Reviews and Questions about Calcium Reactor Use

[Roberto CRC]

Actually my ph stead between 8.1 with light display on and 7.9 in the night. Me too run refugium opposite hours from the display.

But not yet use the metod you recommended.

 

[CoralWealth]

I just got a calcium reactor and hopefully will be setting it up this week so I am looking for any tips, etc too.

I will be following this.

 

[pirate2876]

I run a refugium opposite hours from the display. That keeps the PH relatively stead between 8.1 and 8.22

Kinda the same over here. I run the frag tank lights at night. The halide helps warm the garage and this seems to keep my PH pretty high all day/night. I've never seen it drop below 8.2 at anytime.

I also think running MAG around 1400+ is very important. Anecdotally, I can see a difference in the SPS when my MAG drops. I have a doser running only MAG daily and I can usually tell when it loses prime or is empty by looking at the corals(SPS).

 

[cumbeje]

Run a GEO 1218 Commercial reactor with secondary chamber. Use carbondoser electronic regulator its pretty much bullet proof. Have it hooked up to my Apex to turn on regulator at 6.7 PH and off at 6.5 PH. Have it hooked up to a manifold from return pump. I find the best way is to measure the amount of effluent with a graduated cylinder. For my tank it is exactly 17 mls for 10 seconds to keep me at a 9 DKH. Super stable way off running it.

 

[sghera64]

I have used one for about 10 years. It is a DIY build based on upflow. I use coarse media and sometimes recycle dead coral from my tanks. When reactor media is about 2/3 to 3/4 gone, I clean out the cylinder, pump impeller, feed/return tubing and pH probe.

I calibrate pH probe about 2x/yr using pH 4 and pH 7 buffer.

I use a Milwaukee pH controller set to about 6.6pH.

I switched to a GLA regulator about 2 yrs ago (more expensive, but less corrosion). I don’t worry much about bubble rate as Milwaukee controller maintains reactor pH.

Drip rate varies from 1 to 3 drops per second. I measure Alk about 1x every other week and visually increase drip rate or decrease based on the Alk. I shoot for about 7-8 dKH as my nutrient level tends to run low (1 ppm NO3 and 4-20ppb PO4).

I sparge outside air in through air pumps and my skimmer to keep pH in system higher. I also return the effluent from the Calcium reactor to my algae refugium.

I also run a DIY Nielsen Kalk reactor. YES - - I run both types of reactors.

Calcium tends to run 420-460 ppm and pH varies from 7.9 to 8.5 over a period of 1 week. Generally my daily swing is about 0.3 to 0.4 pH.

I don’t find I need to do much to clean the inlet and outlet hoses.

I find that with these two reactors, I do not need to add any other supplements.

The system is about 200 gallons and is a SPS/LPS mixed reef not very heavily stocked, but it is about 15 years old. I have a giant blue clam in there for 10 yrs and it is as happy as a . . . .. .

 

[LouieP]

I run a Geo 510 on my 60 cube I only have SPS corals & fish. Most of the problems that I had were user caused such as didnt tighten the regulator tight enough so I emptied the CO2 tank over night, somehow my effluent line got knocked out of the holder and leaked water & my recir pump leaked had to replaced pump because o-ring went bad (this wasnt user error but o-rings fail over time). I have an APEX to monitor my pH in my CaRx so that if it gets too high or too low it alerts me and I know there's a problem also I have leak detector which alerts me and turns off my regulator, feed & recir pump if there's a leak.

With a high effluent rate you only have 1 variable that you adjust and thats the bubble counter on the regulator vs 3 variables effluent, pH in CaRx and bubble count.

I refill my 10# tank about every 9-12 mths and I try to top off the media about the same time. I use Tropic Eden very course media. I've only replaced my Uni-Seal fitting once in 4 years.

I also run O3 so the pH in my tank is 8.0-8.23 before O3 it was 7.78-8.02.

I would recommend the following:
GEO Reef CaRx
Carbondoser regulator its makes it so much easier and supplied push connect check valve
run a high effluent rate it prevents clogs (mine use to clog all the time when I had a low drip rate but not anymore)
Use polyethylene (RO) tubing & push connect fittens vs air line & barbed ends when you can-its so much easier to service
Precision needle valve w push connect fittens vs airline ball valve (BRS sells them)

 

[Roberto CRC]

Hey guys, another question. Which is your kh level in the drips of the reactor Whit this metod? More than 20dkh

 

[LouieP]

Hey guys, another question. Which is your kh level in the drips of the reactor Whit this metod? More than 20dkh

Never measured it and don't see a reason to.

 

[cumbeje]

agree. no need to measure. If Ph is between 6.5 - 6.7 that is all that matters. You control ALK input by the amount of effluent you add to tank.

 

[Bpb]

Size of reactor will also effect What ph you’re able to run as well. In my case I over-sized the reactor by 3x and because of that, running my masterflex at the lowest setting of 10 rpm, I have to keep a reactor ph of 6.93 to maintain a stable alk. If I ran it don at 6.7 my alk would spiral out of control

 

[cumbeje]

Size of reactor will also effect What ph you’re able to run as well. In my case I over-sized the reactor by 3x and because of that, running my masterflex at the lowest setting of 10 rpm, I have to keep a reactor ph of 6.93 to maintain a stable alk. If I ran it don at 6.7 my alk would spiral out of control

Can't reduce the amount of effluent enough? How many drips do you add? I am run 20 mls every 10 seconds to keep a DKH at 9. Also my tank is pretty big.

 

[Bpb]

Can't reduce the amount of effluent enough? How many drips do you add? I am run 20 mls every 10 seconds to keep a DKH at 9. Also my tank is pretty big.

No my feed pump is on its lowest setting. Can’t reduce it any further. It amounts to 17 ml per minute. It’s a pretty slow drip

 

[cumbeje]

No my feed pump is on its lowest setting. Can’t reduce it any further. It amounts to 17 ml per minute. It’s a pretty slow drip

I see what you mean. That is pretty slow drip.

 

[Roberto CRC]

Is that I have not yet been able to start testing the method they recommend me because I do not have the precision needle valve because I live in Costa Rica and they do not sell here and the one that I send to buy has not arrived yet.

Another problem that I have is the Apex and the pH test tube because right now with continuous drops and a pH in the reactor of 6.2 I just managed to hold the tank kh at 8.0 dkh and measured the drip kh and it is at 13.2 dkh. So I think that the ph in the reactor should be much higher than my tank, so I think the test tube is not good and I will have to buy another new or a milwaukee ph controler to try to use a ph as recommended by you. this method.

 

[Roberto CRC]

Is that I have not yet been able to start testing the method they recommend me because I do not have the precision needle valve because I live in Costa Rica and they do not sell here and the one that I send to buy has not arrived yet.

Another problem that I have is the Apex and the pH test tube because right now with continuous drops and a pH in the reactor of 6.2 I just managed to hold the tank kh at 8.0 dkh and measured the drip kh and it is at 13.2 dkh. So I think that the ph in the reactor should be much higher than my tank, so I think the test tube is not good and I will have to buy another new or a milwaukee ph controler to try to use a ph as recommended by you. this method.

Sorry, test tube are ph probe.

 

[Roberto CRC]

I use the continuous drip/flow method and love it (See below videos)
If your already fighting low ph then I'd pass on a cal reactor even if you going to buy a second chamber.

hello friends, I told you that until yesterday I managed to start with the method because until yesterday I received my precision needle valve and a Milwaukee controller since the one I used before (it was from another brand) did not give me confidence with the pH readings.

But now I have some doubts and I need you to please help me clarify them in order to be successful in the method.

1- The controller when it reaches 7.2 turns on the solenoid and when it goes down to 7.0 it turns off. But I do not understand if the operation of the controller is correct, leaving the switch in "Above"?

2- In the video the explanation that they offer, I seem to understand that in addition to the addition that the reactor makes, it needs to add calcium, this is correct and always necessary because the reactor is not enough?

I appreciate your help.

 

[GoVols]

hello friends, I told you that until yesterday I managed to start with the method because until yesterday I received my precision needle valve and a Milwaukee controller since the one I used before (it was from another brand) did not give me confidence with the pH readings.

But now I have some doubts and I need you to please help me clarify them in order to be successful in the method.

1- The controller when it reaches 7.2 turns on the solenoid and when it goes down to 7.0 it turns off. But I do not understand if the operation of the controller is correct, leaving the switch in "Above"?

2- In the video the explanation that they offer, I seem to understand that in addition to the addition that the reactor makes, it needs to add calcium, this is correct and always necessary because the reactor is not enough?

I appreciate your help.

The Calcium Reactor media will supply calcium / alk and other trace elements to your reef.

I did some research from some of Randy's articles:
He said to keep your display at .35 (not .1025 ) and an alk 0f 9 dkh in your display to help balance out the calcium.

So tune your reactor to hold your displays alk and the reactor should hold the calcium in check too.
I also run ZEOmag inside the first chamber to hold up the magnesium.

Running 10% ZEOmag to the large Reborn media in stage one.

Does that help?

 

[Roberto CRC]

The Calcium Reactor media will supply calcium / alk and other trace elements to your reef.

I did some research from some of Randy's articles:
He said to keep your display at .35 (not .1025 ) and an alk 0f 9 dkh in your display to help balance out the calcium.

So tune your reactor to hold your displays alk and the reactor should hold the calcium in check too.
I also run ZEOmag inside the first chamber to hold up the magnesium.

Running 10% ZEOmag to the large Reborn media in stage one.

Does that help?

Thanks, I think if the explanation helps me. I am about to arrive at my house and I will measure the Alk to know if it stays the same as yesterday at night. I will also measure the calcium to start the control of the parameter with this method. For the Mg I use dolomite from the Brightwell Aquatics brand.

In a little while I will write you again with the results of the measurement of parameters.

 

[Roberto CRC]

Ready, these are the parameters of yesterday and today:

Yesterday 01-11-18 at 23:30 hours Alk = 9.8 dkh
Ca= Not measured.
Mg= Not measured.

Today 01-12-18 at 20:03 hours Alk= 9.5 dkh
Ca= 440
Mg= 1360-1400

Ph Controller set at 7.2 - 7.0

 

[GoVols]

Ready, these are the parameters of yesterday and today:

Yesterday 01-11-18 at 23:30 hours Alk = 9.8 dkh
Ca= Not measured.
Mg= Not measured.

Today 01-12-18 at 20:03 hours Alk= 9.5 dkh
Ca= 440
Mg= 1360-1400

Ph Controller set at 7.2 - 7.0

.3 dkh drop in alk.

can you change the controller to 7.1 - 6.9 ?