Pacific sun calcium reactor Calcfeeder AC3

[naif]

Hi everyone

I have been struggling for a while since I bought my Pacific sun calcium reactor Calcfeeder AC3 with optical sensor

Since I installed it and started running it I’m having this issue of PH keeping up from 6.03 all the way up to 6.9 and keeps going unless I degas

I have replaced most parts with new ones

- tubes
- ball valves
- rubber seal on both chamber caps
- replaced my new TUNZE co2 regulator with a new electronic co2 doser

Will highly appreciate anyone using similar unit with a PH probe to share his experience and what might be wrong and what to look for

 

[Water Dog]

Have you tried posting this on the big PAC Sun CalcFeeder thread over on RC? The owner of Pac Sun, Prezmek, chimes in often to help CalcFedder users.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2594865&highlight=calcfeeder

 

[naif]

I have been in touch with the owner and the customer service team for a while now , tried so many experiments with them after going threw a lot , and after getting three damaged calcium reactors threw shipping , this is what I’m facing with last one

 

[naif]

His conclusion is keep the degassing option ON and choose the ( not time degassing every day option ) and this would be the solution , honestly I’m not convinced with this solution as the degassing should be an option not a MUST , and what makes sense of this hole optical sensor technique is to keep rock solid PH level and CO2 saturation and not to fluctuate that much

 

[naif]

** ONE TIME EVERY DAY DEGASSING

 

[Water Dog]

Sorry I can’t help any further, I have a GEO’s CaRx.

 

[naif]

Thanks anyways

 

[TherealplexiG]

Facing same problem with mine, did u find any solution @naif

 

[2una]

** ONE TIME EVERY DAY DEGASSING

That's how a Dastaco unit works - 1 minimum

 

[naif]

Facing same problem with mine, did u find any solution @naif

still struggling and really frustrated , the owner or ceo of pacific sun company is pretty active on this thread and it is really helpful to read about other users experiences , still trying out a number of solutions but its taking time , and still believe i have defected unit

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2594865&highlight=calcfeeder

 

[naif]

also noticed my tank PH is dropping aggressivly , my first unit before it cracked was smooth and accurate and never faced any complications with it

 

[TherealplexiG]

@naif
Mine was working well since a month. Yesterday it croaked and messed up the pH from 8.2 to 7.6 with in a few mins. Luckily there was someone around the tank and it was taken down immediately. I think overall its a design flaw, since the optical sensor is mounted right into the saturation aka co2 mixing chamber. The continues choas of co2 and water doesn't allow the sensor to sense well. If you knw m sayin?

 

[TherealplexiG]

@naif
How long did u run your first unit?

 

[jda]

Sorry for your issues. I can help if you want to abandon all of the sensors and pH probe and just tune the thing for optimum constant running. I do not believe in all of the electronics, which seem to just cause more issues than not having them. If you are at a loss and fed up, then hollar. Good luck.

 

[TherealplexiG]

@jda
What do you mean?

 

[jda]

You don't need any sensors, probes or electronics to get a CaRx to run consistently and effectively. A high quality regulator (the Carbon Doser is that) and a solid supply pump can provide decades of reliable performance without any pH monitoring or controlling. This does require that you learn how to tune a reactor, which is not hard, and also a paradigm shift from letting some electronics control it to letting a mechanical system take over. I have been running a CaRx since 1992 and never had a pH probe on any system and they have never let me down. I have helped a lot of people who were frustrated get their equipment functioning perfectly, but they have to abandon the apex, or whatever they are struggling with. It is OK to use an Apex (or whatever) to monitor, but controlling is a waste of time, IMO.

Some folks don't want to learn or mess with learning how to tune a CaRx. In this case, a system with sensors and probes can be good. You have to really make sure that the probes and sensors are calibrated regularly or the CaRx will not function properly. In the end, when properly tuned and running well, this type of system is no better than one that is hand tuned... and at worst, it is an inconsistent disaster.

I can help with the first paradigm and it is a sure-thing, but can be a paradigm switch. I cannot help with the second. Good luck.

 

[TherealplexiG]

@jda
I feel you, could you please elaborate on the first paradigm?

 

[naif]

@naif
Mine was working well since a month. Yesterday it croaked and messed up the pH from 8.2 to 7.6 with in a few mins. Luckily there was someone around the tank and it was taken down immediately. I think overall its a design flaw, since the optical sensor is mounted right into the saturation aka co2 mixing chamber. The continues choas of co2 and water doesn't allow the sensor to sense well. If you knw m sayin?

You mean over pressure cracked it ? i faced a smilier incident with the first unit i received as it was working amazingly for a while then all of a sudden the controller stopped working permanently , things started going worse down form there , I’m facing a drop in my tank Ph as well making me think that CO2 is passing threw the reactor out to the tank somehow and not being saturated with in the reactor for media to dissolve instead and that’s why tank PH is dropping and reactor Ph increases gradually with out going down again unless i degass

 

[naif]

@naif
How long did u run your first unit?

i ran the first unit smoothly for almost 2 months with amazing results

 

[naif]

can

@naif
Mine was working well since a month. Yesterday it croaked and messed up the pH from 8.2 to 7.6 with in a few mins. Luckily there was someone around the tank and it was taken down immediately. I think overall its a design flaw, since the optical sensor is mounted right into the saturation aka co2 mixing chamber. The continues choas of co2 and water doesn't allow the sensor to sense well. If you knw m sayin?

can you kindly post pictures of your setup , what was your bubble rate and at what pressure was the regulator set on ? what was your reactor ph ( if you have a ph probe inside reactor ) , what is your tank size and is it filled with sps ? at what rate you fixed your fluid output once you started running your reactor and did it hold the ALk levels steady ?