Calcium Reactor Causing my alk to go down?

[Marshall53]

I run 2 part and kalkwasser currently. I’m trying to start up my calcium reactor to replace my 2 part because I’m having to dose 550 ml a day.

I started to lower my two part a little and turn on the calcium reactor a little to eventually replace the two part. But when I add in the calcium reactor effluent into the sump, it causes my alk to lower. So, I add more effluent and it dropped even more.

I tested the effluent coming out of calcium reactor and the alk read 20. I watched a BRS video and at 6.5 ph inside the reactor it should be around 40 alk.

I calibrated my ph probe twice and it read the same as my main tank ph probe.

Not sure why the alk is at 20 when ph is at 6.5? And not sure why alk is going down, the more I add effluent from calcium reactor?

 

[goosemans]

dang bro what does your tank look like having to dose half a liter a day lol

 

[Marshall53]

dang bro what does your tank look like having to dose half a liter a day lol

240g, 150g, 90g all connected.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

There’s some good threads here on how to dial in a reactor. I would search those as there’s a lot of good info. More than a couple sentences can cover in a quick reply. Different media types have different melting points so the numbers you saw in the brs video aren’t set in stone by any means. Most peg the effluent and only use ph to monitor trends or operational issues and some don’t even bother with ph monitoring at all. When calibrating a ph probe for a reactor most will recommend using 4 and 7 standards instead of 7 and 10. If you calibrated using 7 and 10 standards that could cause some variation. Some will say it takes awhile for the ph probe to settle (if it’s new) and to not even calibrate it for a week or so in operation. I’d link the threads but I’m not good at that, I’m bad with names too, I think @jda is one who spent a lot of time writing up reactor setup/operation threads…..but again, my memory blows!

 

[Marshall53]

There’s some good threads here on how to dial in a reactor. I would search those as there’s a lot of good info. More than a couple sentences can cover in a quick reply. Different media types have different melting points so the numbers you saw in the brs video aren’t set in stone by any means. Most peg the effluent and only use ph to monitor trends or operational issues and some don’t even bother with ph monitoring at all. When calibrating a ph probe for a reactor most will recommend using 4 and 7 standards instead of 7 and 10. If you calibrated using 7 and 10 standards that could cause some variation. Some will say it takes awhile for the ph probe to settle (if it’s new) and to not even calibrate it for a week or so in operation. I’d link the threads but I’m not good at that, I’m bad with names too, I think @jda is one who spent a lot of time writing up reactor setup/operation threads…..but again, my memory blows!

Thanks!!

 

[IKD]

What media are you using for the CaRx?

 

[Marshall53]

What media are you using for the CaRx?

Caribsea ARM, extra coarse

 

[kenchilada]

What calcium reactor is this? Don’t chase pH. What’s your bubble count?

You should keep up the two part while you dial it in.

 

[GlassMunky]

What calcium reactor is this? Don’t chase pH. What’s your bubble count?

You should keep up the two part while you dial it in.

personally i always found the whole "bubble count" way of doing a CARX to be a pain in the butt and more trouble than its worth.

Just set the PH at 6.5 and then adjust the amount of effluent based on the tanks demand.
super easy and no messing with stupid regulators to get an exact bubble count (which can change based on the pressure inside the C02 tank, like when the tank gets low)

 

[kenchilada]

Just set the PH at 6.5 and then adjust the amount of effluent based on the tanks demand.

Dunno, I was taught to use effluent rate and bubble count to tune. Every system will be different but it gives you a baseline and is easy to adjust predictably. pH probe optional.

no messing with stupid regulators to get an exact bubble count (which can change based on the pressure inside the C02 tank, like when the tank gets low)

Get a quality dual stage medical surplus regulator instead of the crap hobbyist ones. I have a nice Victor and 20 pound tank.

get an exact bubble count (which can change based on the pressure inside the C02 tank, like when the tank gets low)

Your pH probe reading and effluent rate can change too Some maintenance required.

 

[Marshall53]

What calcium reactor is this? Don’t chase pH. What’s your bubble count?

You should keep up the two part while you dial it in.

I’ll keep the same 2 part dosing going.

personally i always found the whole "bubble count" way of doing a CARX to be a pain in the butt and more trouble than its worth.

Just set the PH at 6.5 and then adjust the amount of effluent based on the tanks demand.
super easy and no messing with stupid regulators to get an exact bubble count (which can change based on the pressure inside the C02 tank, like when the tank gets low)

If I keep the same amount of 2 part going and set the ph at 6.5, how many ml/min should I start with for the flow into sump? And how long should it take before I see my alk go up and then I can start to adjust my 2 part down?

 

[GlassMunky]

Dunno, I was taught to use effluent rate and bubble count to tune. Every system will be different but it gives you a baseline and is easy to adjust predictably. pH probe optional.


Get a quality dual stage medical surplus regulator instead of the crap hobbyist ones. I have a nice Victor and 20 pound tank.


Your pH probe reading and effluent rate can change too Some maintenance required.

i had that exact same regulator with the dual stage and all that..... i know a decent regulator, i work with vcompressed gases for the last 20 years.

I just dont agree with you or your statments. nothing wrong there, as every system and person are different in what they like. just giving my opinion on how i ran this

tank with a carx

 

[kenchilada]

i had that exact same regulator with the dual stage and all that..... i know a decent regulator, i work with vcompressed gases for the last 20 years.

I just dont agree with you or your statments. nothing wrong there, as every system and person are different in what they like. just giving my opinion on how i ran this

Yeah I don't do these internet arguments anymore I will just keep out, carry on

 

[Reign1]

Yeah I don't do these internet arguments anymore I will just keep out, carry on

Yup totally agree . So many factors to consider..
No only one way to do something and depending on reactor, media and needs ..
Posters Alk seems suspiciously low for coming out of a reactor though.
likely need to tune it still.

 

[dadnjesse]

Make sure the Alkalinity in the Effluent coming out of the Reactor is around 40 like the BRS video. Alk at 20 isn't high enough. Then adjust the effluent to get your desired Alk in the Tank. The Ph probe doesn't matter

 

[Marshall53]

i had that exact same regulator with the dual stage and all that..... i know a decent regulator, i work with vcompressed gases for the last 20 years.

I just dont agree with you or your statments. nothing wrong there, as every system and person are different in what they like. just giving my opinion on how i ran this

tank with a carx

If I keep the same amount of 2 part going and set the ph at 6.5, how many ml/min should I start with for the flow into sump? And how long should it take before I see my alk go up and then I can start to adjust my 2 part down?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I tried to link @jda write up for you but I just can’t do it. However it is linked on his signature so if you look him up, just click the calcium reactor link on his signature line. When people spend so much time as to write up a quality how to guide and be available to answer questions , I like to share it with others if interested. It’s a great resource. Everyone does things a little differently. I don’t follow his method to a t, I mean I like my ph probe for instance, but the info is solid.

 

[Kzang]

So let me see if this helps you.

Each media melts at different ph. I use the coarse ARM which has a higher melting point. It definitely melts at 7.2-7.3.


You want a specific ph to get a specific alkalinity effluent. That effluent is set, right?

Say your alkalinity keeps going down when you have effluent is at 30ml/min, 5 bubbles a second, and 5 psi at a ph of 6.5, say dkh effluent is 20.

You can raise the effluent dkh by decreasing the ph by increasing the bubble count, increase psi, and decrease effluent rate.

Now you have to keep in mind that the effluent rate is extremely important. In the previous example if you wanted to increase dkh effluent, you can’t decrease the ph at that rate.

So what you do is you increase the effluent rate while keeping the ph at 6.5.

Basically you are adding more dkh per minute. You’ll have to use more co2 to do this, but it’s the nature of the beast.

It’s easy to forget the effluent sets how much dkh is constantly going into the tank. Lower effluent is less dkh per day total and higher effluent is more dkh going into the tank per day total.

Just some basics.

Psi: how big bubble of co2. Higher is more co2 and lower is less co2 per bubble
Bubble count: how many bubbles per second
Effluent: how much dkh per day is going into the tank. Lower effluent is less dkh and will make ph stay lower without as much co2 as with a higher effluent.

I set my ph constant, and do not set it with a range with my apex. I don’t want to burn clicks on my apex energy bar.

As the ph goes up during the day, the reactor ph will naturally go up. As night comes, my tank ph goes down, so the reactor ph will go down.

The negative of this is if your ph daily swings aren’t the same everyday, it will affect the dhk dose per day will be different each day.

 

[exnisstech]

I tried to link @jda write up for you but I just can’t do it. However it is linked on his signature so if you look him up, just click the calcium reactor link on his signature line. When people spend so much time as to write up a quality how to guide and be available to answer questions , I like to share it with others if interested. It’s a great resource. Everyone does things a little differently. I don’t follow his method to a t, I mean I like my ph probe for instance, but the info is solid.

I just looked and didn't see it in his signature. There is a link to it on post #5 of this thread if anyone is interested. It is the mothod I will use if I ever decide to try running one. To my feeble mind is just sounds much simpler than the method, at least from reading.

Thanks to JDA

I would just like to extend a thanks to @jda who's calcium reactor guide I read and followed to set up my current setup. I was struggling with ion balance with 2 part and made the switch to a CRx. I had had trouble in the past using Ph probes and other methods to set up a CRx so much so I gave...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I just looked and didn't see it in his signature. There is a link to it on post #5 of this thread if anyone is interested. It is the mothod I will use if I ever decide to try running one. To my feeble mind is just sounds much simpler than the method, at least from reading.

Thanks to JDA

I would just like to extend a thanks to @jda who's calcium reactor guide I read and followed to set up my current setup. I was struggling with ion balance with 2 part and made the switch to a CRx. I had had trouble in the past using Ph probes and other methods to set up a CRx so much so I gave...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you. Someday I’ll figure out how to link stuff correctly now that I can’t see what I’m doing. Old dog, new tricks syndrome. Being dense doesn’t help much either ha