Dialing in calc reactor help

[Jumpincactus]

Well Duane finally got off my duff and set up my calc reactor. Having a full weekend off finally seemed to help.

This is what I need help with folks. I had all my target parameters set before setup Calc @ 430 Alk @ 9.5 Now with that done I have setup the reactor, no leaks, pumps run great.

The dialing in is where it gets gray for me. I am not using the Co2 bubble counter, my GEO comes with one. I am running about 1 bubble per second which of course is 60 bubs a minute. I have not checked the effluent Ph. How do I know where to set the drips per sec/minute for the effluent? for best values?

Any input at all will be appreciated. Chime in with anything I have not asked and should have, or anything I seem to have missed.

Hopefully this will be as painless as possible

 

[twilliard]

I set it up by measuring the effluent PH to 6.5-7
I use Elos media and it starts at around 7PH

Depending on the reactor but I think 60 is a tad high. I would drop it to 30 and see where your PH is. (I only state that because if you add too much you may make mud) Start slow then work your way up.
Then set your effluent to keep up with your tank demands.
Ex. I have a Knop with Co2 at 28BPM and I am dripping at 2 drips a second.

 

[Jumpincactus]

Thanx Twillard.. I hope that others will chime in also. I finally checked my effluent after trimming back the bpm on the Co2 I am running approx 30 bpm and the effluent is around 7.4

 

[twilliard]

What media do you run?

 

[Jumpincactus]

I am running a larger Schuran type noodle looking stuff. George at GEO recomended it he feels that it allows for better flow thru the reactor and doesnt plug it as quickly as smaller media is prone to.

The GEO reactor I have also flows from the bottom up and Im told that keeps the media from compacting and plugging up the works better also.

I cam home today and my overall tank Ph is running at 8.1. I checked alk and calc and they seem pretty much where I started from yesterday. Of course I had all my paramters at ideal target levels before I fired up the reacot so I had a baseline to work with

 

[gandolf]

try this site
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html

 

[custserv]

The larger Schuran type media tends to be a little harder and therefore needs a lower pH to help it dissolve. I run my Schuran at a pH of 6.5. ARM is a softer media and tends to dissolve at a pH closer to 7. Try running more CO2 through. Drip the effluent into a vessel with an airstone to help dissipate excess CO2 or run the effluent through a second chamber with ARM or another media in it to use the excess CO2. The Schurans have a CO2 recirculation feature so all of the CO2 gets used up.

 

[Jumpincactus]

Ok fellas need some help here. When we spoke last I had started with a baseline of calc 425 and KH of 9.0 dkh

I am running around 30 bpm of Co2 and the effluent from George at GEO is running 50 ml per minute. My calcium is thru the roof 500 + and my alk was getting dangerously high at around 11.5

What am I doing wrong?? For a few days I was struggling with excess bubbles getting trapped in the upper lid of the reactor. Could not for the life of me figure where the bubbles were coming from. At first I thought is too much C02 then after a while I figured out it was micro bubbles from my skimmer adding too much air to the return pump.That is now a non issue.

I got that remedied, now back to my original concerns with my readings. What do I need to do with the dial in to get a consistant calc and alk reading??

 

[DonW]

Dial back the co2. But first turn off the co2 for a day or two so things will come back down to normal.

Don