CaRx Effluent Drip

MWHT · May 3, 2022

I just wanted a little clarification...if I needed to adjust my calcium reactor to deliver more alkalinity to slightly raise the alkalinity in the display tank, would I increase or decrease the effluent flow to achieve this (this is assuming I make the necessary CO2 adjustments to maintain a stable pH within the reactor)?

I feel decreasing the flow is right, but obviously I'm not 100% on this thought. Slowing the flow through the reactor will increase the effluent dKH, thus dose less mL/min but at a stronger concentrate, where as increasing the flow will add more but at a weakened concentrate due to the decreased contact time within the reactor.

Thanks!

GoVols · May 3, 2022

MWHT said:
I just wanted a little clarification...if I needed to adjust my calcium reactor to deliver more alkalinity to slightly raise the alkalinity in the display tank, would I increase or decrease the effluent flow to achieve this (this is assuming I make the necessary CO2 adjustments to maintain a stable pH within the reactor)?

I feel decreasing the flow is right, but obviously I'm not 100% on this thought. Slowing the flow through the reactor will increase the effluent dKH, thus dose less mL/min but at a stronger concentrate, where as increasing the flow will add more but at a weakened concentrate due to the decreased contact time within the reactor.

Thanks!

Option 1

If your output is steady with no variance:

You could lower the ph melting point (a tad) inside your cal reactor. That will melt more media, that would deliver more alk and cal to your display tank.

Snoopy 67 · May 3, 2022

MWHT - you have it right.
When making any adjustment on a calcium rector do only 1 thing & wait a few hours or even a day then check.

jda · May 3, 2022

I always advise taking measure of where you are with bubbles and MLs of effluent per minute. Also, take measure of the effluent dKh. Then, raise both the bubbles and effluent rate at the same ratio. The goal is to keep the effluent dKh the same, but just produce a bit more of it.

HuduVudu · May 3, 2022

Test your effluent for dKh before you move it. Then test after you move it. They should be the same.

MWHT · May 4, 2022

Awesome! Thank you guys for the clarification!

MWHT · May 7, 2022

Okay, so apparently I'm still not grasping this calcium reactor... I think my confusion comes from the CarbonDoser I'm using and how it's controlled by the Apex...which I know seems to be unpopular probably for this reason.

If the Apex controls the pH, thus the amount of CO2 delivered to hit the target of 6.3, what adjustments need to be made to the CarbonDoser if the effluent drip rate is increased?

I seem to need to increase both the alkalinity within the reactor (currently @ 13.5 dKH) as well as the drip rate (currently at 40mL/min). My target alkalinity for my display tank is 9.5ish, but I've been dropping steadily over the past few few weeks. My effluent needs to be around 18-19 dKH to get me back there.

I was running stable for a period of time with my effluent at that 18ish number however my pH had to be dialed down to 6.1 to achieve this, however my display tank pH suffered because of this, so I felt the need to bring the reactor pH up a bit. During this time I confirmed the 6.1 number was accurate by recalibrating the probe as well as using a pH pen.

Also, for what it's worth, I'm using the Carib Sea Xtra Course media...and probably will not be using in again. I feel there is probably better that'll give me a stronger concentrate at a higher pH.

I appreciate all and any help and suggestions. I feel that these things are necessarily difficult to eventually understand, just have a lot of variables.

jda · May 7, 2022

You don't need a media chamber pH of 6.1 to melt ARM. Something is amiss.

I woud get rid of the apex and pH probe and tune the thing to run 24/7 by hand.

I am not a pH controller guy, so I do not have much beyond this. Sorry. Perhaps somebody else will chime in.