Running calcium reactor only during the day

[Smite]

I put my calcium reactor back online today and am currently dialing it in. I'm tempted to run the reactor during the daylight hours to help stabilize pH during the night. I'd keep circulation going through and in the reactor but would just turn off the solenoid that controls my co2 input. I'm assuming it would probably need to kick back on an hour or so before lights come on so it would be at operating levels when uptake starts.

I'd love to hear from anyone who does this or has tried this in the past. Successfully or failures.

I am hesitant to try it, I almost feel like it's one more thing that could go wrong but I've really been liking the higher pH lows I've had with 2 part so far.

I'd love to hear or see any data people have with their alk monitors to get an idea of when consumption really starts up for them as well as when it stops after lights out.

Here is the command I currently have entered in my apexfusion, let me know if it will work as I intend it to.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[eraser2001]

Hi
I run my calcium reactor from 9 am to 9 pm, this help me to not to decrease ph at night. Also, I run kalk reactor during all day, so this will help me to increase ph and help with the alk demand.
You can start to measure your alk at night turn it off for a few hours until you find your sweet spot.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I run 24hrs but do monitor closely and run it via APEX which will shut is down if out of range

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

I could be wrong but I think you need the last line at the top. If it hits the on criteria is hit it may stop going down the line.

 

[reef_ranch]

You might want to throw a defer statement in there so it doesn’t cycle in and off when your pH gets right at the set values.
As for running the calcium reactor only during the day, I’m also doing that and dosing kalk slurry at night. It’s working well for me so far.

 

[Smite]

Awesome guys, thanks! I'll move the commands into a better order to be sure. I'm not sure what a defer command would read like?

 

[Smite]

I'll also look more into kalk dosing. I'll probably attempt that once I have the reactor and schedule somewhat dialed in.

 

[Dlealrious]

C02 scrubbing media even easier than kalk if u run a skimmer

 

[eraser2001]

C02 scrubbing media even easier than kalk if u run a skimmer

That will help for the ph, but still need to manage alk consumption due high ph.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I also run my CaRx from 6 AM to midnight. Then off between midnight and 6 AM. I dose 160ml of kalk per hour from midnight to 12 PM, and 40 ml of kalk per hour from 12 PM till midnight. I bump the CaRx flow rate for the last 6 hours of my light cycle.

I also have an outside air feed to my skimmer and a needlewheel pump I have in my fuge.

This keeps my alk and pH pretty stable and flat throughout the day.

 

[reef_ranch]

Here’s a good explanation for a defer statement:

Defer is used to delay taking action on an output for a period of time.

Defer MMM:SS Then [ON/OFF]

This command is different than other ON/OFF commands because it’s actually delaying the outlet from changing from off to on, or from on to off, for the specified amount of time.

 

[Smite]

Here’s a good explanation for a defer statement:

Defer is used to delay taking action on an output for a period of time.

Defer MMM:SS Then [ON/OFF]

This command is different than other ON/OFF commands because it’s actually delaying the outlet from changing from off to on, or from on to off, for the specified amount of time.

Thank you

 

[jmichaelh7]

C02 scrubbing media even easier than kalk if u run a skimmer

You can easily run through co2 media bucket in a few mo

I also run my CaRx from 6 AM to midnight. Then off between midnight and 6 AM. I dose 160ml of kalk per hour from midnight to 12 PM, and 40 ml of kalk per hour from 12 PM till midnight. I bump the CaRx flow rate for the last 6 hours of my light cycle.

I also have an outside air feed to my skimmer and a needlewheel pump I have in my fuge.

This keeps my alk and pH pretty stable and flat throughout the day.

that's a good method for keeping ph stable. whats your ph look like through the day?

 

[Dennis Cartier]

that's a good method for keeping ph stable. whats your ph look like through the day?

Lately I have had some swings. I am not sure if it is my coral mass is outgrowing the fuge's nighttime consumption or if it is due to the re-emergence of chaeto in the fuge. My chaeto had all but vanished and was replaced by another nuisance macro. Now the chaeto is back, but I suspect it consumes less CO2 than the macro it is replacing.

Previously, my day time and night time pH was around 8.35 and 8.25. After the recent transitions, the pH is going as low as 8.16.

My target dKH is 8.8