KH Director and Calcium Reactor

[Cali9dub]

I’m a little fuzzy on this...can the KH director be used with a calcium reactor and no dosing pumps at all. ie just the director unit and the calcium reactor with an outlet controlling a solenoid that’s releases CO2 based on the pH inside the reactor.
Thanks !

 

[Hersheyb]

it won't function correctly.. you can use 2-part method to supplement if you want to use the kh director.

 

[PRock]

I’m a little fuzzy on this...can the KH director be used with a calcium reactor and no dosing pumps at all. ie just the director unit and the calcium reactor with an outlet controlling a solenoid that’s releases CO2 based on the pH inside the reactor.
Thanks !

If you're trying to just monitor the PH in the reactor and add CO2 when necessary, the KH Director isn't what you're looking for. It's PH probe is designed for the Alkalinity testing the KH Director does.

To do what you're talking about I'd guess that you'd need something like a ProfiLux Mini controller that comes with a PH Probe to monitor the reactor and a STDL4-4 Powerbar to cycle the solenoid.

 

[Gareth elliott]

When coupled with a Profilux, the khd has a carx mode.

Without a profilux, no it can not.

 

[Vinny@GHLUSA Verified Sponsor]

I’m a little fuzzy on this...can the KH director be used with a calcium reactor and no dosing pumps at all. ie just the director unit and the calcium reactor with an outlet controlling a solenoid that’s releases CO2 based on the pH inside the reactor.
Thanks !

Yes and no. :)

You do still need 3 GHL dosing pump heads to run the KHD.
In terms of calcium reactor control, you can do this when you have a ProfiLux 4e or 4 controller.

Your first line of control would come from the pH probe inside the calcium reactor. The solenoid would be connected to a powerbar outlet and automatically switched ON/OFF depending on the pH reading. The KHD meanwhile tests your alkalinity levels and makes fine-tuned adjustments to your existing pH control settings.

If the KHD detects that your ALK is too low or too high, it will temporarily adjust your pH control settings for your calcium reactor. Every test thereafter will reevaluate how much more adjustment is needed to maintain your desired ALK level.

 

[Cali9dub]

Yes and no. :)

You do still need 3 GHL dosing pump heads to run the KHD.
In terms of calcium reactor control, you can do this when you have a ProfiLux 4e or 4 controller.

Your first line of control would come from the pH probe inside the calcium reactor. The solenoid would be connected to a powerbar outlet and automatically switched ON/OFF depending on the pH reading. The KHD meanwhile tests your alkalinity levels and makes fine-tuned adjustments to your existing pH control settings.

If the KHD detects that your ALK is too low or too high, it will temporarily adjust your pH control settings for your calcium reactor. Every test thereafter will reevaluate how much more adjustment is needed to maintain your desired ALK level.

so the KH director will alter the pH inside the reactor? Or just turn the solenoid off and on based on an internal reactor ph setting. Right now I’m controlling the reactor with my apex. As the ph in the reactor raises above the desired setting it turns on the co2 solenoid. Does the KH director in conjunction with a profilux handle it differently ? Or does the KH director just test alk and pop on the solenoid if the alk reading is too low? Thanks !

 

[Vinny@GHLUSA Verified Sponsor]

The ProfiLux will be the first line of control where it turns the solenoid outlet ON or OFF depending on the pH values of the calcium reactor chamber. The KHD is your second line of control where it makes fine tuned adjustments to your "desired" calcium reactor pH value. If a test is performed and shows that your KH is lower or higher than your desired KH value, the KHD will make a temporary adjustment to the desired pH probe value until the next test. When that next test happens, the KHD will reevaluate if any further adjustment is needed. If not, it will revert back to the normal calcium reactor control.

 

[Cali9dub]

The ProfiLux will be the first line of control where it turns the solenoid outlet ON or OFF depending on the pH values of the calcium reactor chamber. The KHD is your second line of control where it makes fine tuned adjustments to your "desired" calcium reactor pH value. If a test is performed and shows that your KH is lower or higher than your desired KH value, the KHD will make a temporary adjustment to the desired pH probe value until the next test. When that next test happens, the KHD will reevaluate if any further adjustment is needed. If not, it will revert back to the normal calcium reactor control.

So I have been monitoring alk with the KHD and I have been controlling the solenoid with my Profilux 4. So far I’m loving it. Testing 2 times a day, making slow adjustments to the CaRx internal pH manually to get the alk where I want it. Once it’s set I’ll let the KHD do it. Is there somewhere that details the calcium reactor control in depth ??

 

[Vinny@GHLUSA Verified Sponsor]

So I have been monitoring alk with the KHD and I have been controlling the solenoid with my Profilux 4. So far I’m loving it. Testing 2 times a day, making slow adjustments to the CaRx internal pH manually to get the alk where I want it. Once it’s set I’ll let the KHD do it. Is there somewhere that details the calcium reactor control in depth ??

Yes, page 39 of the KH Director manual explains how the feature works and also provides examples of how the KHD will adjust the calcium reactor's pH probe based on the outcome of each test result.

 

[LC8Sumi]

In reality it would be a better aproach to use the CaRx as a baseline and dose 1-2-3 part on top of that controlled by the KHD.

So for example if your tank is using 2 dKh /day alk, then set the CaRx to let's say 1.5dkH/day alk replenishment, and do the 0.5 dKh by dosing. That way the KHD can adjust that 0.5 dKh up/down easily.

With controling the CaRx with a the KHD there are two problems:
1, You'll have to set the target CO2 -> PH below the actual desired value-range (let's say for 2.5 dKh/day instead of 2), and the solenoid will be clicking all day to keep the ph above.
2, The reactor is slow to react to any changes really, so I can imagine it is very hard to pinpoint a certain daily dKh value this way. (For example when you shut down the CO2 feed to a CaRx, it still pushes Ca/Alk into your tank for a couple hours as the ph equalizes).

 

[Cali9dub]

In reality it would be a better aproach to use the CaRx as a baseline and dose 1-2-3 part on top of that controlled by the KHD.

So for example if your tank is using 2 dKh /day alk, then set the CaRx to let's say 1.5dkH/day alk replenishment, and do the 0.5 dKh by dosing. That way the KHD can adjust that 0.5 dKh up/down easily.

With controling the CaRx with a the KHD there are two problems:
1, You'll have to set the target CO2 -> PH below the actual desired value-range (let's say for 2.5 dKh/day instead of 2), and the solenoid will be clicking all day to keep the ph above.
2, The reactor is slow to react to any changes really, so I can imagine it is very hard to pinpoint a certain daily dKh value this way. (For example when you shut down the CO2 feed to a CaRx, it still pushes Ca/Alk into your tank for a couple hours as the ph equalizes).

hmmm not sure it’s any different than when I test alk and it is at 8.8 and I want it at 9.0 so I drop the ph in the calcium reactor so it increases the amount delivered to the tank, the flow through my constant feed pump never changes, just the ph in the calcium reactor. When I do it manually it takes me a day or 2 to bump it up to where I want it so I don’t see why the KHD cant do it just as easy ? All it’s doing is the same thing I am but automatically. I’m going to try it anyway.

 

[Cali9dub]

I guess if it starts switching the solenoid off and on too many times I can adjust the value for the pH probe to tighten it up little by little unless I’m thinking about it wrong.
is there a switch log anywhere that shows what time a switch is turned off and on throughout the day so I can see how the solenoid outlet (switch) is reacting ??

 

[Cali9dub]

I see the logbook section but I don’t see where I can turn a log on for a specific outlet on the powerbar.

 

[LC8Sumi]

You can’t

 

[Cali9dub]

You can’t

Weak !!

 

[LC8Sumi]

Weak !!

I think it’s comming though in a future firmware update

 

[Vinny@GHLUSA Verified Sponsor]

Switch channel logging is on the to-do list as with many other planned features.

 

[Trivan]

What should the function on the solenoid switch be set for the KHD to control the solenoid?
Should it remain " pH-Value 2" or KH-Value Control upward (Increase)?

I currently have my KHD set to:
- Calcium reactor mode
Sensor: pH-Value 2
Nom. value change : 0
Limit for raise KH: 1.0
Limit for lower KH : 1.0
Calculated adjustment : 0.00

 

[vangvace]

pH-Value 2 and control downwards is my solenoid settings. I also have the probe nominal value of 6.7 with a hysteresis of 0.1.

The only thing I have different on your KHD settings is my raise KH limit is 0.5 pH.

 

[Trivan]

pH-Value 2 and control downwards is my solenoid settings. I also have the probe nominal value of 6.7 with a hysteresis of 0.1.

The only thing I have different on your KHD settings is my raise KH limit is 0.5 pH.

From the manual:
- KH-value control downwards (decrease): socket is switched on if the current KH-value is too high
- KH-value control upwards (increase): socket is switched on if current KH-value is too
low

I think there is a typo in the documentation as both set the switch ON.

I'm running a few tests.....