calc reactor HELP

[Jumpincactus]

Need some help from seasoned calcium reactor folks.

As some of you know I am in the long process og dialing in my reactor.I am finding this task to be a little frustrating.

Tested parameters on 5/21 as follows:

Ph consistant day in and day out 24/7 runs at 8.1/8.2

Calc was at 395 Alk was at 8.8.

This is utilizing 15 BPM on C02 and a steady drip of effluent.

Todays readings were Calc 390 and alk @ 7.7 So it would seem the reactor is keeping up somewhat with the tanks calc demands. However as you see the alk is dropping. Lost 1.1 Dkh in 4 days.

Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[twilliard]

Bump up your bubble count till it gets steady.
I have found that I test more for Alk than Cal. They are kinda hand in hand

But remember --- SLOW ----
A little Co2 goes a long way

 

[CCR]

The more contact time the C02 has contact with the medium, the more it will dissolve. I measure the PH output from the reactor at 6.7 You can cut that down from the reactor by having a double cylinder setup to neutralize the PH before it returns to the tank. It will still have dissolved CA in it. So your measuring the tank PH or the output from the reactor?

 

[Sherman]

The more contact time the C02 has contact with the medium, the more it will dissolve.

Sort of. As the media dissolves, it raises the pH, negating the effect of the CO2, which is used to lower the pH to promote the dissolving of the media.

I'm not familiar with your tank, so this may not relate at all. However, for my HEAVILY SPS stocked 38g (with 3 clams), I run about 25bpm, and a pretty fast drip rate. I'm also using a second chamber on the reactor. The reactor, of course, needs to be tuned to match the calcium uptake of the tank. But you know all this, I'm sure....

Measure the output effluent pH of the reactor. If it's a single chamber, you're probably shooting for around 6.5-6.7, if it's a double, you should expect more like 7.0. If your pH is lower than that, simply increase the drip rate. If higher, add more C02. SLOWLY, as mentioned.

 

[plack]

I have Dialed it in after measuring the alk it uses in 2 days with this calculator. I had to do it several times But have it close now :

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html

Paul