CARX affluent question(s)

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I know again….

I was at 25 DKH. I wanted to obviously go up. My gauge is at 15, carbon doser set per picture.

All I did was change the tube in my Versa, calibrated and changed the feed from 150 mil to 50 mil, now I am at 17. Did I really go through a Versa tube in 3 weeks this time? The only way that I can see my DKH going down is that before changing the tube/calibrating I was dosing less than 50 mil. I mean, 3 weeks. I need to get a Kamoer. These Versa’s can’t handle this type of beating in my opinion.

So what is better 50 mil at 17 DKH (19g a day?) vs (total guess) 25 mill at 25 DKH (9.5g per day).

?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Are you pushing or pulling? My experience (take that for what it’s worth) is that the peristaltic pump tubing looses its elasticity much faster when pulling. Don’t know if it’s the high alkalinity or what, but I replace the peri tubing far less frequently when pushing. (Six months vs three months).

Edit. I also have to replace the feed and dump lines annually as they gunk up enough to affect flow. Easier for me to replace sections of rodi tubing than to attempt cleaning it.

Edit again. Yeah three weeks is way short!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So what is better 50 mil at 17 DKH (19g a day?) vs (total guess) 25 mill at 25 DKH (9.5g per day).

What is your criteria for "better", and what are you adjusting to get these?

 

[X-37B]

I know again….

I was at 25 DKH. I wanted to obviously go up. My gauge is at 15, carbon doser set per picture.

All I did was change the tube in my Versa, calibrated and changed the feed from 150 mil to 50 mil, now I am at 17. Did I really go through a Versa tube in 3 weeks this time? The only way that I can see my DKH going down is that before changing the tube/calibrating I was dosing less than 50 mil. I mean, 3 weeks. I need to get a Kamoer. These Versa’s can’t handle this type of beating in my opinion.

So what is better 50 mil at 17 DKH (19g a day?) vs (total guess) 25 mill at 25 DKH (9.5g per day).

?

I shoot for 30dkh in the effluent.
Yes get a Kamoer your system will love the stability.
I replace the tubing once a year. I was doing 6 months but I use the lube now and have gone past 1 year with the same tube. It does get much harder by feel than when replacing at 6 months but still works fine.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

What is your criteria for "better", and what are you adjusting to get these?

@Randy Holmes-Farley the only adjustment I made this time was slowing down the speed at which my affluent comes out. Normally I only adjust with PH. Bottle and bubble count never get touched, never. But, I am at the very very bottom of what squeeze, PH is 6.42. I’m likely creating some mush. New reactor gets here next week. I’m looking forward to putting this on the new much smaller system with an AquaWiz and the AquaWiz CARX controller and just let her fly.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

What is your criteria for "better", and what are you adjusting to get these?

As for better - that would be for me to use less two part. This reactor is ridiculously undersized. I underestimated what my updated light and flow game in the new display would do, it’s been exponentially incredible. I did 29k mil of kalk last night and I float between 400-550 mil of ca and 500 - 600 mil of alk. I’m not a fan of this much two part weekly. I’m only doing sodium bicarb these days. The numbers started getting to great for S. hydroxide, plus, I’m not one to want to push this to 9.3 again. Albeit for only 25 minutes.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Are you pushing or pulling? My experience (take that for what it’s worth) is that the peristaltic pump tubing looses its elasticity much faster when pulling. Don’t know if it’s the high alkalinity or what, but I replace the peri tubing far less frequently when pushing. (Six months vs three months).

Edit. I also have to replace the feed and dump lines annually as they gunk up enough to affect flow. Easier for me to replace sections of rodi tubing than to attempt cleaning it.

Edit again. Yeah three weeks is way short!

Push. I use a Versa and I can’t get more than a month out of the tubes. But I have been likely running them far far too fast.

 

[X-37B]

@Randy Holmes-Farley the only adjustment I made this time was slowing down the speed at which my affluent comes out. Normally I only adjust with PH. Bottle and bubble count never get touched, never. But, I am at the very very bottom of what squeeze, PH is 6.42. I’m likely creating some mush. New reactor gets here next week. I’m looking forward to putting this on the new much smaller system with an AquaWiz and the AquaWiz CARX controller and just let her fly.

To get yout effluent dkh to 30+ and keep your tanks dkh stable you need more co2 and throughput through the reactor.
If you only slow the effluent then it will increase but it won't be fast enough to hold dkh in the tank.
You increase co2 and effluent rate together.
You would be surprised if you have never ran without the controller how easy it is to control dkh.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

To get yout effluent dkh to 30+ and keep your tanks dkh stable you need more co2 and throughput through the reactor.
If you only slow the effluent then it will increase but it won't be fast enough to hold dkh in the tank.
You increase co2 and effluent rate together.
You would be surprised if you have never ran without the controller how easy it is to control dkh.

So, increase gas pressure? Or crank my carbon doser up some?

 

[X-37B]

So, increase gas pressure? Or crank my carbon doser up some?

Not familiar with the carbon doser. However you turn up co2 bubble count/amount not the pressure. Pressure should stay constant you need more co2.
Again all I do is open the needle valve more, simple.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Not familiar with the carbon doser. However you turn up co2 bubble count/amount not the pressure. Pressure should stay constant you need more co2.
Again all I do is open the needle valve more, simple.

So you control yours with simply adding more or less co2? Tank stays the same and drip rate stays the same, you control the dKH by adding or taking away bubbles, essentially adding more co2. I think the carbon doser is effectively the same thing.

 

[X-37B]

So you control yours with simply adding more or less co2? Tank stays the same and drip rate stays the same, you control the dKH by adding or taking away bubbles, essentially adding more co2. I think the carbon doser is effectively the same thing.

No you adjust the drip and the amount of co2 together.
Example:
My co2 is 40bpm and my effluent is 25mlm. This gives me a tank dkh of 7.5 with an effluent of 30+.
If I test alk and it's say 7.0 I give it a little more co2 and effluent speed, say 44bpm and 27mlm.
Do a search there is a thread hear if you want to research this method. It's old school but never fails and I can open my cabinet and tell if it's working with a visual.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

No you adjust the drip and the amount of co2 together.
Example:
My co2 is 40bpm and my effluent is 25mlm. This gives me a tank dkh of 7.5 with an effluent of 30+.
If I test alk and it's say 7.0 I give it a little more co2 and effluent speed, say 44bpm and 27mlm.
Do a search there is a thread hear if you want to research this method. It's old school but never fails and I can open my cabinet and tell if it's working with a visual.

Im a little concerned. I have only been using the controller to get me there with a carbon doser. I have literally learned nothing. It’s the one thing on my system where I feel I am handicapped. And I’m doing it to myself. My new reactor shows up this week. I’ve been. Soaking a poop ton of media for almost a month (lead time increased, sigh). Man I am so fearful that I could totally hose my tank if I don’t figure this out. I can’t slap a regular regulator on my new one either as it doesn’t have a bubble counter either. I guess I could leave the PH probe hooked up, but get it to 30-35 dKH and push the MLM until I am almost off the crack (2-part). This one doesn’t use 1/4 line or a regular dosing pump, it uses 3/8th line and adjustable feed pump ( I use that pump on my kalk reactor, or one like it, it’s really nice). Geo claims this can hold 30-35 dKH at 200 MLM. https://www.geosreef.com/product/ge...1-sse-commercial-calcium-reactor-with-smc618/

I’m now focused on trying to not have a bad day…

 

[X-37B]

Im a little concerned. I have only been using the controller to get me there with a carbon doser. I have literally learned nothing. It’s the one thing on my system where I feel I am handicapped. And I’m doing it to myself. My new reactor shows up this week. I’ve been. Soaking a poop ton of media for almost a month (lead time increased, sigh). Man I am so fearful that I could totally hose my tank if I don’t figure this out. I can’t slap a regular regulator on my new one either as it doesn’t have a bubble counter either. I guess I could leave the PH probe hooked up, but get it to 30-35 dKH and push the MLM until I am almost off the crack (2-part). This one doesn’t use 1/4 line or a regular dosing pump, it uses 3/8th line and adjustable feed pump ( I use that pump on my kalk reactor, or one like it, it’s really nice). Geo claims this can hold 30-35 dKH at 200 MLM. https://www.geosreef.com/product/ge...1-sse-commercial-calcium-reactor-with-smc618/

I’m now focused on trying to not have a bad day…

Well $2500 for a carx, what?
I guess follow their directions I'm at a loss.
Soaking media? Why?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Well $2500 for a carx, what?
I guess follow their directions I'm at a loss.
Soaking media? Why?

The last one I ever buy. Will do my next and my next and my next. It was in the directions of my first CARX, lol. You actually explained something in a way that was super helpful. Most always say to only touch one thing when making adjustments. But it totally makes sense that if you consumption is up and your systems dKH is drifting down, you need to increase the affluent flow. But if you simply increase it, the existing CO2 won’t be able to melt at the new rate so you need to increase that along with the other. Very helpful.

 

[X-37B]

The last one I ever buy. Will do my next and my next and my next. It was in the directions of my first CARX, lol. You actually explained something in a way that was super helpful. Most always say to only touch one thing when making adjustments. But it totally makes sense that if you consumption is up and your systems dKH is drifting down, you need to increase the affluent flow. But if you simply increase it, the existing CO2 won’t be able to melt at the new rate so you need to increase that along with the other. Very helpful.

What no build thread? Let's get one going so we can follow that beast in action.

 

[galantra]

Question, how are you monitoring the Ph in your CArx?

I had pretty much the same setup but with a kamora pump pushing and the only thing I did with the carbon doser was have it set to turn on and off when it hit the PH # I had set in the reactor. When it came to dosing just adjusting how many ML till alk was at the number I wanted then weekly adjustments if needed

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

This is like having a beer at a buddies house and he had no clue you put a big block in your grandmothers 20 year old pathfinder without her realizing it. And that sound you hear is the hood opening, lol.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-dry-reef-whats-old-is-new-96x36x25-peninsula.1065335/page-11

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Question, how are you monitoring the Ph in your CArx?

I had pretty much the same setup but with a kamora pump pushing and the only thing I did with the carbon doser was have it set to turn on and off when it hit the PH # I had set in the reactor. When it came to dosing just adjusting how many ML till alk was at the number I wanted then weekly adjustments if needed

Apex. I use the apex to hold me at 6.42. I simply have been increasing my MLM via my Versa.

 

[KrisReef]

It’s probably impossible to write instructions for how to tune up your calc reactor but they all function to do the same thing.

If you get the reactor pH set stable you can adjust (faster or slower) the volume of water that goes into the tank from the reactor to match your tanks requirements.

When you move the pH around, or tweak the CO2 bubbles, or tweak the flow rate through the reactor (all at the same time) you will struggle to keep it stable.

Simple recipe:
The cal reactor makes ALK soup. Keep the soup concentrate stable and feed as needed, according to your tank dKh