Terrified to start up my CalRx

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Hey gang,
So I have a 300 gallon sps DT wtih 450 gallon total water volume. Been sucking up about 280ml of cal and alk solution a day so I purchased a calrx setup. Geo 818, secondary chamber, aquarium plants co2 controller and a kamoer peristaltic pump.

Now the question is... how do i transition without roasting all of my SPS? Because the calrx is HUGE compared to my needs I was thinking of setting the PH to about 7.0-7.1 with the co2 bubble rate being SLIGHTLY high than necessary to achieve that PH and then control the co2 with a PH probe and apex. Figured I would set the affluent rate at around 40 or 50ml/min on the kamoer.

I have read..and know, people that run their calrx that way.. just use the apex PH probe to turn the co2 off and on but then I have read other saying that you should not set it up that way. Seems legit as I could just adjust the effluent rate to dial it in. If my demand rises I can always lower the PH.

Any suggestions? Is there a way to calculate what my affluent alkalinity should be to compensate for turning the dosers off? Any help is greatly appreciated. I am excited about getting this beast fired up, but learned the hard way not to make big leaps in this hobby.

Cheers

 

[Acroporaaddict]

If it was me, I'd set the internal reactor ph at 6.7 - 6.8 and leave it there. Start the kamoer at a lower flow rate, say 10ml/ min. Slowly turn down your dosing pumps and increase feed rate on the kamoer. Eventually you will only have the kamoer running and the dosing pumps will be off. If you feel the kamoer is running too fast, you can drop the internal ph of the reactor and readjust the kamoer flow rate. While doing this, I'd check alk twice a day. This is what I did when I took my system off kalk and switched over to a ca reactor. I started at a much higher internal ph, but my system is only 50 gallons. Right now I'm at 6.8 - 6.9 internal ph and 10ml/ min effluent with the kamoer

 

[dadnjesse]

Controlling the PH with the Apex and using the kamoer peristaltic pump for the effluent is what I do.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Thanks for the advice gentleman. Why do people advise against doing it that way? I seem to recall people saying it shouldn't be done like that, that you should count the bubbles and not have your control control the CO2?

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Controlling the co2 via apex can wear out your outlet due to constant on and off cycles. Once you figure out your systems necessary ph and effluent flow, you can adjust the carbon doser to maintain you internal ph inside your set apex range that way it doesnt constantly cycle on and off.

 

[toejam]

Let the carbon doser do all the work, use apex to shut it off in case it drops below 6.2-6.5 and that would only be if the carbon doser fails in the on position. Its really quite easy, the concentration coming from the reactor is really week compared to two part so it would be impossible to nuke a tank. JMO Keep ph using the carbon doser at 6.5-6.9 and adjust the kamoer more or less. So easy,.,,,,

edit,
Also dont dump a ton of co2 into the reactor to get the ph down at first, this will take 12-24 hours to reach your desired ph 6.5

 

[dadnjesse]

Controlling the co2 via apex can wear out your outlet due to constant on and off cycles. Once you figure out your systems necessary ph and effluent flow, you can adjust the carbon doser to maintain you internal ph inside your set apex range that way it doesnt constantly cycle on and off.

I have been using my Apex to control the Co2 in my Calx for 10 years and never had a problem, is this a known problem?

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

any idea what is a good place to start in terms of bubble rate?

 

[toejam]

What ever it takes to get to your desired ph, I would start at 6 then keep checking the ph, as it goes down it will slow or stop then adjust more or less bubbles based on the ph you want.

 

[dadnjesse]

The apex will also default to shut down at a set PH while controlling the co2 in case the carbon doser gets stuck.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

What ever it takes to get to your desired ph, I would start at 6 then keep checking the ph, as it goes down it will slow or stop then adjust more or less bubbles based on the ph you want.

6 seconds per bubble?

 

[toejam]

6 seconds per bubble?

Yes 6-8 there is no right or wrong answer, just keep an eye on the ph in the reactor. Any change on the bubble counter will take along time to register on the ph monitor. This is why calcium reactors are so solid keeping alk steady. Changes are slow......It will either slowly go down or slowly go up. Keep checking your alk until it stabilizes. More alk increase ml dosing, this will raise your ph inside reactor, adjust by going to 5 seconds per bubble or 4 seconds per bubble, just keep the ph in the reactor constant. The media your using will tell you were it should be kept at. I hope this helps. I just set one up awhile ago and was surprised how easy it was.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

cool. it seems really easy, just worried about my alk yo yo ing all over the place while making the switch. thanks for the tips, it helps a lot

I will start on friday and just test my alk like 30 times over the weekend

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Please post a pic of this tank that is soaking up that much alk.

 

[toejam]