Calcium reactor questions.

[Seasonedreefer]

I have been doing alot of research on calcium reactors but my two main questions are how do you control the effluent that's comes out of the reactor? I'm assuming it is done through a dripping method. From what I read thus far that is what it sounds like. I also have a question about the Co2 regulator and solenoid . I work at a paintball company and our markers run off Co2 I know that a standard Co2 tank at room temp will have an output pressure of 850psi which I am sure is way to much for a reactor to handle and that is what the regulator is for to dumb down the pressure but I'm a little confused about the solenoid aspect or it. Can anyone explain what the solenoid does. The reason I'm so interested in this reg and solenoid is I have tons of them at work for paintball equipment I would like to try learn about it and maybe make my own for an aquarium application.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

We could blow this up into a killer thread...there's so much to chat about. But starting with your questions:

- temper outflow to some extent by running dual chambers. Single stage reactors are old school...and more willy nilly (technical term. LOL) DO NOT dump your effluent anywhere near aeration or vigorous water flow lest you be accused of making sand, or calcareous dust (insoluble calcium carbonate is formed)

- the solenoid will be the switch that meters CO2 as per your controller settings

- paintball regs are actually rather common with freshwater folks dosing CO2 for plant tanks. Red Sea brand offers both standard and paintball regulators (see Amazon.com, etc)

 

[SDguy]

A couple things I've learned after a few years of using one (albeit an old school single stage unit :wink: )

I use these plastic needle valves on the outlet to fine tune the efluent rate. I feed the pump with a tee off my return pump. This slightly pressurizes the reactor, allowing for more consistent drip and CO2 rates, especially in the really low range.

I only have the solenoid set to shut oiff in an emergency (ie pH of effluent falls below 6.0). Otherwise I just have it run 24/7. Having the valve turn on/off based on tank or effliuent pH made it too difficult to keep my levels constant.

 

[Seasonedreefer]

Ok but what controls the solenoid's dwell time? (open and close time) this is what I guess confuses me the most about the solenoid. With paintball equipment we have a small pcb that controls the time of the solenoid being open and closed all the way to .05 of a millisecond so you can fine tune your valve. Do the solenoids for calcium reactors have this same feature or is it not adjustable?

 

[SDguy]

If power is supplied to the solenoid, it is open. No power = closed. You need a pH controller, or other aquarium controller, to do this.

 

[Seasonedreefer]

So the PH controller or say for instance a reef keeper or apex can be programmed to shut the power to solenoid off in case of a really really low PH or power outage. Sorry if I'm asking alot of questions there isn't really alot of places that tell you these kid of things.

 

[Just Clownin Around]

no need to shut it off if a power outtage. just if the ph drops too low. i ran a calcium reactor and loved it for three years but then my tank outgrew it and now i am dosing 2 part.
the solenoid is shut of by a low ph reading and turned on by a setpoint value

 

[SDguy]

Again, because no power = solenoid closed, a power outtage would have the same effect, and simply close the valve.

 

[VegasRick]

If you use a controller, which I recommend, you monitor/controll the ph in the reactor itself to keep it around 6.5. Too low your media will dissolve and turn into slush, too high and it wont dissolve at all. The amount of ca/alk added to your system is regulated with the effluent output. Something to note is that the solenoids are not really designed to be constantly on and this leads to failure. When my current one fails I plan on getting CarbonDoser Electronic Co2 Regulator, which comes highly recommended

 

[Seasonedreefer]

So Vegasrick this is the only Co2 regulator to use the solenoid for measuring the output of Co2 into your reactor? The sounds all to familiar in the paintball world I'm going to definitely have to make some thing of my own here. This very good and useful information.

 

[VegasRick]

So Vegasrick this is the only Co2 regulator to use the solenoid for measuring the output of Co2 into your reactor? The sounds all to familiar in the paintball world I'm going to definitely have to make some thing of my own here. This very good and useful information.

Sorry I am not fully understanding your question
The regulator I linked works different than normal ones with solenoids, and cost a good bit more too. But it comes highly recommended. Normal solenoids use a normally closed valve and electricity keeps it open. The pH controller determines when it needs to be open to let more co2 in, by the settings you put in it.

 

[SDguy]

to note is that the solenoids are not really designed to be constantly on and this leads to failure.

Fail open, or fail closed? I've never heard this.

 

[Seasonedreefer]

What I mean is the solenoid is closed until the co2 needs to be dosed.

 

[VegasRick]

Fail open, or fail closed? I've never heard this.

fail closed from my exp. They fail from overheating by being left on constantly. If you have ever touched on that runs constantly you know how hot they get

 

[Reggie]

Here are two articles that explains a lot about Calcium Reactors:

• A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors by Simon Huntington - Reefkeeping.com
• Setting up a Calcium reactor via a Ph Controller | The Aquarium Solution

 

[Seasonedreefer]

So... VegasRick in other words the solenoid only turns on or opens up when PH rises and for most of it's time is in the off position to reduce wear and tear.

 

[arotbart]

what is the DKH supposed to be of the effluent coming out of the reactor?

 

[SDguy]

fail closed from my exp. They fail from overheating by being left on constantly. If you have ever touched on that runs constantly you know how hot they get

Checked mine tonight. Completely cool. Perhaps it was the brand you had? Thanks for the heads up though, I never would have thought to check the temperature of the solenoid.