Alkalinity low Calcium high

[hyeclass]

i am running a Calcium reactor however my alkalinity is low, not sure if I should dose it. 7.50.
need to turn off my Calcium Reactor i am up to 520 if i do turn it off what happens to the water in the reactor?

 

[fishguy242]

i am not familiar w cal reactors,would think try to slow down ,slowly bump alk let balance #reefsquad

 

[lapin]

I would dose to up the alk. The reactor should keep it stable.

Per Simon Huntington
A calcium reactor may be described as a 'balanced' calcium / alkalinity additive. Basically, this means that it adds calcium and alkalinity to the tank in the same ratio as is used by our corals during the process of calcification. Simply put, it is not possible to change the calcium level without the alkalinity being affected also in a defined manner.
As an example, for each 1 mEq/L alkalinity (2.8 dKH) the calcium reactor adds 20ppm calcium. If your tank starts out with 3 mEq/L alkalinity (8.4 dKH) and 320 ppm calcium, and you raise the alkalinity to 4 mEq (11.2 dKH) using the calcium reactor, then the calcium level will only increase to 340 ppm!
Natural seawater at 35 ppt salinity typically has around 2.5 mEq/L alkalinity (7 dKH) and a calcium level of 410 ppm, but I personally aim for around 3 mEq/L alkalinity (8.4 dKH) and 420 ppm calcium, and many others prefer even higher levels. Once you have decided on the levels, it is a useful idea to map where the calcium and alkalinity levels are (Bingman 1998) and then perform any corrections needed to get them back on target.
If the calcium level needs boosting, then I recommend using an additive such as calcium chloride. One gram of an anhydrous calcium chloride product (such as Turbo Calcium) will raise the calcium level by 360 ppm in 1 litre of water (95 ppm in 1 gallon of water).
If the alkalinity level needs boosting, then sodium bicarbonate can be used. One gram will raise the alkalinity by 12 mEq/L (34 dKH) in 1 litre of water (3.2 mEq/L (9 dKH) in 1 gallon of water).

 

[hyeclass]

i am not familiar w cal reactors,would think try to slow down ,slowly bump alk let balance #reefsquad

i am running on 36 on KAMOER i'll drop it to 24, how about the ALK to low i did try to dos it it went up then it went down. i think the way it works is, when you cal is up your alk is down

 

[Lasse]

If you turn it off to long time - It will be anaerobic and you need to rinse it before you start it again. During anaerobic conditions H2S (rotten egg) can be formed and it you turn it on without proper rinsing - you risk to have H2S out in the aquarium - not good.

What "too long time" stands for depend on the organic load in your system. High load - short time (below an hour) - low load - much longer time

But you can also turn it down - as you suggest in your last post - and dose up the alkalinity the way @lapin describe above

Sincerely Lasse

 

[fishguy242]

listen to the experts here..yes cal will go down w alk thus alk will fall also, monitor close ,but have no clue on reactor 3 decades never used one

 

[hyeclass]

Apex

 

[hyeclass]

Apex

listen to the experts here..yes cal will go down w alk thus alk will fall also, monitor close ,but have no clue on reactor 3 decades never used one

 

[hyeclass]

If you turn it off to long time - It will be anaerobic and you need to rinse it before you start it again. During anaerobic conditions H2S (rotten egg) can be formed and it you turn it on without proper rinsing - you risk to have H2S out in the aquarium - not good.

What "too long time" stands for depend on the organic load in your system. High load - short time (below an hour) - low load - much longer time

But you can also turn it down - as you suggest in your last post - and dose up the alkalinity the way @lapin describe above

Sincerely Lasse

question is, how many hours should i run the reactor to prevent not having anaerobic conditions H2S

 

[Potatohead]

Don't turn the calcium reactor off, just raise the Ph to like 7.5 and leave the pumps running

 

[hyeclass]

I would dose to up the alk. The reactor should keep it stable.

Per Simon Huntington
A calcium reactor may be described as a 'balanced' calcium / alkalinity additive. Basically, this means that it adds calcium and alkalinity to the tank in the same ratio as is used by our corals during the process of calcification. Simply put, it is not possible to change the calcium level without the alkalinity being affected also in a defined manner.
As an example, for each 1 mEq/L alkalinity (2.8 dKH) the calcium reactor adds 20ppm calcium. If your tank starts out with 3 mEq/L alkalinity (8.4 dKH) and 320 ppm calcium, and you raise the alkalinity to 4 mEq (11.2 dKH) using the calcium reactor, then the calcium level will only increase to 340 ppm!
Natural seawater at 35 ppt salinity typically has around 2.5 mEq/L alkalinity (7 dKH) and a calcium level of 410 ppm, but I personally aim for around 3 mEq/L alkalinity (8.4 dKH) and 420 ppm calcium, and many others prefer even higher levels. Once you have decided on the levels, it is a useful idea to map where the calcium and alkalinity levels are (Bingman 1998) and then perform any corrections needed to get them back on target.
If the calcium level needs boosting, then I recommend using an additive such as calcium chloride. One gram of an anhydrous calcium chloride product (such as Turbo Calcium) will raise the calcium level by 360 ppm in 1 litre of water (95 ppm in 1 gallon of water).
If the alkalinity level needs boosting, then sodium bicarbonate can be used. One gram will raise the alkalinity by 12 mEq/L (34 dKH) in 1 litre of water (3.2 mEq/L (9 dKH) in 1 gallon of water).

thank you i'll add baking soda, wasn't said,should i add baking soda in a reactor

 

[hyeclass]

Don't turn the calcium reactor off, just raise the Ph to like 7.5 and leave the pumps running

??? you never had a reactor you giving me a HELPFUL info i been using reactor 2yrs already

 

[Potatohead]

??? you never had a reactor you giving me a HELPFUL info i been using reactor 2yrs already

...

what?

 

[hyeclass]

...

what?

i am not familiar w cal reactors,would think try to slow down ,slowly bump alk let balance

let the pros do the work

 

[fishguy242]

i've never ran the reactor ,but can tell ,pumping too much cal,alk can't keep up,get her dialed in correctly

 

[fishguy242]

asking for help,and then being sarcastic is help for no one not the R2R works

 

[hyeclass]

i've never ran the reactor ,but can tell ,pumping too much cal,alk can't keep up,get her dialed in correctly

when you slow the pump down to much anaerobic conditions H2S can occur..

 

[fishguy242]

that is why i called the experts

 

[Potatohead]

when you slow the pump down to much anaerobic conditions H2S can occur..

That's why I said not to slow the pumps. Just set the ph in the reactor higher so that it no longer adds alk/cal.

 

[hyeclass]

That's why I said not to slow the pumps. Just set the ph in the reactor higher so that it no longer adds alk/cal.

wow thank you for doing that for me, which alk is good to use? should i pump the alk in the reactor or should i just use the sodium bicarbonate pump it it the reactor.