Club soda Calcium Reactor

[jda]

I don't know about typical. A well tuned CaRx will be mid/high 20s. ...that is kinda why I asked since I am totally curious.

 

[Bpb]

I’m guilty of not testing my effluent dkh. If my display dkh falls I turn up the gas and effluent a hair

 

[Softhammer]

A 14 year calcium reactor user here. I don’t touch it except to refill sand aka media and a 20 buck Co2 refill every 9 months. No controller, no Apex just a few drips and a few bubbles and NO problems. Still running a 20 year old used reactor with Eheim pump that I traded some frags for. Too cheap not to use. Not to get on a soap box but stuff like this is the cause of disasters.. and explicitly to the OP, dude, you the man, very very aware and educated on the science and chemistry of this all. Excellent project for sure! But to those who will emulate.. don’t dose the vodka, don’t dissolve sand in the club soda. This hobby is extraordinarily satisfying if you take the vodka, add a slice of lime, mix it with the soda drink it, sit down enjoy your tank wile not screwing with things!

 

[McDam]

I don't know about typical. A well tuned CaRx will be mid/high 20s. ...that is kinda why I asked since I am totally curious.

jda.
I just tested the effluent and from what my Red Sea test kit tells me. Using 5 ml instead of 10 ml. It took 0.92 ml of titrant which gives a dkh of 12.9. Double it for the 5 ml instead of 10ml, equals a dkh of 25.8

Tank Calcium and alk are same as last week and stable.

 

[McDam]

Corals all seem to be doing well and growing. Polyps are retracted but I believe it has to do more with the potters angel I recently added. Caught him nipping a few times. No damage though. He started eating flake flood. Fingers crossed.

 

[jda]

25.8 is a solid number for a Calcium Reactor. You must be getting the pH inside of the chamber well into the low 6s.

 

[McDam]

25.8 is a solid number for a Calcium Reactor. You must be getting the pH inside of the chamber well into the low 6s.

Yes. I try to keep it around 6.5. It starts off lower with a new bottle of CS then slowly creeps up as the bottle empties. Ph is currently around 6.52 when I tested the effluent.

 

[jda]

That is solid. My CaRx output is about the same in the mid-high 20s, but I run about 40 gallons a day through it.

Have you thought about making your own club soda with a soda stream, or the like? I guess if you are going to use a co2 cylinder, then you might as well hook it up to your reactor directly.

 

[McDam]

Yes that was my initial intent. To make my own with rodi and a soda stream. But havnt got to it yet. Would have to purchase one. And the 2 litre bottles have just been really convenient.

 

[McDam]

40 gal/day. Really !? I didn’t know that passed that much water. Judging by videos, articles, and drip rates I assumed it was allot less. I should measure how much I have going through it over a 24 hour period. Maybe next week. I am curious now.
How large is your system jda?

 

[cpschult]

This might be one of the cooler things I’ve seen on r2r!

 

[McDam]

Wow. Thanks cpschult!

 

[jda]

I have a 240 that is wall-to-wall packed with acropora and clams. About 120-125 mls per minute.

 

[McDam]

Ok That helps explain the amount of flow you require. Large demand for a large tank. Which I agree a conventional calcium reactor would be ideal.
Which is why this is a great little project for people such as my self (90 gal display - 20 gal sump) and those with smaller systems with lower calcium and carbonate requirements. Also could work well on isolated frag tanks.
"Stability of a calcium reactor, but without the cost" and "Convenience of a calcium reactor without having to constantly replenish 2 part or kalkwasser".

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Looking at this set up, the soda bottle would need a vent, so as its contents is withdrawn the bottle doesn't collapse in on itself. The vent itself would allow the co2 to escape from the bottle (liquid) until its co2 content is in equilibrium with atmospheric co2 & the soda would be considered 'flat'.
What is the pH of the effervescent soda compared to the flat soda?

 

[McDam]

Looking at this set up, the soda bottle would need a vent, so as its contents is withdrawn the bottle doesn't collapse in on itself. The vent itself would allow the co2 to escape from the bottle (liquid) until its co2 content is in equilibrium with atmospheric co2 & the soda would be considered 'flat'.
What is the pH of the effervescent soda compared to the flat soda?

Scrubber Steve. You’re assumption is right and that is exactly why there no vent and it wouldn’t work with one. Or not be as efficient. The bottle is aloud to collapse until all the liquid is gone and then I replace it. I also cool the bottle before hooking them up and this reduces the amount of co2 that escapes when I open the bottle to install it. This keeps an almost constant ph of club soda being added to the reactor. Another reason why I havnt switched over to a soda stream and rodi. Because the cooled bottle is installed and sealed again right away it does stay pressurized with the release of co2 as it warms to room temperature. So the bottle doesn’t actually start to collapse until closer to the last 1/4 or so of liquid remain. And has not been an issue in anyway.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Scrubber Steve. You’re assumption is right and that is exactly why there no vent and it wouldn’t work with one. Or not be as efficient. The bottle is aloud to collapse until all the liquid is gone and then I replace it. I also cool the bottle before hooking them up and this reduces the amount of co2 that escapes when I open the bottle to install it. This keeps an almost constant ph of club soda being added to the reactor. Another reason why I havnt switched over to a soda stream and rodi. Because the cooled bottle is installed and sealed again right away it does stay pressurized with the release of co2 as it warms to room temperature. So the bottle doesn’t actually start to collapse until closer to the last 1/4 or so of liquid remain. And has not been an issue in anyway.

Ah ha. I thought collapsing may be an issue. Well done.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I haven’t measured dkh of the effluent since the initial set up. I will update next time I get a chance. What would be typical?

CaCo3/Co2 reactor output usually ranges from just above tank alk to about 40 dKH.

 

[McDam]

I have moved this over to the DIY forum as i thought it to be more appropriate. for any further updates follow the link.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/u...r-for-the-average-reefer.521061/#post-5454995

Thanks everyone for their input and feedback.