Problems with Kh and Ca Rx

[Roberto CRC]

Good afternoon,

One query, what would be an adequate rate of kh and pH drip from a calcium reactor?

Is that my reactor for almost 8 months I have it and I have never managed to make the tank kH stay, I always have to add something extra to keep it up. Which I do not think is normal since the reactor should have the ability to hold it.

I use a Korallin C1502 Reactor in a tank of 150 g (total volume), the Ca if I manage to maintain it in 450 to 470 ppm (it depends on the drip that it leaves adjusted in the reactor) and the Mg stays in 1350 to 1400, depending also of the drip, but the KH if I do not add anything additional to the low tank even up to 6dkH.

I have few SPS fraqs, several euphillyas and some soft ones.

Could you indicate your effluent kh and Ph (dripping from the reactor) and possibilities why I can not sustain the kH?

regards

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Unless it is sized too small, it will suffice if properly tuned.

How did you determine how much CO2 to add (or what pH to control it to) and what happens if you add more?

 

[Roberto CRC]

Unless it is sized too small, it will suffice if properly tuned.

How did you determine how much CO2 to add (or what pH to control it to) and what happens if you add more?

The ph controlled it with Apex and I tried it on different levels, I started at 6.50 and it is currently at 6.35

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you know the alkalinity of the effluent?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

And the flow rate per day? Ever increase that?

 

[Roberto CRC]

Do you know the alkalinity of the effluent?

the last measurement was in 17dkh.

 

[Roberto CRC]

And the flow rate per day? Ever increase that?

I did not understand the question

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How many mL per day flows out of the reactor and into the tank?

That coupled with the alkalinity of that fluid above the current tank alkalinity tells you how much alkalinity you are delivering each day to the tank, and the alkalinity of the effluent tells you how effectively the reactor is being used.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

17 dKH is not high. It can easily be twice that. I’d adjust the pH down again.

 

[Roberto CRC]

How many mL per day flows out of the reactor and into the tank?

That coupled with the alkalinity of that fluid above the current tank alkalinity tells you how much alkalinity you are delivering each day to the tank, and the alkalinity of the effluent tells you how effectively the reactor is being used.

Add 1 drop per second approximately.

 

[Roberto CRC]

17 dKH is not high. It can easily be twice that. I’d adjust the pH down again.

I adjust it down? Or do I just calibrate the specimen again? How low is it advisable to carry the ph?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I adjust it down? Or do I just calibrate the specimen again? How low is it advisable to carry the ph?

I don’t know how well calibrated your pH is, but the alkalinity in the effluent is often much higher than yours and lowering the pH in the reactor (adding more CO2) will increase it.

 

[Roberto CRC]

I don’t know how well calibrated your pH is, but the alkalinity in the effluent is often much higher than yours and lowering the pH in the reactor (adding more CO2) will increase it.

I just measured today and the reactor dripped 20 ml per minute and dosed 2 co2 bubbles per second.