Calcium Reactor tuning questions - 55.6 dKH on reactor output?

[Hal3134]

I just installed and am tuning my Geo 624 Calcium Reactor and need help. I'm using the jda's method described in the google doc "Calcium Reactor thoughts and Tuning". Currently I'm at about 8-10 bubbles per minute (operating pressure from my CO2 tank is 20 Psi) and 2 ml/minute (about 40 drops) from a peristalic pump. When I test my output from the CA Rx the Alk is 55.6 dKH using the low res Salifert test method. This seems unusually high for my BPM and flow through rate.

My Salifert test method is as follows:
1. use 2ml of test effluent (for low res)
2. add 2 drops of KH-ind (for low res)
3. Titrate using KH reagent: it took 1.78ml
4. Determine KH as 1ml (15.7 dKH x 2 for low res) + .78 ml (12.1 dKH x 2 for low res) = 31.4 + 24.2 = 55.6 dKH

Did I do this correctly?
Is there a reality check on 8-10 bpm and 2 ml/min for this result?

I'm targeting 25 dKH for the effluent per jda's recommendation.

 

[KrisReef]

How big is the tank you are adding dKh into?

I don't know if your Salifert math is correct and I'm too lazy to look it up, and it doesn't matter what that number is, only how that drip flowing into your tank changes the dKh in the tank over the next 12-24 hours?

JDA's target number is just that, a target that indicates that alkalinity is being added by the reactor. How that addition is used (or not) in your tank will impact dKh tomorrow. As you aim for a target, aim for what the parameters are in the tank.

My parameters were untested for 6 months, I tested last week and it was dKh 7.2ish. I increased the effluent drops/minute from 22 to 23 and retested 24 hours lated. It had not moved so I bumped it to 24 drops. Yesterday it was 7.9, I really don't want it over 8 so I dialed it back to 23 and will recheck in a day or two and see if I want to turn it back to 22 or let it ride at 23?

The tank stability is what I want and the drop rate I adjust to keep up. I should have tested more often than 1/ 6 months but it had been so stable I let it ride all that time, corals were growing and I let it cruise. HTH>

 

[Hal3134]

Tank is in signature block: 250g display, and about another 50g in sump. I have about 5 smaller colonies and maybe 20 frags of sps, plus some lps and softies. I don't want the media in my Ca Rx to turn to mush because the pH is too low in the reactor.

dKH dropped from 8.15 yesterday to 8.0 today with my Ca Rx running as described above.

 

[w8lifts]

Tank is in signature block: 250g display, and about another 50g in sump. I have about 5 smaller colonies and maybe 20 frags of sps, plus some lps and softies. I don't want the media in my Ca Rx to turn to mush because the pH is too low in the reactor.

dKH dropped from 8.15 yesterday to 8.0 today with my Ca Rx running as described above.

Do you not have a PH controller?

 

[KrisReef]

Maybe up the drops to 41 or 42/minute and retest tomorrow.
What is your target dKH? Figure out what rate you need to be stable, and if you want higher stable level use another additive or bump the drops for a time until you hit the level and dial back to your stable drops flow.

 

[Hal3134]

Increasing the drop by only 1-2 per minute doesn’t seem like much of a change.

 

[KrisReef]

Increasing the drop by only 1-2 per minute doesn’t seem like much of a change.

40 drops/ minute

42/40 is about 5% increase.

40 x 60x60 =144,000 drops each day.
42=151,200

Adjust and remeasure the DkH, repeat until the tanks consumption is replaced by additions, it’s a delicate balance but it can be done.

well I did the math wrong
60 minutes/ hour 24 hours (not 60) - I am tired, but the percentage is still correct.
just not that many drops 24/60