Calcium Reactor Help!

[Reefadict]

Hi, I need some help with my calcium reactor. I have a DIY CR with ARM for my 673 gal. tank. I have like 15 hard corals, both sps and lps. Im starting with the corals now. How many bubbles per minute and ml/min I have to set the Calcium Reactor to start?

 

[class clown]

whoa big tank - I do mine at 30 bubbles per minute. I'd say that's a good starting point, you can always go up from there.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!! Hope you enjoy it here! I've never had a calcium reactor, but here's a bump for ya. Hope you get sorted out soon

 

[LakeEd]

Welcome to Reef Frontiers Reefadict!!!

For a tank your size, starting bubble rate between 30-45 per minute is probably a good start.

I have found using the following calculator has helped me greatly... so hopefully it will help you as well.

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

Again, welcome to Reef Frontiers, and hope to hear more from you in the future.

 

[adunn79]

I guess I go a little heaver on the Co2 than the others. I use about 1 bubble per second and keep the water flow out of the reactor at the same rate. So far no issues.

 

[DonW]

With arm you need to watch the effluent ph. I'd start low and add a little each day until you hit the proper ph. Just starting off where other folks do may cause a melt down. Since your reactor is diy there is no point of reference.

Don

 

[Reefadict]

Ok, with arm what pH I had to have at the effluent? Because some people tell me that it have to be below 6.9 others below 6.7... I'm a little confused with that.

 

[LakeEd]

I have always heard that the pH in your Calcium Reactor chamber (I have a dual chamber... and the 2nd chamber buffers back UP my pH) should be between 6.5 and 6.7, to melt(?) the media. Because I have a dedicated pH probe on my 1st chamber... that is where I'm testing, and shooting for that pH range. I haven't tested the pH out of the 2nd stage... but I would guess it is higher, possiblly around that 6.9 range some have talked to you about???

 

[DonW]

For the most part different medias have different ph requirements. Arm will start to dissolve at just under 7.

Don

 

[Reefadict]

I'm testing my effluent pH with a Salifert test kit, it's at 6.7, In the main tank I have a Neptune Aqua Controller III and the pH reads 8.20 - 8.23

 

[LakeEd]

Try using the link I provided above... and getting your Calcium Reactor dialed in now.

Just so you understand though... I've been setting up my Calcium Reactor now for about a month. hehehe I'm way closer to where it needs to be than when I started, but I'm still doing small changes. Of course, as everything grows in our tank, changes are always needed.

Then again... I enjoy all the little projects... so perhaps I've just made setting my Calc-Reactor one of those projects!

 

[Reefadict]

Thats the best way to describe it; a project!!! jejeje