Lets talk about calcium/Kalk reactors

[saltwater-nut]

Mike,
Do you know of a (reliable) Kalkreactor? I've heard many a horror story of the stirrers(sp) failing in a short period of time.
Thank you,
Roy

Also, do you know why I do not get a email when someone replies to a post I'm subscribed to? My default is turned on.

 

[Hooked]

Mike,

I thought I had my reactor set up okay until I read this thread. My situation is similar to saltwater-nut's, so I follow the directions you gave him. My bubbble rate was at 40 and I can't remember the effluent rate, but it's very fast--not a steady stream, but nearly. My effluent pH is close to 7.0. The directions said at 6.5 the media would turn to mush and clog the reactor, so I thought the higher level was better, but apparently I'm wrong about that.

So last night I shut the effluent off and left the reactor on. When I looked at it this a.m. all the water in the reactor was very cloudy and I was afraid to open the effluent, so I just shut the reactor off. Is it okay to turn the effluent on even though it's so cloudy?

I also wondered what the ideal levels of calcium, alk and magnesium are at a SG of 1.025?

And last question--I have a pH probe in the sump. It was suggested to me that rather than monitoring the pH of the tank water, I should monitor the pH of the effluent. If that is true, do I need to recalibrate the pH monitor using 4.0 and 7.0 to accurately measure lower readings?

Thanks

 

[NaH2O]

Hey Katrina!! Good to see you here!! Welcome, and great questions....keep them coming!

 

[Scooterman]

You know that makes me wonder if not meauring salinity at 36ppt instead of sg readings?

 

[mojoreef]

Hi Roy, I am not sure about kalk reactor manufacturers. I just mix mine in a large bucket and leave it going for the week. I have tested the concentrations and have found no difference.
On the email make sure you click the box just prior to posting, that should get you the email.

Hiya Hooked, good to see ya on board. Some reactor media does melt at around seven, As i posted prior ARM is one of those media types. My effluent is always cloudy, so it shouldnt be a problem. Give it a quick test of the effluent as it sits now and as it is when you run normal. This way we can see if your getting the concentrations you need.
On the Ph meter I would leave it in the sump measuring tank water. you can always just grab it for a moment and fill a cup of effluent to see where its at. Usually once you find the sweet spot on the concentration and what it takes to get thier, they are plug and play.
As per NSW at a level of 1.025 and it was ionically balanced you would want the calcium to be ~385 and mag. ~ 1190, as per alk somewhere around 2 meq/L. Now you dont have to be dead on it can vary a bit but you want the ratios between them to be simular. Alot of folks think you need elevated levels of cal and alk and mag, and you can, but what you really want is to make sure is that it is balanced and constantly available at natural levels.

Scooter you lost me, ???


Mike

 

[Hooked]

Okay, my effluent pH is 6.2 and I am using ARM. When I turned the reactor on about 80% of the media rose to the top in a big chunk.

So, I guess I'll start dripping the effluent slowly after I take calcium and alk readings from the tank. Should I open the reactor and try to break the media up or leave it alone? And do I need to adjust my bubble rate?

 

[mojoreef]

Ok katrina I would break up the media if you can, it will make it more efficient. I would like to see a PH of around 6.8 or so coming out of the unit. But measureing now wont help up. Leave the bubbles alone for now and start the unit off at a slow effluent drip. lets see if the ph will hover at the 6.8 mark while it is dripping. let me know

MIke

 

[Hooked]

Thanks Mike. After I posted I started the effluent dripping, but it kept clogging. I could actually see the media dissolving and was afraid I would clog the whole thing up if I didn't get my pH up. There are still spaces between the grains of the media, but there is a fine silt on the top and the chamber at the bottom is about 1/4 to 1/3 full of media. Do I need to do anything with that?

So I set my bubble rate at 30 and my drip rate at 2 oz per minute. The effluent pH is 6.89 this morning. I'll check my alk and calcium again tonight. Will that pH be okay or should I try to get it closer to 6.8 as you suggested in your last post. If I need to lower it, I'm thinking I should only adjust maybe 3 or 4 bpm? I suspect 10 bpm will be too much?

FYI - My tank has about a dozen sps frags along with a couple of grapefruit size pieces, a Rose BTA and clone, numerous zoos and 2 clams. I've generally been keeping my SG at 1.025 with calcium at 425-475, alk 14 dkH, magnesium at 1400 to 1500. My alk has been as high as 16 dkH. I got to those higher levels in a battle with bryopsis. When I raised the alk and mag, the bryopsis went away, so I've been trying to maintain those higher levels for that reason. I've been happy with my sps growth, but this is my first sps tank, so I have nothing to compare to.

Thanks very much.

And Nikki thanks for the welcome

 

[mojoreef]

6,89 should be fine.

Mike

 

[Hooked]

Mike, thanks so much for your help. I think I'm beginning to understand how this think works, but I want to ask one question that goes back to your first post in this thread...how does this thing work? j/k

Actually, I wondered why run it overnight with the effluent shut off? Is that the only way to get an accurate pH reading at a particular bubble rate?

 

[mojoreef]

Good question katrina. when the effluent is running you are pumping fresh SW at your tanks ph, say 8.3. doing this make the co2 work harder and makes you have to compensate with adding more. Shutting off the unit over night allows the co2 to get the water down to 6.whatever for sure. Once that is done your ready to go and your effluent is concentrated. now you begin to drip effluent, and yes the co2 will take a hit, but the adjustment from thier is alot easier.

Make sence??


Mike

 

[Hooked]

That makes sense to me.

Thanks again

 

[Stircrazy]

Mike, do you think ARM media could be used in a fluidized reactor? (I have about 30 lbs of it left :lol: )

Also why do you not run your kalk in the day? I ran my kalk reactor and my Ca reactor for 14 months with great results, or as far as I could tell anyways

Steve

 

[RedEyeReef]

Great thread. Would it be appropriate for everyone to throw out there favorite CR and why? I have not decided on one yet and any advice on what to look for in a CR would be helpful.

 

[mojoreef]

Steve I am not sure if the arm would fluidize in my reactor. I would say from just a look that it might but not as well as the rowalith.
On the kalk/cal. I use them to offset the ph swing from photosynthesis. so at night I run the high ph kalk and during the day the low ph calcium reactor.

Redeye I use a deltec calcium reactor out of germany. they are a little pricy and hard to find so not a very good example for ya.

Mike

 

[Stircrazy]

Steve I am not sure if the arm would fluidize in my reactor. I would say from just a look that it might but not as well as the rowalith.

Mike

I'll have to try it and see, as long as it works as god as in a normal reactor it will be fine.. I just hate to throw out 30 lbs of media and wait a few months to get the proper stuff in

Steve