Tunze 3171 setup

[adtravels]

Ok I have all the parts and have made the decision to switch from two part to a Calcium reactor. I was using a good deal of 2 part and its only going up.
I have chosen the Tunze on several key points.

Price
No feed pump
The fondness of the brand
Keeping it simple.

There are mixed reviews as of this time and a real dirth of information. On YT I found some 20 second interzoo vids. One, how-to (in French) and a decent review of the bigger model on a former RC tank of the month tank. I don't mind being a guinea pig and Roger has traditionally been very helpful with all my whining in the past. Details to follow

 

[adtravels]

Ok I have it in, took a good while checking my regulator worked and the I threw it in the sump. Didn't know the sticker was supposed to stay on and had difficulty removing it!

I noticed the o-ring near the pH port was not true but hopefully it will work

I then washed the tunze media, it is covered in chalk as you would expect and took a good few rinses to get it clean. It has a slightly yellow tinge, not pure white.

 

[adtravels]

I then started the set up, which was easier than I thought, bear in mind that it should all be connected up to the CO2 if you want it to prime. I helped it by filling through the pH port.

My solenoid valve has a light on it when it's on and a bubble counter from the regulator.

The regulator bubble counter was at 1 bubble per second initially which resulted in 1 bubble every 2 seconds in the tunze bubble counter!
The effluent drip rate is about 2-3 drips/second

 

[adtravels]

As you can see I remembered I have a tunze calcium dispenser and so hooked it up to my apex atk no issues at all. Hopefully this will help with maintaining a more stable high pH.

 

[adtravels]

I bumped my alk and Cal up a little with 2 part from the usual swing of 7-8.5 to a level of 9.5 (I will have to watch my SPS very carefully for alk burn). The reason being I am going carefully with the reactor and am much more likely to under do it and there for drop in alk over the coming days. I had the reactor working over night and the alk steady at 9.6 this morning. I realise the PH in the reactor is a little high at the moment but the reactor is producing alk as i tested the effluent and its at 18.2 dkh.

 

[tgrick]

adtravels,

I love my 3171! Simple and works...Roger is also always available and marvelous to talk with if you need help. I've never needed help on the 3171...it just works. The only issue I have is my refugium light clogs the lines from time to time but that's not a design issue. I run my reactor at about 6.6.

 

[rvitko]

I have the same problem, I use the 3170 which is even smaller and was never made available to the public. Since it is in tank, algae grows in the lines and blocks them, it is something to watch out for if you have light around the area.

 

[adtravels]

Ok the drip rate slowed a little overnight. I believe due to air being built up in the intake tube (the tube is veryl ong out of the box and was protruding out of the water in the sump (allows for easier adjustment). I was thinking of cut it short so that it lies flat on the bottom of the sump and air wont build up in it. However this would mean putting my hands in the sump every time I want to make a an adjustment to the flow. What is the best length for the water inlet tube in everyone's experience?

 

[dragon99]

Thanks for the write up. The Tunze is on the list of Ca reactors I'm considering.

 

[adtravels]

I had to change the drip rate (increase it) and this pH in the reactor went up, so the last thing I have done is tweek the bubble rate up a fraction. I am trying to minimise the frequency that the solenoid clicks off to a minimum. I have my solenoid turn off at 6.39 and back on at 6.49.

 

[adtravels]

A couple more Images of the position of the reactor in the sump, better at the back so I don't have to reach over it when changing the skimmer cup. Also how the probe fits. It only protrudes into the chamber a small amount before it is blocked by the recirculation intake

No leaks from the pH port or housing that I can see

 

[rvitko]

You can cut the tubing to the best length for your needs. There is a delay between adjusting the knob and the drip rate and it is best to make very small adjustments and give it at least 30 minutes.

 

[Marou]

Thank you for your detailed review of this reactor, i am really interested for this model also, please keep us updated.

 

[adtravels]

I am getting closer to a sweet spot with the reactor where the solenoid remains on and the pH in the reactor stays between 6.6 and 6.5. Alk is holding steady at the moment between 8.6 and 8.9.

There has been an impact on Tank pH see image as shown it has dropped and I had a minor siphoning issue with the Kalk dispenser which added a little too much Kalk yesterday but it hardly registered.

 

[adtravels]

Think it's getting there now, has been vey easy all has been rock solid at 8.9 fo the past 3 days testing twice or 3 times a day, the Ph spike was when I turned the reactor off to cut the intake tube down.

 

[adtravels]

settled now, Alk rock solid between 8.6 and 8.9
I had a swing of over 1.5 dkH per day with balling

 

[Sherman]

Look like very easily setup.
What pump you use for feed?

 

[adtravels]

It feeds itself from the circulation pump!

 

[rvitko]

Yes, the main feature is it is self filling, self priming, it is built in a way that their is a vacuum pressure always to draw in water.

 

[adtravels]

You can see here how the Kalk dispenser hooked up to my apex atk is doing a decent job of balancing pH during the day night cycle. Every blue line is when the kalk dispenser doses immediately followed by a rise in pH.