HELP w/ GEO 618 calcium reactor

[nater]

I am trying to setup up my Geo 618 calcium reactor. I have everything i need in front of me from co2 to the controller. i have two mian questions.

first , I will be using the Milwaukee MA957 regulator. It comes with a bubble counter witch comes off the needle wheel that come with the unit. do i remove the bubble counter and attach my co2 line directly to that needle wheel valve or do i need to buy a different one? or use both bubble counters? reason i ask and i'm a bit confused about is the needle valve doesn't seam like a great seal unless i use the compression fitting the comes off the top of the bubble counter.

second, should i put the ph probe in the reactor or should i be putting it in my sump to read my overall ph?

If pictures of the units will help i can take some. thanks all
any help would be appreciated. thanks

 

[Acroholic]

I am trying to setup up my Geo 618 calcium reactor. I have everything i need in front of me from co2 to the controller. i have two mian questions.

first , I will be using the Milwaukee MA957 regulator. It comes with a bubble counter witch comes off the needle wheel that come with the unit. do i remove the bubble counter and attach my co2 line directly to that needle wheel valve or do i need to buy a different one? or use both bubble counters? reason i ask and i'm a bit confused about is the needle valve doesn't seam like a great seal unless i use the compression fitting the comes off the top of the bubble counter.

You can use both bubble counters. For example, if you remote locate your CO2 tank and cannot refer to the bubble counter on the GEO if you make a CO2 flow adjustment. If not, just use the compression fitting off the top of the MI Bubble counter and remove the counter from the regulator and only use the GEO counter. Less maintenance regarding refilling the regulator counter that way.

second, should i put the ph probe in the reactor or should i be putting it in my sump to read my overall ph?

The pH probe goes in the holder in the top of the reactor. The probe tells the regulator when to turn on/off. Use a second pH monitor for tank pH. This is totally separate from your Calcium reactor setup, and the probe would be located in your tank or in your sump, preferably upflow from the effluent leaving the GEO.

 

[nater]

thanks for the help arc. you cleared that up. got it up and running good. i have a question about the controller settings. my ph in the reactor is at 7.94 that dropped slowly from 7.8. i have me effluent rate at 50-60ml a minute and my BPM at 30. i am using a reef fanatic micro ph controller. my questions are ,

1. my setpoint should be 6.50 ?
2. my offset value would be .05 ?
3. my high/low should be set to high?

thanks all

 

[aquafrags]

I would use the geo bubble counter and just remove the bubble counter from regulator. Make sure you have a check valve in between the regulator and the bubble counter. I fyou are using the large grain media, 6.5 is a good setting.

 

[Mr E Wrasse]

I've got the same reactor and love it..
are you reading your bpm from the bubble counter on the reactor or on the regulator? if that's on the reactor i would slow it down some... you don't wont to put the CO2 in faster than it can dissolve. I leave mine set at 6.5 in the reactor and it works great for me. keeps Ca at 440 and dKH at 9

 

[nater]

I would use the geo bubble counter and just remove the bubble counter from regulator. Make sure you have a check valve in between the regulator and the bubble counter. I fyou are using the large grain media, 6.5 is a good setting.

i am using the bubble counter on the reactor. using arm coarse media.

 

[nater]

I've got the same reactor and love it..
are you reading your bpm from the bubble counter on the reactor or on the regulator? if that's on the reactor i would slow it down some... you don't wont to put the CO2 in faster than it can dissolve. I leave mine set at 6.5 in the reactor and it works great for me. keeps Ca at 440 and dKH at 9

30 BPM is too much? that was the suggested staring point by GEO for the reactor
50 ml a minute on effluent.

my main question is should my controller be set to 6.50 , my offset set to .05 , and my hi/low should be high. and if i am getting it correct , this all means when the ph drops to 6.55 the co2 stops being released ? when should it come back on? this is whats confusing me.

 

[Acroholic]

30 BPM is too much? that was the suggested staring point by GEO for the reactor
50 ml a minute on effluent.

my main question is should my controller be set to 6.50 , my offset set to .05 , and my hi/low should be high. and if i am getting it correct , this all means when the ph drops to 6.55 the co2 stops being released ? when should it come back on? this is whats confusing me.

If your controller is set to 6.50, and your offset is .05, that means that the controller will turn on the CO2 (energize the regulator solenoid and Co2 bubbles into the reactor) when the pH in the reactor reaches 6.55, then turn off the CO2 when the pH inside the reactor reaches 6.45. The 6.50 setting is the midpoint, and the offset (.05 units of pH) is the amount above and below the midpoint.

What controller are you using?

50-60 ml/min effluent rate is perfect, and 30-60 bubbles per minute is good. What you want to look for is a regular cycling on/off of CO2 to the calcium reactor. If the CO2 is on all the time, then you need to adjust something. But it sounds like you are at a great starting point. Then you have to dial the reactor in.

I have a GEO 818 and a 612. Love 'em.

 

[nater]

Arc , i am using the reef fanatic micro ph controller.