calcium reactor

ajhudson15 · Sep 8, 2020

I am adding a second ph probe to my p4e for my calcium reactor. Is there a thread somewhere or a how to video that shows how to actually set up a calcium reactor to the ghl for control. I do not have akh director so it will only be the ph probe and the solenoid that turns the co2 on and off.

Vette67 · Sep 8, 2020

I would suggest trying to calibrate your reactor before depending on monitors. @jda has an excellent paper on how to run a calcium reactor without using pH probes and controllers. Those probes will decay over time, and you won't know until something bad happens in your system. If your controller is turning your CO2 on and off, then your CO2 flow was too high to begin with. I would suggest trying to adjust the CO2 flow to meet your demand. Count bubbles. It really is pretty simple to get them running.

Calcium Reactor Thoughts and Tuning

Some copied and pasted stuff from over the years. I will try and keep this document green and updated from time to time. If anybody has any suggestions, send me a PM on RC or r2r - jda on both. Feel free to send this link to anybody who might need it. Preface: This is for people who want to l...

docs.google.com

ajhudson15 · Sep 8, 2020

Vette67 said:
I would suggest trying to calibrate your reactor before depending on monitors. @jda has an excellent paper on how to run a calcium reactor without using pH probes and controllers. Those probes will decay over time, and you won't know until something bad happens in your system. If your controller is turning your CO2 on and off, then your CO2 flow was too high to begin with. I would suggest trying to adjust the CO2 flow to meet your demand. Count bubbles. It really is pretty simple to get them running.

Calcium Reactor Thoughts and Tuning

Some copied and pasted stuff from over the years. I will try and keep this document green and updated from time to time. If anybody has any suggestions, send me a PM on RC or r2r - jda on both. Feel free to send this link to anybody who might need it. Preface: This is for people who want to l...

docs.google.com

The reason people use a controller to turn the solenoid on and off is to save co2 right? I thought that was the whole reason people used the controllers for the solenoid. I do see your point in the ph probe which I do plan to change out every 6 months or at minimum calibrate.

Vette67 · Sep 8, 2020

ajhudson15 said:
The reason people use a controller to turn the solenoid on and off is to save co2 right? I thought that was the whole reason people used the controllers for the solenoid. I do see your point in the ph probe which I do plan to change out every 6 months or at minimum calibrate.

I guess it's the same argument with driving a car. If you accelerate, then coast, are you saving gas? As opposed to just keeping the accelerator pedal steady to maintain speed. In my mind, you are dumping in a bunch of CO2 to reach a low pH, then coasting until it raises again. Then you open the valve and dump a bunch of CO2 in again.... Would it really be any different than if the reactor maintained a constant pH and flow with steady CO2 input? To be honest, I don't know the answer to that question. Are you essentially adding the exact same amount of CO2 as you would if it was just a steady flow? Interesting question and I just don't have enough data to say one way or another which way is better. It is my guess that in the end, both methods probably use the same amount of CO2.

ajhudson15 · Sep 8, 2020

Vette67 said:
I guess it's the same argument with driving a car. If you accelerate, then coast, are you saving gas? As opposed to just keeping the accelerator pedal steady to maintain speed. In my mind, you are dumping in a bunch of CO2 to reach a low pH, then coasting until it raises again. Then you open the valve and dump a bunch of CO2 in again.... Would it really be any different than if the reactor maintained a constant pH and flow with steady CO2 input? To be honest, I don't know the answer to that question. Are you essentially adding the exact same amount of CO2 as you would if it was just a steady flow? Interesting question and I just don't have enough data to say one way or another which way is better. It is my guess that in the end, both methods probably use the same amount of CO2.

if you keep the ph window small enough then it wont rise to far before it turns back on right but in the end you are still savings I would think. since I have the p4 and a ph probe I would like to use it. if it causes that much of an issue I can always stop so not a big deal. I monitor nightly so I think I would catch any issues pretty quick.

jda · Sep 8, 2020

The most efficient way is to let it run 24x7 uninterrupted - this is the most reliable too. CaRx on a pH probe will also be less efficient at night when the tank pH drops. You end up using more co2 with the dump and void of turning a solenoid on (dumps a bunch)/off(no co2) with pH and more escapes into the tank for a lower tank pH at night. If you have too small of a window, then it is like AC cycling in small intervals where it is VERY inefficient.

Even if you want to use a pH monitor and probe, I highly suggest that you get to be a pro on how the thing works beforehand. This way, you can fix it when it screws up or gets out of whack. In general reefing, but especially here, do not let a hobby-grade robot do anything that you do not know how to do yourself since you will one day want to know how to fix an issue. Learn everything that there is to know about tuning it by hand - where you can just look at one and know what is up.

vanpire · Sep 8, 2020

I read JDA's article and learned quite a bit. I currently use a carbon doser with my CaRx and tuned it so that it runs continuously 99%+ percent of the time.

I also got a Korallin reactor for free because the acrylic chamber is a little brown but I tested it and the eheim runs and no leaks. Will follow JDA's advice and get a tunze regulator for my next build.

I might get a solenoid and maybe a pH probe for control just in case something unexpected happens, but I love the article. In place of the maxijet, I use the Kamoer STP-FX pumps and love it. Pricey but the control is fantastic and consistent.

vangvace · Sep 8, 2020

ajhudson15 said:
I am adding a second ph probe to my p4e for my calcium reactor. Is there a thread somewhere or a how to video that shows how to actually set up a calcium reactor to the ghl for control. I do not have akh director so it will only be the ph probe and the solenoid that turns the co2 on and off.

For the second probe, I believe you need an expansion card to add it to your P4e. Once the card and probe are installed you will set the nominal value and hysteresis to reactor level values. For example: 6.7pH with a Hysteresis of 0.10.

Calibrate the probe using 4.0 and 7 ph fluids.

For the power outlet (switch channel) the solenoid is plugged into you will select pH-value (whichever probe is for the CaRx) and control downwards (decrease).

That's all there is to it. Now to caveats/tips:
After a week, recheck the calibration of the probe.
Keep the probe holder plug that came with the reactor handy. That way you can can pull the probe and plug the hole without taking the reactor offline.
The better tuned the reactor CO2 input is then the less wear on the solenoid is introduced and less risk to the system overall.
I went with a steady flow via continuous pump and slowing opened my CO2 (one touch a day) needle valve over the course of a week.

ajhudson15 · Sep 8, 2020

vangvace said:
For the second probe, I believe you need an expansion card to add it to your P4e. Once the card and probe are installed you will set the nominal value and hysteresis to reactor level values. For example: 6.7pH with a Hysteresis of 0.10.

Calibrate the probe using 4.0 and 7 ph fluids.

For the power outlet (switch channel) the solenoid is plugged into you will select pH-value (whichever probe is for the CaRx) and control downwards (decrease).

That's all there is to it. Now to caveats/tips:
After a week, recheck the calibration of the probe.
Keep the probe holder plug that came with the reactor handy. That way you can can pull the probe and plug the hole without taking the reactor offline.
The better tuned the reactor CO2 input is then the less wear on the solenoid is introduced and less risk to the system overall.
I went with a steady flow via continuous pump and slowing opened my CO2 (one touch a day) needle valve over the course of a week.

this si what I was looking for. I have the expansion card coming today. I may do what jda said and run it off of it for a few months until I have it down and then ill decide what I plan to do.

ajhudson15 · Sep 8, 2020

jda said:
The most efficient way is to let it run 24x7 uninterrupted - this is the most reliable too. CaRx on a pH probe will also be less efficient at night when the tank pH drops. You end up using more co2 with the dump and void of turning a solenoid on (dumps a bunch)/off(no co2) with pH and more escapes into the tank for a lower tank pH at night. If you have too small of a window, then it is like AC cycling in small intervals where it is VERY inefficient.

Even if you want to use a pH monitor and probe, I highly suggest that you get to be a pro on how the thing works beforehand. This way, you can fix it when it screws up or gets out of whack. In general reefing, but especially here, do not let a hobby-grade robot do anything that you do not know how to do yourself since you will one day want to know how to fix an issue. Learn everything that there is to know about tuning it by hand - where you can just look at one and know what is up.

I guess I could always run it through the p4 without plugging the solenoid into the powerbar just so I can at least keep track of the ph but not let it control anything