PH controller help and advice needed

Richie Lloyd · Jun 17, 2016

I am looking at adding a PH controller to my calcium reactor as I just use it manually at present, also looking at adding a kalk stirrer to my auto top off. Would I need 2 ph controllers one for the reactor and one for the top off or could i control both with one? Also im presuming they show my tank current PH all the time?

AllSignsPointToFish · Jun 17, 2016

The Apex has the capability to measure two different pH readings and control independently, if needed. I would think you could do it with one pH controller, however. You would need to set up the controller with some sort of dead band if you only use a single controller, or I would think controller would be fighting itself trying to overcontrol.

reefwiser · Jun 17, 2016

If you are using a Calcium reactor there should be no need for Kalk. The Ph meter in a Calcium reactor is used to show that you have lowered the ph enough by adding Co2 to the reactor to cause the calcium carbonate to dissolve. When using a Ph controller with Kalk you want to stop the addition of Kalk to a tank so the PH doesn't rise above your set point.

Richie Lloyd · Jun 17, 2016

Hi Thanks for the replies
I have been using a calcium reactor for 3 years now
Had an algae problem with the tank which I wont go in to with great detail but I have had threads about it and some of the top guys have gone through things with me and the only thing left to look at is excess co2
Its a 6ft system with a lot of hard corals so the reactor is ran approx 60 bubbles per min and 35ml effluent keeps the levels about right. I have no ph monitor at all never had one in 5 years rightly or wrongly but never had any issue where I thought I should check it.
A few guys near me run kalk stirrer with the reactor, this helps with alk and cal so the reactor doesnt need to be ran as hard, so less co2.
Also helps keep ph high and a lot of people say helps keep algae at bay too, so I would like to try it but wouldnt like my auto top off get stuck on and start overdosing the tank

reefwiser · Jun 17, 2016

Well I have used a Calcium reactor for 25 years had to do it like you are doing it in the beginning years because we didn't have controllers. Once I could use a PH probe and controller it was way easier to use. You need to get a second chamber to degass the Co2 in your reactor.
High ph has little to do with keeping algae at bay. But if you want to use it that way I would control the kalk dosing with a ph controller for safety's sake. It is a common problem in tank crashes when using Kalk to raise the Ph to the point that a crash occurs.

Richie Lloyd · Jun 17, 2016

Thanks for the reply
So do you think if I added a ph controller to the calcium reactor it would use less gas too as it will only use what it needs?
I have a degassing chamber, just bought it, sat in my garage currently. Will that keep the ph high without the need for kalk in your opinion?

reefwiser · Jun 17, 2016

The ph probe will let you use only the amount of Co2 use need to keep your Calcium reactor at the proper PH need to dissolve calcium.
A properly running Calcium reactor should keep your ph at the proper level without any need of Kalk in your system.
What this series of videos by a couple of my long time fish friends on using a Calcium reactor.