The Calcium Reactor Thread

Tank2379 · Oct 28, 2015

I thought I create a post about Calcium Reactors. I see lots of difference experiences with them and would like to centralize all info into one base Thread for all new and newbies that are starting off and want to get more of an idea on how to setup and dial in a reactor.

All you CA gurus lets hear about your equipment and what steps you took to properly adjust your CA reactor to dial into your system.

I can start.

My Equipment:

Calcium Reactor made by Geo's Reef
Model: CR510 Nano up to 125G
5lb Co2 Bottle
Aquarium Plants Electronic Doser Regulator
Ehiem feed pump there smallest available
Neptune Apex for PH Montiroing

So far I am just starting up my CA reactor as of Sunday of this week. I am currently monitoring my CA, Alk and Mag levels to make sure the CA reactor is working properly.I will do this for a week at the same time everyday to ensure my levels stay at a stable level for my SPS. PH monitoring is important part to make sure your Calcium Reactor is dissolving the media properly. PH should be between 6.5 to 6.7

So far I had to make an adjustment in my effluent and leave the valve opened all the way my PH in the reactor dropped to 5.5 fast once I set the drip rate to 1 drop per 60 seconds. I might also have to change the position of my reactor and put it under my Tank instead of above it and shorten the feed lines this might be causing the feed pump to lose some power once the effluent line is closed a little.

My issues above are some of the things that happen to certain CA reactors not all reactors are made the same but with enough info in this thread to provide. I think this will limit the amount of question and more with Answers in this thread with everyone experience with each unit. Post away and lets get some info together

Spit.fire · Oct 29, 2015

My Equipment
vertex rxc
5,10,20lb co2 bottle depending on which one i grab off my truck (i use them for mobile welding here and there)
Milwaukee regulator with needle valve and solenoid
no ph monitoring atm, i just wing it and adjust it if the corals dont look happy
ive never tested my water perimeters

Tank2379 · Oct 29, 2015

Spit.fire said:
My Equipment
vertex rxc
5,10,20lb co2 bottle depending on which one i grab off my truck (i use them for mobile welding here and there)
Milwaukee regulator with needle valve and solenoid
no ph monitoring atm, i just wing it and adjust it if the corals dont look happy
ive never tested my water perimeters

I was going to do that not test but I got to much high end on the line not too.. lol

JMMJ13902 · Oct 29, 2015

I'm using a precision marine CR622, Tee off from my return pump for source of water. I custom made my regulator using industrial grade regulator with low flow needle valve from Swagelok. Also, had it controlled my PH using the Apex. It's pretty much set and forget. Never had to mess with it since the bubbles came out from my regulator is very precise.

Here are a few pics.

ReefBum · Oct 29, 2015

I am using an MTC ProCal. Have been using one for years in my SPS dominated tanks. Great reactor. Here is a video review on how to set it up and dial it in.

Tank2379 · Oct 29, 2015

JMMJ13902 said:
I'm using a precision marine CR622, Tee off from my return pump for source of water. I custom made my regulator using industrial grade regulator with low flow needle valve from Swagelok. Also, had it controlled my PH using the Apex. It's pretty much set and forget. Never had to mess with it since the bubbles came out from my regulator is very precise.

Here are a few pics.

Nice!!! That regulator is Sexy
S

Tank2379 · Oct 29, 2015

ReefBum said:
I am using an MTC ProCal. Have been using one for years in my SPS dominated tanks. Great reactor. Here is a video review on how to set it up and dial it in.

Thanks for posting video is amazing

d2mini · Oct 29, 2015

Currently I run a LifeReef reactor, a custom built dual stage regulator (Parker Veriflow, Burkert Solenoid, Hoke 1300 Series Needle Valve, all stainless steel and all parts sourced off eBay),
and it's fed by a Cole-Parmer Masterflex peristaltic pump with Easy-Load head (also from eBay).
I use a pinpoint pH monitor and the reactor runs 24/7. It's not hooked up to my tank controller.
For media I use Two Little Fishies Reborn.

d2mini · Oct 29, 2015

Tank2379 said:
So far I had to make an adjustment in my effluent and leave the valve opened all the way my PH in the reactor dropped to 5.5 fast once I set the drip rate to 1 drop per 60 seconds.

I just caught this part.
Why so slow of a drip rate?!
Open that sucker up. Mine is not quite a continuous stream but i'm flowing at about 80-90 ml/min in my moderate demand tank. I would start at about 50-60 ml/min. A faster drip rate makes it easier to maintain a stable flow, especially when not using a peristaltic pump.
Then use your pH to control how potent your effluent is. If you're tank Alk is rising too high, raise your reactor pH by decreasing your co2.

Tank2379 · Oct 29, 2015

d2mini said:
I just caught this part.
Why so slow of a drip rate?!
Open that sucker up. Mine is not quite a continuous stream but i'm flowing at about 80-90 ml/min in my moderate demand tank. I would start at about 50-60 ml/min. A faster drip rate makes it easier to maintain a stable flow, especially when not using a peristaltic pump.
Then use your pH to control how potent your effluent is. If you're tank Alk is rising too high, raise your reactor pH by decreasing your co2.

Don't know where I got the 1 drip per second maybe one of the many threads I read somewhere. But when I get home I will opene in up a little more. I did notice my calcium and Alk shot up a little so probably why I slowed down the drip rate.

d2mini · Oct 29, 2015

Tank2379 said:
Don't know where I got the 1 drip per second maybe one of the many threads I read somewhere. But when I get home I will opene in up a little more. I did notice my calcium and Alk shot up a little so probably why I slowed down the drip rate.

1 drop per second is different than one drop per 60 seconds.

Must have been a typo in your original post. 1 drop per second is much better!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 29, 2015

FWIW, folks with reactors, or considering them, may find these links useful:

A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.htm

Calcium Reactor Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/reactor/reactor.html

Tank2379 · Oct 29, 2015

d2mini said:
1 drop per second is different than one drop per 60 seconds.
Must have been a typo in your original post. 1 drop per second is much better!

Yeah that too... Man my mind is all over the past couple days... Lol Dang reactor got me all confused.. [emoji23][emoji5]

Tank2379 · Oct 29, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
FWIW, folks with reactors, or considering them, may find these links useful:

A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.htm

Calcium Reactor Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/reactor/reactor.html

Awesome links Randy.. Those will help a lot...

Tank2379 · Nov 5, 2015

Ok, So I've read a few different articles and videos and I've read that keeping the effluent PH below 6.5 will melt your media then I saw a video keeping your effluent PH levels below 6.7 can melt your media? I also read keeping it below 6.3 can melt your media so what's the dynamic range your Effluent levels should be between so your media doesn't melt?

tiger_al · Dec 22, 2015

7.80 for high PH.7.28 for low PH.

vic5hands · Dec 23, 2015

I have MTC mini cal. I have my effluent apex controlled to 6.4 to 6.7 my calcium level stays around 400. Running a 210 mixed reef but mostly Sps. Great growth.

jgraz · Dec 23, 2015

MTC ProCal here
Aquarium Plants carbon doser
5lb bottle
Reactor fed by siphon from sump
ARM extra course media
I don't test PH, nor did I use PH when setting up and dialing in. The MTC does not even come with the ability to add a PH probe.
If I remember correctly when I first set up I targeted 7psi on the low side, effluent flow was only a about 2 drop per sec, and set to a bubble every 6 secs. Then I just let it go for a few days, while testing and adjusting with 2 part where needed. I was very hard to keep effluent flow stable so low. so I upped that to what I would call a broken stream. Basically one slight turn down from a continuous stream. That changed everything for the better. From that point I was able to dial in the reactor making adjustments with only the carbon doser. Every couple of days I would test tank alkalinity and adjust either the bubble rate or the bubble size by adjusting low pressure knob. Adjustments to tank alk and calcium were made with 2 part and became less and less until I had everything where I wanted it.
Since getting it locked in, I have only had to add 2 part twice to adjust numbers. First was shortly after adding a large amount of SPS colonies from a friends breakdown, and the second was when CO2 bottle went nearly empty and I had not noticed. In both circumstances it was minimal and had no ill effect on the system.

Also wanted to add that I try to test tank alk every week, though its usually closer to every 10 days or so. As long as he numbers are relatively close to the last number I leave it alone. My alk usually sits somewhere in the mid 8'sdkh. So if I see dkh in the 7's or 9's is when I would make a small adjustment. Something that I recently had to do after cleaning out the reactor and topping off the media. I guess all the extra media caused the alk to creep up to 9.13. Wasn't worried, made a small adjustment and moved on. I'll test again next week. I try very little to chase numbers since setting this up. which is why I wait a few days between tests.

Smite · Dec 23, 2015

tiger_al said:
7.80 for high PH.7.28 for low PH.

What media breaks down at these pH levels? Seems very high.

GEO 618
5 lb Co2 Milwaukee regulator - 1 bubble per second
Reactor is fed off my manifold
PH controlled by Apex - currently 7.0
Media - TLF rebourne & NeoMag (and a ton of ZeoMag that I couldn't get to dissolve)

Took me a bit to figure this system out. Here are the things that helped me stablize it a ton:

As stated above. High effluent rate, a steady stream. I then adjust my Reactors pH accordingly. My demand is not heavy, hence the 7.0. This has kept my effluent line from clogging on me, causing constant fiddling. You will burn through co2 quicker.

Even if you have a ph controller, set the slowest bubble count possible on your Co2 to maintain your reactor's pH. This will give you a more stable pH in the reactor, resulting in a more stable concentration being dripped into the tank. With too high of a bubble count pH will continue to drop after the controller shuts off co2.

I have a gate valve before the reactor to get a decent flow/pressure to the unit. I make minor adjustments on the effluent side with a small twist valve. This seems to give me a little back pressure and help my effluent line not clogged. At least that seems to be the case and works for me.

Never try and raise levels with your reactor. Adjust with 2/3 part, then try and maintain those levels with the reactor. Its probably common knowledge but I missed it.

I've had much better luck with Neomag rocks for the reactor to help with magnesium levels. The Zeomag won't break down at my higher pH level.