Help! Calcium reactor pH issue

[bucfan]

Hope this is the correct forum for this. I have an issue with the pH in my Ca reactor. Noticed the pH was up over 7 a month back. Despite turning the dial down on my Milwaukee pH controller it would not budge by much. Controller pH was dialed down to 6.6 and pH did not move. So thought the pH probe was bad and changed it out. Calibrated the probe and it seemed fine for 3 weeks with reactor pH at 6.7 which is typically where I keep it. Noticed my alk dropping so checked the pH controller and pH is again 7.1. Cannot figure out why it is doing this. Is it that I have a bad probe? Or is there something else. Media and CO2 tank are full and CO2 is bubbling correctly. I have been using a Ca reactor for 5 years and never ran into this issue. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[X-37B]

Sounds like a bad ph probe or maybe a controller issue or?
This is one reason I run no probe or controller on my carx and its very stable.
What are you using to control the bubble rate?
Do you know your bubble rate?
How long ago did you or have you ever replaced your co2 check valve?

 

[Reefer1978]

I'd also check the bubble rate and make sure you are not leaking Co2 anywhere. Sounds like not enough Co2 to keep up with the demand of the reactor.

 

[bucfan]

Sounds like a bad ph probe or maybe a controller issue or?
This is one reason I run no probe or controller on my carx and its very stable.
What are you using to control the bubble rate?
Do you know your bubble rate?
How long ago did you or have you ever replaced your co2 check valve?

Using the Carbin Doser regulator. 1 per second.

 

[bucfan]

I'd also check the bubble rate and make sure you are not leaking Co2 anywhere. Sounds like not enough Co2 to keep up with the demand of the reactor.

No leaks. Running at 1 bubble per sec.

 

[X-37B]

Using the Carbin Doser regulator. 1 per second.

I have never run that one.
Its a single stage run by electronics.
Many use it.
I run a 2 stage so I can control bubble rate and size. Size is controled by the psi of my second stage.
Bubble rate by the needle valve.
Maybe search carbon doser for issues that people have had.
If you have run it for 5 years it may be having issues.
Maybe some who runs one can chime in with some help.

 

[Reefer1978]

No leaks. Running at 1 bubble per sec.

How do you know there are no leaks?

How big is the Calcium Reactor? Is 1bps enough?

 

[bucfan]

How do you know there are no leaks?

How big is the Calcium Reactor? Is 1bps enough?

It’s a geo cr624. Big enough for my system. Been running 3 years. I’ve run 1 bps before and things were steady. So not much has changed. I used some soap water around the connections and there’s no leaks. I hope I did it right. Plus the tank CO2 level has not dropped dramatically.

 

[bucfan]

I have never run that one.
Its a single stage run by electronics.
Many use it.
I run a 2 stage so I can control bubble rate and size. Size is controled by the psi of my second stage.
Bubble rate by the needle valve.
Maybe search carbon doser for issues that people have had.
If you have run it for 5 years it may be having issues.
Maybe some who runs one can chime in with some help.

Out of curiosity what 2 stage do you use?

 

[ScottB]

Perhaps @jda can comment.

 

[X-37B]

Out of curiosity what 2 stage do you use?

Custom AGA.

 

[Suohhen]

One thing that can happen is that channels can form in the media which is an especially prominent issue in a downdraft reactor, basically the reason why updraft reactors exist. I believe you have an updraft reactor but this can still happen.
Also have you been measuring your effluent rate?
I use an Ista manifold as they are very high quality German made and only around $100 because they are made for fresh water tanks.