while at current 6.1 average PH. Its alot of fine tuning.

 

[Billfromtr]

So, I set up an expensive system. It runs great. It really is set & forget... BUT... You really only need a reactor, a regulator with a good needle valve, (maybe) a bubble counter, a CO2 supply, and a good alk test kit. Maybe a pH meter just to check up on the system is a good idea.

Input by gravity feed, a small pump, or a plenum could supply water & a small needle valve can control the water flow rate. Some regular maintenance and adjustment might be needed, but otherwise this arrangement works and is used by many hobbyists. Dialing in is just a matter of adjusting flow of CO2 & water until a predetermined alkalinity (the sweet spot) is attained.

Thank you for the confirmation.

 

[C. Eymann]

Get a decent regulator, carbon dosers are good but expensive, equally good but less expensive is to get a okay-ish regulator like a Milwaukee, then snatch up a 60-70$ used medical grade gas metering valve on ebay like a swagelok and use that in place of the crappy needle valve that comes with the Milwaukee.

Effluent control wise, not really a cheap way, but instead of buying a $300 kamoer or Versa, you can sometimes find used cole parmer masterflex pumps for a decent deal in the $100-160 range, which is what reefers have been using for decades before the new fancy Wifi pumps were even on the market.

pH monitoring will make tuning a bit easier, but not a necessity, sure pH controllers do add a level of redundancy, but with proper tuning, not really needed.

Hope this helps!

 

[Crustaceon]

The simple answer is: Yes. There was a point when no one had a carbon doser or peristaltic pump on their CalRx. I’d say an extremely stable regulator is the most important thing here. A carbon doser puts out a very reliable bubble count and is easy to adjust. Before that, we used high quality regs to do the same thing. The adjustment isn’t as simple, but if you have a good reg and get your reactor dialed in, you shouldn’t have to mess with it too much. Personally, I would never run a CalRx without a ph probe and controller. It’s worth it and I highly recommend using one, but you can use a calcium reactor without a controller. However, you will still need a ph meter of some sort to gauge your reactor ph and make periodic adjustments. As far as feeding it goes, I’ve seen everything from maxijets to manifolds to gravity-fed to peristaltic pumps work. Some methods are more precise, but all can be precise enough if that makes sense.