Calcium Reactor - Maximal possible Alkalinity level

[PSXerholic]

Hello everyone,

Dealing with Calcium reactor optimizations and crazy DIY builds..................
What is the maximum possible Alkalinity in theory, that an effluent could achieve in dKH, at a reactor PH of 6.5???

I was running my GEO reactor at yesterdays setting with PH of 6.5 at 18 dkH (measured with API Calcium carbonate drop test until turned green)
After a physical change of the Reactor now I do have at PH of 6.5, same flow rate of effluent, but a Alkaline of 28 dKH at PH of 6.5, might get a bit more until the whole system is settled.

So this will allow me to reduce the effluent going into the tank and reducing the amount of Co2, and improved PH in the tank.
Anyways, planning to further modify the reactor, but wondering what the max possible Alkalinity level can be of a reactor?
Randy may be able to share the "theoretical" value possible from a chemical perspective.

By the way, I use Reborn (I know, may be discontinued) in the reactor, so fossilized media which is usually not as strong as mined minerals anyways.
I heard of good reactor setups like Dastaco/w Dastaco media at 6.4PH reaching Alk of 30 in fast drip mode.

 

[GoVols]

A Dastaco melts at about 6.0 for the Triton media.
Just tossing that on the table.

Every media has different melting points and effluent rates changes thing too.

Right now my output is about 12 dKH (Tunze media), but I stream at 280mls per min.
A 110 gallon (holding 80) that intakes about 1.3 - 1.5 dKH per day.

Hope you find the answer that your looking for.

 

[PSXerholic]

A Dastaco melts at about 6.0 for the Triton media.
Just tossing that on the table.

Every media has different melting points and effluent rates changes thing too.

Right now my output is about 12 dKH (Tunze media), but I stream at 280mls per min.
A 110 gallon (holding 80) that intakes about 1.3 - 1.5 dKH per day.

Hope you find the answer that your looking for.

I run this reactor on a 300G with an effluent rate of approx 100-120 ml/min but like to go back to drip mode ;-)
Drip is somewhere in the 60-80ml/min if I recall correct in my case.

Since the reborn media doesn't allow as high alk as the Dastaco at the low PH, I think my new 28 dKH is already pretty good.
Before I could achieve that only at very very low drip rates.

 

[GoVols]

I run this reactor on a 300G with an effluent rate of approx 100-120 ml/min but like to go back to drip mode ;-)
Drip is somewhere in the 60-80ml/min if I recall correct in my case.

Since the reborn media doesn't allow as high alk as the Dastaco at the low PH, I think my new 28 dKH is already pretty good.
Before I could achieve that only at very very low drip rates.

Great Reef!!!

I think your right, Reborn will turn to mush at about an ph of 6.3, but it starts to melt at about 7.4

We'll need Randy's incite...

Cool thread...

 

[PSXerholic]

Great Reef!!!

I think your right, Reborn will turn to mush at about 6.3 dKH, but it starts to melt at about 7.4

We'll need Randy's incite...

Cool thread...

Randy's guidance on the theoretical maximal alk level would be the best........

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

At pH 6.5 and using aragonite, I think the max alkalinity you could attain is around 60 meq/L or 175 dKH.

However, it may take a very long time to attain that value and might not be feasible in a useful device.

 

[PSXerholic]

At pH 6.5 and using aragonite, I think the max alkalinity you could attain is around 60 meq/L or 175 dKH.

However, it may take a very long time to attain that value and might not be feasible in a useful device.

Thanks a lot Randy. Wow, that’s a lot, and as you pointed out, not a useful device since that may require a really big reactor volume

Doubled my reactor volume today, will see what the results are.