ShawnSaucier
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2011
- Messages
- 1,136
- Reaction score
- 789
- Location
- Winter Park, FL
- What state or country do you live in
- Florida
Good Morning,
I have a new build that I am doing and have decided to add a calcium reactor for dosing on the system.
My thoughts are to learn how to use the reactor while the tank is cycling and before I start adding corals. This would allow mistakes and not fry anything. Also giving me time to learn how to adjust things properly as demand grows in the system.
So the gear I have gathered:
Reactor: Geo Reef cr612
Control: Carbon Doser
Pump: Kamoer FX- stp
CO2 Tank: 2.5 lbs
Kalk Stirrer: Avast Marine K2
Other Dosing: Ecotech Versa x4 ( for trace)
PH Probes: 2x Neptune Apex. 1x in sump, 1x in CARX.
My plan is to Run the CARX 24/7 and dose Kalk over night to help with PH. Trace added daily.
Question:
In the beginning and learning to dial the reactor in, I will run the reactor system learning the bubble count/flow rate of effluent. This is pre fish and corals.
My thought would be to then shut the CO2 feed to the reactor but continue running water through the system to clear any effluent/CO2 from the reactor to stop the melting process. So basically just running tank water through the system.
As the tank starts to mature and corals are added, will use the Kalk reactor to dose, and slowly bring the trace dosing online as demands increase. Will do bi- weekly water changes as normal. Next would be to slowly bring the CARX online.
So where I am questioning things is as I bring the CARX online and dealing with low demand in the beginning.
I sort of understand the process of the lower PH in the reactor making the water acidic and dissolving the media, with an internal PH between 6.7/6.9. From my readings, I would test the effluent to measure the Calcium and Alk levels. Is this done by replacing tank water used in your test kit with the effluent? Then using a calculator to adjust my dosing/drip rate ?
If I am understanding the process correctly, probably not, the water flow rate through the reactor effects the dissolve rate of the media and eases or lowers the CA/ALK levels Of the effluent? So if at 1 ml is passed through at what ever rate, running 2 ml at the same rate would cut the CA/AlK dose in half?
I would really appreciate some advice before I get the system up and running to have a solid base of understanding. Any recommendations are welcome.
I have a new build that I am doing and have decided to add a calcium reactor for dosing on the system.
My thoughts are to learn how to use the reactor while the tank is cycling and before I start adding corals. This would allow mistakes and not fry anything. Also giving me time to learn how to adjust things properly as demand grows in the system.
So the gear I have gathered:
Reactor: Geo Reef cr612
Control: Carbon Doser
Pump: Kamoer FX- stp
CO2 Tank: 2.5 lbs
Kalk Stirrer: Avast Marine K2
Other Dosing: Ecotech Versa x4 ( for trace)
PH Probes: 2x Neptune Apex. 1x in sump, 1x in CARX.
My plan is to Run the CARX 24/7 and dose Kalk over night to help with PH. Trace added daily.
Question:
In the beginning and learning to dial the reactor in, I will run the reactor system learning the bubble count/flow rate of effluent. This is pre fish and corals.
My thought would be to then shut the CO2 feed to the reactor but continue running water through the system to clear any effluent/CO2 from the reactor to stop the melting process. So basically just running tank water through the system.
As the tank starts to mature and corals are added, will use the Kalk reactor to dose, and slowly bring the trace dosing online as demands increase. Will do bi- weekly water changes as normal. Next would be to slowly bring the CARX online.
So where I am questioning things is as I bring the CARX online and dealing with low demand in the beginning.
I sort of understand the process of the lower PH in the reactor making the water acidic and dissolving the media, with an internal PH between 6.7/6.9. From my readings, I would test the effluent to measure the Calcium and Alk levels. Is this done by replacing tank water used in your test kit with the effluent? Then using a calculator to adjust my dosing/drip rate ?
If I am understanding the process correctly, probably not, the water flow rate through the reactor effects the dissolve rate of the media and eases or lowers the CA/ALK levels Of the effluent? So if at 1 ml is passed through at what ever rate, running 2 ml at the same rate would cut the CA/AlK dose in half?
I would really appreciate some advice before I get the system up and running to have a solid base of understanding. Any recommendations are welcome.
