New calcium reactor question

[Herby’s reef]

Hi all,

I just started the new calcium reactor last night and I had a question. I filled the reactor with freshly mixed salt water prior to turning it on. Both my ph probes matched values when in the sump, but once I placed one probe in the calcium reactor and started it up it showed a ph of around 9.7 with the sump ph being 8.2. I verified these numbers with a hanah pinpoint checker and they were accurate. Is this normal? Is the calcium reactor media that high in ph? I know the ph will drop with the addition of co2, (and it has over night, 8.5 now as I hadn't been very conservative about my co2 rate ), but is this normal?

Also, it is a skimz reactor and the air swishing noise is much louder than I expected. When I clamp the co2 recirculation line it is quiet again. Is this normal with calcium reactors?

Thanks in advance

David

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi all,

I just started the new calcium reactor last night and I had a question. I filled the reactor with freshly mixed salt water prior to turning it on. Both my ph probes matched values when in the sump, but once I placed one probe in the calcium reactor and started it up it showed a ph of around 9.7 with the sump ph being 8.2. I verified these numbers with a hanah pinpoint checker and they were accurate. Is this normal? Is the calcium reactor media that high in ph? I know the ph will drop with the addition of co2, (and it has over night, 8.5 now as I hadn't been very conservative about my co2 rate ), but is this normal?

Also, it is a skimz reactor and the air swishing noise is much louder than I expected. When I clamp the co2 recirculation line it is quiet again. Is this normal with calcium reactors?

Thanks in advance

David

What media?

Some brands have been having this effect lately (very high pH in water on startup). It is just temporary when it starts up. I'm not sure what causes it, and maybe some supplier is washing the media in a way that alters the surface chemistry.

 

[Herby’s reef]

It is 2 little fishies brand.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

They claim to rinse it, but seem to say it is RO only. I'm not sure exactly what they do or how it might alter the media.

 

[Herby’s reef]

Ok thanks! Glad to hear it is OK. Are calcium reactors usually fairly loud?

Thanks
David

 

[GoVols]

Ok thanks! Glad to hear it is OK. Are calcium reactors usually fairly loud?

Thanks
David

Dead silent, unless you run a loud re-circulation pump for the main reactor.

All you should hear is the Co2 bubbles hitting the re-circ. pumps impeller and the Co2 solenoid switch, clicking on and off.

 

[Herby’s reef]

Maybe it is the co2 hitting I hear. It is not that loud, but I don't love it.

How long does it take the ph to drop to 7? Mine is still 8.5! Been going 18 hours and I have the bubbles flowing pretty fast now

 

[motortrendz]

What media?

Some brands have been having this effect lately (very high pH in water on startup). It is just temporary when it starts up. I'm not sure what causes it, and maybe some supplier is washing the media in a way that alters the surface chemistry.

i used the 2 little fishes brand course media in the large chamber pre wrined in ro, as well as the zeovit magnesium.. in the second chamber is a mix of fine media from brs and the remainder of the 2LF course..


oops, sorry thought this was on my co2 reactor question post lol

 

[motortrendz]

Maybe it is the co2 hitting I hear. It is not that loud, but I don't love it.

How long does it take the ph to drop to 7? Mine is still 8.5! Been going 18 hours and I have the bubbles flowing pretty fast now

slow down your effluent drip let the co2 stay in the chamber longer, it took mine almost 24 hours the first day to get the ph down, then i adjusted the drip to what i needed after that...

the unit is dead silent, except for every once in a while you hear a little swish from the co2 bubbles going theought the mixing chamber before the recirc pump

 

[motortrendz]

 

[Herby’s reef]

Ok. Thanks. Maybe the skimz is louder than the vertex. Mine sounds like a washing machine! Constant water swishing. I will call brs tomorrow and see.

Thanks again

 

[motortrendz]

does your chamber have any air pockets?

 

[Herby’s reef]

Not that I can see, but it seems to be getting quieter so maybe one passed through

 

[GoVols]

Not that I can see, but it seems to be getting quieter so maybe one passed through

FWIW...

If you've got a two stage.

GEO told me to run the Large Reborn media with 10% of ZEOmag in the main chamber and the Small ARM media in the second chamber. It's been a winner, but might add some more ZEOmag down the road. The small ARM media gives you a better ph re-bound from the main reactor and it has different trace elements in it, that the Reborn does not have. Both media's have been melting and lowering in the chambers.

 

[GoVols]

Just to add:
Forget about dripping the output. Use the constant stream method and no more clogging.


See the output's (constant) stream

 

[Herby’s reef]

Cool. I have never seen the constant flow method, but it makes sense. Anybody else use this? Any bad things that could happen with it making it more dangerous than drip method?

 

[Herby’s reef]

I am having to run so much co2 to keep my ph below seven. It has a constant flow of bubbles and does not look at all like your video. Bubbles just flowing through the media! Is that just because it is new? Or do you think there is a problem?

 

[MJNTWise]

Make sure you calibrate your ph probe using the 4 and 7.....

 

[Herby’s reef]

I did that. I am pretty sure probe is accurate because I verified with a pinpoint checker. Perhaps I will recalibrate though just to be sure

 

[bubbaque]

It would help to make a short video to show us what issue your having. Your reactor should be quit unless you have a crazy amount of co2 in it and by the amount of co2 you said your adding could be the issue.

Again showing a short video will make it super easy to help you set it up.