Calcium reactor

[HuduVudu]

What I don't really understand is why I don't need to use ph probe to control reactor.

Because pH probes are notoriously unreliable. If you use it in feedback and it drifts or fails you are going to get into serious trouble with what is being put in the tank. Also as many others have experienced once you dial in reactors they are VERY stable.

It's not to say that you can't use the probe with a controller it is just to say that there are large risks involved.

I have missing that blue plate on the bottom of the reactor, maybe this affects. I have some scrap acrylic, I think I will try to retrofit that part.

Another idea would be to contact the manafacturer and see if they will sell you one or buy a parts skimmer so that you can get one.

Just other ideas that might help.

 

[FishTruck]

Initially I had ~25dkh in the reactor but I think I cranked the flow too much and I lost it. It was around 16dkh. I reset it and trying again but with raised values. 20 bubbles and 60 drops. I opened the valve more so the low pressure needle moved a little hoping I will be able to have stable bubble count. I tuned it last night so tonight I will measure alk in the reactor.

I elevate alk level by dosing. In few days I should be on ~8 so I can start to increase the output. BRS has a very nice video showing the process with that nice calculator.

What I don't really understand is why I don't need to use ph probe to control reactor. Right now I have 5.9ph inside, all sources say ph around 6.5-6.7 melts media in the optimal speed.
I have missing that blue plate on the bottom of the reactor, maybe this affects. I have some scrap acrylic, I think I will try to retrofit that part. I can imagine how it may affect the process as @HuduVudu suggested.

You can use a pH probe to make sure the pH does not get too low and melt your media.

You could also use a pH probe and a solenoid to turn the CO2 bubble rate on and off to try and keep the pH precisely at a certain number - all dependent on how the pH probe is reading the situation. This can be really problematic if your effluent rate is not rock steady, gives a false sense of security, and is also prone to instability if your pH probe gets out of calibration.

The amount of ALK delivered to your tank is ultimately tied to the CO2 bubble rate. If the effluent goes up and down and the pH fluxuates some with the effluent, it does not really matter - so long as the CO2 bubble rate is steady and the pH is not ridiculously out of range (too low 6.3 for example, or too high 7.6 for example).

 

[GARRIGA]

Food for thought. I'm experimenting with using coral skeletons as part of my nitrification with the assumption that the acidity created would melt the skeletons and to perhaps a small extend work as a reactor without the additional CO2 or complexity. Seems to be working as it keeps increasing my alkalinity. I'm currently not dosing anything. Unfortunately, I have no way of currently testing this but logically seems plausible.

 

[HuduVudu]

Food for thought. I'm experimenting with using coral skeletons as part of my nitrification with the assumption that the acidity created would melt the skeletons and to perhaps a small extend work as a reactor without the additional CO2 or complexity. Seems to be working as it keeps increasing my alkalinity. I'm currently not dosing anything. Unfortunately, I have no way of currently testing this but logically seems plausible.

Plenums do produce alk and calcium.

They work well for low demand tanks and act as trace element pool for higher demand tanks.

 

[GARRIGA]

Plenums do produce alk and calcium.

They work well for low demand tanks and act as trace element pool for higher demand tanks.

My next experiment is placing coral skeletons in a container acting as the first step in filtration to confirm it's melting. My current setup purely based on the assumption this is what's causing my alkalinity to rise as I can't measure usagege of the skeletons. I'm not performing water changes either and top off is with distilled. No other explanation I can come up with. Calcium is beyond 500 and need to get a Red Sea test kit to determine a better estimate. As you suggested. My approach is to fine a supplementation to an actual reactor or more likely to reduce the need on dosing should a reactor just be more complicated than I care to entertain.

 

[lost66]

If you are feeding with a manifold, then, every time you fiddle with valves the feeding pressure to your reactor will change

My main return line is 1" pipe. Then I have a manifold to 1/4" rodi pipe. My output is controlled by peristaltic pump and it is at 60 drops (will be more I think but maybe like 100 or so). So this is way less than input. I don't understand how it may affect if the input pressure is changed by a little. Water circulation inside reactor is almost in a closed circuit so whatever is out it is added by the input. If shut down my output no water is added to the reactor.
I am missing something or my setup is correct?

Another idea would be to contact the manafacturer and see if they will sell you one or buy a parts skimmer so that you can get one.

I did that. They don't even have plans to supply with parts so I have to make it. Not a problem but I will have reactor turned off for few hours and I will need to start the whole process again - more stress to aquarium.

You can use a pH probe to make sure the pH does not get too low and melt your media.

What does it mean too low? Right now I have 5.97 inside the reactor (probe calibrated). When I start what was suggested by @jda article which is 10 bubbles and 40 drops I had 6ph inside. That's why I am confused. It can't be too low, right? The only way to increase ph would be to dilute reactor so decrease bubbles or increase output but then alk will be lower inside the reactor. I follow suggestions as it makes sense and I use ph probe to monitor stability. Each few hours I check what is ph and then I have a peace of mind that bubble rate and the output is stable. Not dialed in yet but stable.
Or maybe that missing plate is a cause of low ph? I don't know.

 

[X-37B]

Hey I went back and looked at your video, missed them first time.
You co2 bubble rate is unreal. Why so fast?

If it was my system I would set bubble rate to 60 and effluent to 30ml a minute. Run 24hrs and check effluent dkh.
That would be a good starting point and adjust both slowly until your dkh is 20+.
Also what is the psi of your co2 regulator as that determines the sive and stability of your bubbles?

 

[X-37B]

My main return line is 1" pipe. Then I have a manifold to 1/4" rodi pipe. My output is controlled by peristaltic pump and it is at 60 drops (will be more I think but maybe like 100 or so). So this is way less than input. I don't understand how it may affect if the input pressure is changed by a little. Water circulation inside reactor is almost in a closed circuit so whatever is out it is added by the input. If shut down my output no water is added to the reactor.
I am missing something or my setup is correct?

I did that. They don't even have plans to supply with parts so I have to make it. Not a problem but I will have reactor turned off for few hours and I will need to start the whole process again - more stress to aquarium.

What does it mean too low? Right now I have 5.97 inside the reactor (probe calibrated). When I start what was suggested by @jda article which is 10 bubbles and 40 drops I had 6ph inside. That's why I am confused. It can't be too low, right? The only way to increase ph would be to dilute reactor so decrease bubbles or increase output but then alk will be lower inside the reactor. I follow suggestions as it makes sense and I use ph probe to monitor stability. Each few hours I check what is ph and then I have a peace of mind that bubble rate and the output is stable. Not dialed in yet but stable.
Or maybe that missing plate is a cause of low ph? I don't know.

Forget drops and measure effluent in ml per minute.

 

[X-37B]

Your ratio should be bubbles per minute and ml per minute effluent.
I think your effluent is to slow and thats why your ph is so low. A sub 6ph will dissolve your media and turn it to mush unless its manmade.

 

[lost66]

ok so now I am super confused. So many different approaches.

 

[X-37B]

Pm me offline if you want to straighen this out. It should not be this hard.