Why wont my Calcium reactor work correctly ? HELP PLEASE

[gilman]

Do I read that correctly - you can not adjust the low pressure side of the reg? What do your two pressure guages read?

This reg sucks Im going to buy a carbon doser when I get the chance

 

[C. Eymann]

This reg sucks Im going to buy a carbon doser when I get the chance

Does it not allow you to regulate the 2nd stage Psi? if so sounds like it just comes preset controlled with a diaphragm mechanism that has a set psi

 

[gilman]

Does it not allow you to regulate the 2nd stage Psi? if so sounds like it just comes preset controlled with a diaphragm mechanism that has a set psi

Correct

 

[gilman]

So my ALK has been holding steady at 8.1 since last Friday with the reactor running stand alone .

Thank you everyone for the help ! I really appreciate it !

 

[Bpb]

You read correctly. That regulator has a fixed low pressure rating. I don’t really understand the point of the gauge then if you can’t manipulate it

 

[Bpb]

Regulator quality is important. The lower quality regulator you use, the more of a headache it will be to tune your reactor and keep it tuned. The inexpensive single stage units will naturally increase their output as the tank pressure drops over time.

 

[bdare]

Check out the Alanle regulators... he built me one. Way better than carbon doser

here's mine:

Large Build - BDare's 210 Mixed Reef

Hello all, Long time R2R lurker here. Been keeping aquariums my whole life and reef tanks since about 2005. Six years ago I shut down a 120 and I've been missing it ever since. The bug has got me and now I'm planning a new 210 gallon tank. Equipment Tank - 210 Gallon Planet Aquaruims 72L x...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[gilman]

So Im right back to square one with this point of sale reactor . I bought an Alan Lee dual stage regulator he built for me . I have not been able to yet again get a high effluent and keep my Alkalinity stable at all .
I am running the solenoid open 24/7 now . I have 40ml per minute drip . I have been keeping the reactor PH at 6.5 . Over the weekend I removed a bunch of media and now have the reactor at like 1/3 full .

Im back to dosing alk right now since my reactor is doing nothing as usual . Im so close to just getting rid of it . If I didnt have $700+ into this dang thing it would be in the trash .

 

[bdare]

So Im right back to square one with this point of sale reactor . I bought an Alan Lee dual stage regulator he built for me . I have not been able to yet again get a high effluent and keep my Alkalinity stable at all .
I am running the solenoid open 24/7 now . I have 40ml per hour drip . I have been keeping the reactor PH at 6.5 . Over the weekend I removed a bunch of media and now have the reactor at like 1/3 full .

Im back to dosing alk right now since my reactor is doing nothing as usual . Im so close to just getting rid of it . If I didnt have $700+ into this dang thing it would be in the trash .

40 ml per hour or minute?

 

[gilman]

40 ml per hour or minute?

Per minute I meant .

 

[jda]

How many bubbles per minute? What the dKh of the effluent?

 

[bdare]

Per minute I meant .

Have you measured the alkalinity of the effluent?

 

[Water Dog]

Over the weekend I removed a bunch of media and now have the reactor at like 1/3 full .

Why? You’re running a relatively small GEO 612... removing that much media doesn’t leave much to support your 120 gallon tank heavily stocked with SPS.

 

[C. Eymann]

Again, are you absolutely sure nothing is obstructing the recirculating pump? it working? Is it shoving water through the media like it should? Like I said from the start, your symptoms tell me it isn't for some reason, if your probe is accurate that is.

 

[gilman]

Effluent is 12.8dkh

 

[jda]

How many bubbles per minute is that?

 

[FMF0331]

INTERESTING READ

 

[gilman]

right now anywhere from a bubble every 8 seconds to every 22 and inbetween I was counting

 

[bdare]

right now anywhere from a bubble every 8 seconds to every 22 and inbetween I was counting

12dkh seems low for 6.5 in the reactor. I also think there's something g wrong with the variable bubble counts. What pressure is the regulator running at? Have you tried recalibrating the probe? How did you calibrate?

 

[jda]

Gotta have constant bubble rate. Turn the psi up on the regulator 1 psi at a time until it stabilizes. Wait an hour to check after you turn it up.