SOLVED! Alkalinity and Calcium potency inside a CaRx w/different pH's? | BRStv Investigates

[Acroporaaddict]

I use a Geo 818 with Reborn/Remag, a Carbon Doser, a Kamoer FX-STP on the output, and a small Sicce .5 feed pump. CD is set to a little over 1 bubble per second. The ph in the chamber is 6.52-6.56. Kamoer is set to 72ml/min(never calibrated it - not sure if it really is 72, could be less). Alk in tank is 8.6-8.7. This calcium reactor setup is really awesome and with the additions of the Kamoer and the Carbon Doser is so much more appealing to me than dosing. Of course, I have 20 new 5 gallon buckets of BRS 3 part in my garage I won’t be using anytime soon. LOL.

You have a sicce feeding into the reactor and a kamoer pulling out of the reactor? I could be wrong, but I don't think that's a good idea. I would think the Sicce would be adding pressure to the setup whereas the Kamoer isnt supposed to be pressurized. I haven't had my coffee yet this morning and my brain is a little loopy, but first thing I thought of was potential for leaks. I'm running the Fx-stp pulling out of the reactor and it's working just fine on its own

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

You have a sicce feeding into the reactor and a kamoer pulling out of the reactor? I could be wrong, but I don't think that's a good idea. I would think the Sicce would be adding pressure to the setup whereas the Kamoer isnt supposed to be pressurized. I haven't had my coffee yet this morning and my brain is a little loopy, but first thing I thought of was potential for leaks. I'm running the Fx-stp pulling out of the reactor and it's working just fine on its own

I had an issue with my sicce 3.0 recirculating pump on my geo 818. Spoke with geo and he recommended having some pressure in the reactor. I thought about leaks, too. I have a rio feed pump and kaomer pulling. Haven’t had any issues.

 

[randyBRS]

Randy, I use a ph probe and control my co2 supply with an Apex controller. My ph swings inside my carx. How did you adjust to get a constant ph inside your carx for this experiment? Also, interested to see the effects when you introduce more tank water, by increasing effluent flow, on the ph inside the reactor and the adjustments required to maintain constant carx ph.

I used a hysteresis of 0.03 pH swing for the pH to toggle when the regulator turned on/off. So there were swings in pH of +/- 0.03 (potentially more depending on the speed of reporting to the head unit). That said, over a 24hr period the average pH overall likely ends up being within the 100ths or maybe 1000ths to my set pH point and what I would call a pretty minimal variable.

As to the effects of the effluent flow rate increase on these max saturation points.... Stay tuned! I can say that I'm a 1/3rd of the way done testing and I'm pretty surprised by the results so far.

 

[wangspeed]

I’m surprised to see such high effluent rates from the folks running peristaltic pumps. I have a giant Watson Marlow and I have it set to 19.7 ml/min. The reactor Ph is 6.5 with TLF Reborn.

I like the idea of low Ph in the reactor and slow but consistent effluent via peristaltic pump.

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

Thanks Randy for sharing. Looking forward to seeing this method of control.

 

[BigAsh]

I’m surprised to see such high effluent rates from the folks running peristaltic pumps. I have a giant Watson Marlow and I have it set to 19.7 ml/min. The reactor Ph is 6.5 with TLF Reborn.

I like the idea of low Ph in the reactor and slow but consistent effluent via peristaltic pump.

Me too. My reactor pH is adjusted to 6.5 and I'm running the Kaomer at about 23 ml/min. I would rather use more CO2 and have less wear and tear on the Kaomer. Effluent doesn't seem to be affecting tank pH much with the Geo CR612x2.

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

Me too. My reactor pH is adjusted to 6.5 and I'm running the Kaomer at about 23 ml/min. I would rather use more CO2 and have less wear and tear on the Kaomer. Effluent doesn't seem to be affecting tank pH much with the Geo CR612x2.

I imagine it may be based on Tank size and inhabitants. I have a 300 gallon system. All SPS colonies and frags 100% wall to wall. I use a GEO 818 with Kaomer, adjust PH setpoint via APEX. Have a 50lb CO2 cylinder. My setpoint is currently goes between 6.28 adn 6.43 and my effluent rate is 84ml/min. I fine tune by controlling effluent rate and coarse using the ph setpoint. My tank PH runs 8.08 to 8.23 no CO2 scrubber. Tank alk sits at 9.5 but, I'm adjusting down to 8.5 to 9.0.

 

[AquamanE]

Awesome video. Looking forward to effluent tests. Following along here.

 

[Rakie]

I have to run my ARM extra course pretty high. I have a big CaRx reactor paired with a smaller tank -- my pH is 7.1 -- 7.2 -- Running it at 6.8 causes a spike in my tank (45 gallons)

 

[Rakie]

Stay tuned! I can say that I'm a 1/3rd of the way done testing and I'm pretty surprised by the results so far.

So far, have brands of CaRx media made a difference? And if so, do you want to test ARM extra course? That's both what I happen to use, and what WWC uses as well so definitely interested

 

[melev]

I'm at 6.5 most of the time. Sometimes lower.

 

[melev]

The youtube video was very interesting, thanks for doing that testing. I prefer 6.5, although I've run it lower at times. While that may be a good guideline, what most people don't seem to be doing is measuring the effluent's alkalinity level. The target range should be between 19 and 35 dKH, based on an article I read many years ago.

 

[randyBRS]

So far, have brands of CaRx media made a difference? And if so, do you want to test ARM extra course? That's both what I happen to use, and what WWC uses as well so definitely interested

So far we've only tested the TLF Reborn, as it is our most popular one. We might get to swing back to get the second-most popular ARM media, but we'll finish exploring this one first.

The youtube video was very interesting, thanks for doing that testing. I prefer 6.5, although I've run it lower at times. While that may be a good guideline, what most people don't seem to be doing is measuring the effluent's alkalinity level. The target range should be between 19 and 35 dKH, based on an article I read many years ago.

It looks like that article was pretty spot on for the dKH target and what the most common pH set points are. Let me know if you find it. I would like to give it a read!

 

[Rakie]

@randyBRS -- I had an idea to see what elements are inside media. I'm not 100% sure if this would work though.

If you were to run a Calcium Reactor with just RODI water, and of course a low pH, collect the effluent, and send that effluent in for an ICP test.. We might have a first look at what elements are coming out of a Calcium Reactor, and it will help us to learn what elements are low, and need some form of replacement/replenishment.

The RODI would ensure the water was close to bare from a trace element perspective, giving us a reading on what is and isn't being dosed via CaRx.

 

[jwshiver]

Me too. My reactor pH is adjusted to 6.5 and I'm running the Kaomer at about 23 ml/min. I would rather use more CO2 and have less wear and tear on the Kaomer. Effluent doesn't seem to be affecting tank pH much with the Geo CR612x2.

I recently purchased the same reactor, but I haven't gone online with it yet. I am switching from two part because I'm tired of mixing it. I'm running 2 part with a Apex DOS and Apex DOS dual reservoir and I don't have an option to dose 2 part out of larger containers. Are you happy with the CR612X2 so far?

 

[randyBRS]

@randyBRS -- I had an idea to see what elements are inside media. I'm not 100% sure if this would work though.
If you were to run a Calcium Reactor with just RODI water, and of course a low pH, collect the effluent, and send that effluent in for an ICP test.. We might have a first look at what elements are coming out of a Calcium Reactor, and it will help us to learn what elements are low, and need some form of replacement/replenishment.
The RODI would ensure the water was close to bare from a trace element perspective, giving us a reading on what is and isn't being dosed via CaRx.

That might do the trick. I can tell you that I just shipped off an ICP-OES test for both the "tank water" feeding this reactor test as well as the effluent. We plan to give a hard look at the difference between the two results to see where and to what degree they are different.

 

[Rakie]

That might do the trick. I can tell you that I just shipped off an ICP-OES test for both the "tank water" feeding this reactor test as well as the effluent. We plan to give a hard look at the difference between the two results to see where and to what degree they are different.

That's awesome, and exactly the kind of information we appreciate seeing! Better idea getting the baseline by sending in the tank water as well.

 

[Lui1521]

Does outdoor temperature changes have a significant effect on PH and “melting” in a calcuim reactor?

My aquarium stand has been getting pretty crowded with the addition of the allatronic. I’m planning on placing the calcium reactor in my garage whivh is just on the other side of the wall on the picture.

Any thoughts on this? Would this be a good idea or will it make the dosing very unstable?

 

[TaylorPilot]

I have been looking at some of the newer float switch style Calcium Rx that run the chamber at max co2 concentration. Typically between 5.8 and 6.0. I am curious how they get away with it. Are they using a special media that doesn't fall apart like normal stuff?

 

[MARK M. DAVIS]

Does outdoor temperature changes have a significant effect on PH and “melting” in a calcuim reactor?

My aquarium stand has been getting pretty crowded with the addition of the allatronic. I’m planning on placing the calcium reactor in my garage whivh is just on the other side of the wall on the picture.

Any thoughts on this? Would this be a good idea or will it make the dosing very unstable?

No. I keep my reactor in a non air conditioned fish room in Arizona with no ill effects.