CaRx pH acting weird, ideas??

[jessezm]

So sometime around 4AM today, the pH seems to have dropped in my calcium reactor. Take a look at the screenshot of the pH monitor on my apex and you can see what the normal pattern is and what it is now.

I have my pH set to go between 6.8 and 6.85, as I'm running a pretty constant stream of effluent. So the CO2 has not been pumped into the reactor all day (or at least since the pH went below the set level of 6.8)

I thought maybe the effluent line was clogged but it's running freely.

Any other ideas of what I should check? I tested the Alk level in the tank and it's sold at 8.4 as per usual (so far). I used the regular red sea pH test kit and the result was lime green, which isn't covered on the chart but is clearly below 7, so I believe the ph probe is working... But with water being pumped into and out of the reactor, I don't understand how it could be maintaining such a low pH without the introduction of CO2.

Help!!!

p.s. the reactor is a Vertex Rx-c 6d or whatever they call it.

 

[sghera64]

Screenshot?

 

[jessezm]

Whoops my bad!

 

[jessezm]

Also, problem (sort of) solved... it turns out that my CO2 has been running this whole time. I use a carbondoser electronic solenoid, and have it set to the lowest setting (6 bubbles per minute). I guess when I looked at it earlier, I didn't notice the red light coming on every 10 seconds.

But the outlet on my EB8 should have been off, and it said on fusion that it was off. I unplugged the Carbondoser, manually switched the outlet off, then on, then off, then set it back to auto, and plugged the Carbondoser back on, and all seemes to be working now.

So it seems like my EB8 switch got stuck on, even though it said it was off. What's up with that???

 

[jessezm]

oops double post

 

[sghera64]

The fact that it drops and holds steady implies there is no recirculating. If you recirculate water in the reactor, the pH steadily rises. Even more so if tank water is slowly flowing into/through the reactor.

Remember, the pH probe measures the water around probe. We assume that is the same as all the water in the reactor. This is true if all is working. So, if the water around the probe is stagnant, or the probe is in a bubble, then it might not be representative of all the water in the reactor.

 

[jessezm]

That's what I thought, so I went to the basement to check the recirc pump, and sure enough, it was on. That's when I noticed the CO2 still on. At least I discovered what letting the CO2 run constantly at 6 bubbles per minute will do with the effluent turned up! Looks like it just bottoms out a little lower is all. No harm there.

More concerned about my EB8 acting funny...

 

[ReeferBud]

Is it an EB8 from the Apex Classic by any chance? If so, do you have it plugged in outlet #4 or #8?

Those are TRIAC outlets and can get stuck on low voltage devices. Not sure if this could be a potential cause.

 

[jessezm]

Bingo! it is in outlet 8. Mystery solved, I will switch it! Man ya learn something new every day in this hobby

 

[ReeferBud]

I went through that myself a few years ago with a doser pump.

Glad I could help