Is calcium reactor worth the buck?

[GarrettT]

What did you do? I had to order a custom female npt on Amazon

Haven’t set my reactor up yet, but my Geo 818 came with its own similar adapter for it. I know I tried putting a 1/2” male thread on mine and it wouldn’t take.

 

[GarrettT]

Maybe this…

Sicce Hose Assembly for Top Off

Converts the output of a Sicce 12mm barb to 1/4" poly tubing. Includes 10' of tubing, and a anti siphon bulkhead connector. To install, simply connect to your pump and install the anti siphon bulkhead inside your top off container above the max water line (or in the lid) and route to your sump.

www.avastmarine.com

 

[X-37B]

So how long to fully dial In

For me a day or 2. It also depends on your system. For me once effluent dkh is 20+ im good.

Cant say for a ph probe and controller system as I dont run them.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Yes. When I converted the Skimz to a carx I did it for that reason.
Almost everyone I know does not run reverse flow with bones and no issues unless they run to low of a ph.

So I started the crushed coral media after all.

Im running a sicce .5 to feed the carx do you think I need a pump instead ? The medical dosing one I see

 

[jmichaelh7]

What are y’all using for feed pumps

 

[X-37B]

Peristaltic pumps are a great investment and are usually used to pull the effluent through the reactor not push.
A feed pump just recirculates the water through the reactor so you would need both.
On my setup I use 1 pump to pull and recirculate the water.
My effluent is controlled by a pinch valve on the intake line of my pump. This is different than most and is how Tunze runs their reactors

 

[jmichaelh7]

Peristaltic pumps are a great investment and are usually used to pull the effluent through the reactor not push.
A feed pump just recirculates the water through the reactor so you would need both.
On my setup I use 1 pump to pull and recirculate the water.
My effluent is controlled by a pinch valve on the intake line of my pump. This is different than most and is how Tunze runs their reactors

Oh okay . I guess my concern was that depending on the pressure or size of the pump that is feeding into your reactor, the calcium reactor can hold that pressure if it’s not going anywhere? For e.g. I’m feeding 350gph on the feed pump but I’m only exporting 40 drops per minute on the effluent

 

[X-37B]

Oh okay . I guess my concern was that depending on the pressure or size of the pump that is feeding into your reactor, the calcium reactor can hold that pressure if it’s not going anywhere? For e.g. I’m feeding 350gph on the feed pump but I’m only exporting 40 drops per minute on the effluent

You should be fine. Does yours have a line at the top of the reactor to recirculate co2?

Every reactor runs a little different due to design and tank load.
Currently I am running:
Effluent@52mlpm
Co2@96bpm
This gives me around 22dkh that is perfect for my system.

 

[brahm]

I swore off of reactors when 2 part dosing became a thing. It was always a uphill battle for me

However, this iteration around I was talked into giving it another go and I’m glad I did.

A modern reactor setup running off a doser, ph controller, and some sort of alk monitoring (in my case trident/apex) is to date the best system I’ve come across so far. You get the tune-ability of 2 part with all the perks of a calcium reactor. I did maintenance on it a few weeks ago for the first time in a year, sure beats mixing 2 part all the time and/or running out.

the initial cost is higher as is the setup time but once it’s going I’m now finding myself able to deprioritize the attention needed to give to alk/Calc/mag; which to me is a huge perk.

 

[jmichaelh7]

You should be fine. Does yours have a line at the top of the reactor to recirculate co2?

Every reactor runs a little different due to design and tank load.
Currently I am running:
Effluent@52mlpm
Co2@96bpm
This gives me around 22dkh that is perfect for my system.

Yes it’ has line on top . So when I get home later I will test at the same time as yesterday. What I’m doing is putting the salifert vial under the effluent drops and testing it for 25 dkh to start with . Adjust the effluent or bubble only not both

 

[GarrettT]

Im running a sicce .5 to feed the carx do you think I need a pump instead ? The medical dosing one I see

Even with a medical peristaltic pump, you will still need a feed pump. 90's Reefer has the right idea - pull not push. If you feel like pressure is an issue, then you can always make an adapter and put a modified tee on it for psi relief.

 

[X-37B]

Yes it’ has line on top . So when I get home later I will test at the same time as yesterday. What I’m doing is putting the salifert vial under the effluent drops and testing it for 25 dkh to start with . Adjust the effluent or bubble only not both

You have to find that ratio first so setting effluent first and adjusting co2 up works to start.

 

[jmichaelh7]

This morning I checked the effluent drops and they had stopped so I had to adjust the pinch valve again. Is this normal

 

[brahm]

This morning I checked the effluent drops and they had stopped so I had to adjust the pinch valve again. Is this normal

if it’s too low I’ve seen it that. Could also be c02 is too high and effluent is too low so you’re getting a c02 bubble in the reactor. I shoot for a broken stream vs drips to start and tune from there. I’m guessing each reactor is different I’m pulling through a korrline reactor with a Kramoer. Anything less than 35/ml or so was inconsistent.

with a controller you can set the stream higher and turn down the frequency of dosing if this is an issue.

 

[X-37B]

This morning I checked the effluent drops and they had stopped so I had to adjust the pinch valve again. Is this normal

No. Mine will only slow over time as the feed line get clogged with detrius. I have a filter bag over the incomming and this works for my system.

 

[GarrettT]

Do you have a true pinch valve? https://premiumaquatics.com/products/flow-control-pinch-valve.html

Pinch valve on the feed line or effluent? I've read the pinch valves on the effluent are less prone to clogging.

I plan on using this when I set mine up, although I'd be surprised if you were already experiencing issues with clogging.

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[FishTruck]

Even with a medical peristaltic pump, you will still need a feed pump. 90's Reefer has the right idea - pull not push. If you feel like pressure is an issue, then you can always make an adapter and put a modified tee on it for psi relief.

Hear me now, and believe me later, peristaltic pumps can totally screw things up - either pushing or pulling. You can try pulling, but, the negative pressure in your reactor might cause it to suck in air, filling it with bubbles and driving you nuts. If that happens, push water in with a small pump using the peristaltic pump after the reactor as a brake, with no pinch valves. This is a pricy way to do it, but, gives you the best flow control and resistance to clogs from detritus. Some kind of detritus filter (as a few have mentioned) is also a great idea - especially if a pinch valve is used..

 

[GarrettT]

Hear me now, and believe me later, peristaltic pumps can totally screw things up - either pushing or pulling. You can try pulling, but, the negative pressure in your reactor might cause it to suck in air, filling it with bubbles and driving you nuts. If that happens, push water in with a small pump using the peristaltic pump after the reactor as a brake, with no pinch valves. This is a pricy way to do it, but, gives you the best flow control and resistance to clogs from detritus. Some kind of detritus filter (as a few have mentioned) is also a great idea - especially if a pinch valve is used..

Feed pump -> reactor->peristaltic pump (no pinch valve)
or
Feed pump -> reactor-> detritus filter (optional)-> pinch valve

 

[brahm]

hmm no feed pump for me, haven’t had any issues pulling (yet). Pushing I did, quickly found my reactor wasn’t sealing around the ph probe. Easy enough fix. Why would I want to pressurize the system?

 

[X-37B]

This is how I setup my modified Skmiz meadia reactor to a carx.
It is run like Tunze.
First pic is the prefilter on the feed line. I found wrapping it in this bag did not restrict flow but kept out large pieces of detrius from clogging the line and slowing flow.
Second pic is the Tunze pinch nut that is used for effluent control.
This setup has worked well.
If flow slows I know to clean the prefilter and lines. Good for about 6 months.