Calcium Reactor Setup Questions

[knowcrap]

I recently bought a calcium reactor (used from these forums) and want to get it set up and running...I am dosing Ca and Alk buffers daily now and as the tank continues to mature the requirements to maintain Ca and Alk are increasing, albeit slowly right now.

I have does some research and have a fair understanding of how the reactor works and some of the chemistry behind it...I just want to make sure my understanding is correct and would like some clarification on some of the concepts.

First, the solenoid - I know what a solenoid is, but in the reading I have done it sounds like many people have an electronic solenoid that turns the reactor on and off (Co2 on and off) based on a measurement or time of day. Do I need a solenoid (the setup I purchased does not seem to have one...nothing to "plug in")? Is it OK to run the reactor 24/7?

Second, bubble rates - as I understand it the lower the bubble rate is the higher the Ph will be and the lower the reaction will be thus creating a less saturated solution (lower in Alk and Ca), do I have this concept correct? I assume that I want to start of slow (I have read as little as half the manufacturer's recommendations), monitor Ca and Alk, and then adjust as necessary.

Third is the drip rate - I would presume based on the saturation of the solution I would want a drip rate that would match the needs of the tank, or would equal the saturated solution's ability to supplement the tank's needs. This one is pretty straightforward.

Fourth, additional supplementation - during the process of dialing in the reactor, is it OK to add other supplementation to the tank as I dial in the reactor? (Of course I will be monitoring levels very closely and would only add if needed to maintain the levels, not adding if the levels are high.)

Finally, I have been maintaining Mag quite well with my current supplements, but once I dial in the reactor this will not be the case. I have read some concepts of adding something to the reactor to help manage Mag but it seems this is currently ineffective, do I have this right? Assuming I am right I will need to supplement Mag to match the reactor...just want to make sure there is not something I missed for managing Mag with the reactor.

I know this will take time to dial in and requires vigilant testing to make sure the tank is getting what it needs only, ensuing that reactor is not over-providing Ca and Alk to the system. I am just looking to verify my understanding of a reactor. Also I would like to know how others got started with their reactors in which I hope to glean some insight on how I might start the reactor (understanding that all reactors and tanks are different, of course ).

Well, I suppose I wouldn't turn down an offer for someone to come over and get it started...but I can manage solo as long as I am confident in my understanding BEFORE I jump into this...better safe than sorry.

 

[mmkeeper]

Tells use alittle more about your system. What kind of load do you have (corals)? As to the solenoid on mine ca it is disign to keep my ph from dropping to low.(set at 7.80) to shut off the co2. Because the effluent is a lower ph that your system.

You use supplements to keep your system in balance. You test and your ca is low add some ca and increase the drip rate or increase the bubble rate. Test in a few days and so on.

This link might help.http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html

 

[knowcrap]

Tells use alittle more about your system. What kind of load do you have (corals)? As to the solenoid on mine ca it is disign to keep my ph from dropping to low.(set at 7.80) to shut off the co2. Because the effluent is a lower ph that your system.

You use supplements to keep your system in balance. You test and your ca is low add some ca and increase the drip rate or increase the bubble rate. Test in a few days and so on.

This link might help.http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html

We have a 180G tank with with something like a 75G sump. The system is an SPS system with most of the corals purchased as frags...all have started to grow/encrust which is increasing needs...and we have strong coraline algae growth (and we don't using anything like Purple Up - we use Seachem Reef Salt and Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium and Seachem Reef Buffer to maintain Ca and Alk respectively - other than food and amino acids, these are the only supplements we put in the tank).

I understand the concepts behind the solenoid, I am more curious as to whether or not it is a requirement...can the reactor be run safely without a solenoid? Maybe it is OK to run it 24/7 but the solenoid is necessary for safety?

Also, it sounds like supplements are OK while dialing in the reactor, just that one needs to be careful not to spike Ca or Alk while dialing it in.

Thanks.

 

[DonW]

Even if you run a carx your going to have to suppliment one way or another, tanks usually dont consume equally.
Yes you do need a solenoid. If the power goes out the co2 will continue and turn the media to mush and dump alot of co2 into the sump area.
Dont cycle a carx with a timer. This is just a waste, once its dialed in run it 24/7.

Don

 

[Reeferdude]

What Don said. Unless you already have separate components, many CO2 systems usually come complete with solenoid regulators and bubble counter anyway (excluding the bottle). Bubble rates, drip rates, supplements are part of the "dialing in" process...

 

[Sherman]

CO2 on 24/7, yes. The solenoid is there for shutdown on power outage, as mentioned above.

Is this a single chamber reactor, or a dual? The second chamber on a dual setup is only a pass through chamber on the way to the tank, used for bringing a little more Ca/Alk into the mix, and raising the pH of the effluent just a little more, before entering the tank. It's not necessary, but it's a nice addition, and can be added at any time.

Your "check" here is the effluent pH. You're looking for a target pH, depending on the media type. I use ARM media, but I would never hesitate to switch away from it. It's just what was readily available when I set my CaRx up. In my case, with a dual chamber setup, I shoot for the effluent to come out at pH 6.8. Were it a single chamber, I'd be thinking more like 6.5. The common recommendation is pH 7.0, but your variables could alter what's most effective for your tank.

So, with a target of pH 7, there are two variables. Bubble count, and drip count (flow). As the bubble count goes up, pH goes down. And as the drip rate goes up, pH goes up. This is VERY much a balancing act. If you're able to manage a steady pH of 7, but the levels are low in the tank, you need to raise both the bubble count (lowering pH) and drip rate (raising it back up). Conversely, if you have a steady pH, and the levels are too high, both the bubble count and drip rate need to be lowered.

Hopefully, that makes sense?

Edit: In my tank, I find I still need to dose magnesium on rare occasions. I also dose calcium, as my tank tends to run buffer heavy.

 

[Ed Hahn]

here is a another link.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php

 

[knowcrap]

CO2 on 24/7, yes. The solenoid is there for shutdown on power outage, as mentioned above.

Is this a single chamber reactor, or a dual? The second chamber on a dual setup is only a pass through chamber on the way to the tank, used for bringing a little more Ca/Alk into the mix, and raising the pH of the effluent just a little more, before entering the tank. It's not necessary, but it's a nice addition, and can be added at any time.

Your "check" here is the effluent pH. You're looking for a target pH, depending on the media type. I use ARM media, but I would never hesitate to switch away from it. It's just what was readily available when I set my CaRx up. In my case, with a dual chamber setup, I shoot for the effluent to come out at pH 6.8. Were it a single chamber, I'd be thinking more like 6.5. The common recommendation is pH 7.0, but your variables could alter what's most effective for your tank.

So, with a target of pH 7, there are two variables. Bubble count, and drip count (flow). As the bubble count goes up, pH goes down. And as the drip rate goes up, pH goes up. This is VERY much a balancing act. If you're able to manage a steady pH of 7, but the levels are low in the tank, you need to raise both the bubble count (lowering pH) and drip rate (raising it back up). Conversely, if you have a steady pH, and the levels are too high, both the bubble count and drip rate need to be lowered.

Hopefully, that makes sense?

Edit: In my tank, I find I still need to dose magnesium on rare occasions. I also dose calcium, as my tank tends to run buffer heavy.

Sherman, thanks...your post was very informative and gave me the "ah-ha" moment I was looking for. It makes sense now how to "control the effluent" or better yet the relationship between the bubble rate and the drip rate and the target parameter to watch.

So here is how I am looking at it, as I increase the CO2 (bubble rate) the Ph will go down which causes the the media to dissolve faster. To manage the Ph from getting too low I need to move the water out of the reactor faster (drip rate) and the key here is to dial in each of these in a simultaneous manner to make sure I keep my Ph at some target level while monitoring the tank to find where I am [as best as possible] replenishing the tank's use of Ca and Alk. It all sounds so simple now.

As far as the reactor, it is a single chamber...but a complete setup (well, everything except the solenoid) for $120 was too good a deal to pass up.

All - I know that tanks may use one of these two (Ca and Alk) faster than another, but it is my understanding that in a balanced system these two should be "used" in an equal parts, or that is the chemistry as I understand it.

Today I have a dosing system where I am adding Alk and Ca supplements in equal amount daily and my testing shows that my parameters generally stay in balance...I have no need to ever add more of one than the other. Who knows what the future holds but I am hoping I can maintain this balance going forward...I would love to stop having a daily routine of adding this and adding that and just spend more time enjoying the tank.

Again, thanks a lot folks!

 

[DonW]

All - I know that tanks may use one of these two (Ca and Alk) faster than another, but it is my understanding that in a balanced system these two should be "used" in an equal parts, or that is the chemistry as I understand it.

As your tank ages it will start to consume one faster than the other. It wont be at alarming rates but enough to cause imbalance over time. You still need to watch things with the carx running so you dont find chemistry out of wack a month down the road.

How much and what are you dosing now?

Don

 

[knowcrap]

As your tank ages it will start to consume one faster than the other. It wont be at alarming rates but enough to cause imbalance over time. You still need to watch things with the carx running so you dont find chemistry out of wack a month down the road.

How much and what are you dosing now?

Don

Ha ha, I am a paronoid guy and have a regular testing schedule and document everything I dose and my test results...I actually feel it makes managing the tanks parameters easier. I can't imagine I would stop testing after I get the reactor dialed in.

Today, I am using the Seachem products (which I know you think is a waste of $$$, or at least expensive for what it is) dosing a regular schedule of 3 tsp/2 tsp of each daily (3 tsp of each on odd days and 2 tsp of each on even days - so it's like 2.5 per day).

This keeps my Ca between 425/430 and my alk between 9.1 and 9.3 dKH between water changes.

 

[Sherman]

I also used to test religiously. Once the reactor is dialed in, you'll find yourself testing less. I only test alkalinity every couple of weeks now, and calcium much less often than that. I used the alkalinity numbers as a reference for how the reactor is doing. It's amazing, once you automate things, and learn to rely on them, it's such a relief.

 

[apollothesun]

does anyone use crushed coral in there calx? i just got a calcium reactor from a fellow Frontier and was on a budget. i was going to pick up some calcium reactor media up at the local fish store but a friend of mine there told me i can get by with crushed coral. i had some laying around when i switched from a crushed coral substate to a sand substrate bottom. so i gave it a try. i noticed for the first few days about a inch was dissolved, i guess my tank needed the alkalinity badly! then after that its been steadily dissolving. didn't have any algae blooms, as i rinsed and soaked the crushed coral. anybody else does it? also

can you put snail shells in calcium reactors? i have a ton from my previous setup and i was wondering if i can recycle inside my calcium reactor.

 

[Sherman]

I don't think snails shells would work out well, but crushed coral is all most media is made out of anyway.