Setting up my calcium reactor and I have a question

[Reefbound]

Hello all, I finally have all the pieces to put my calcium reactor together and I have a question.
Do I need an effluent box or can I drip this directly into a baffle in my sump?
My calcium reactor has a built in port for the ph probe so I will be using that.

 

[Maxx]

I drip mine into the sump ahead of my refugium and in the same area that my skimmer and tank drains empty into. This off gases any Co2 with the bubbles from the drains, (any left over should get absorbed by the macro in my sump), and any phosphate released from dissolving media should also be bound by the macro.

So the short answer is no.

Nick

 

[Reefbound]

I drip mine into the sump ahead of my refugium and in the same area that my skimmer and tank drains empty into. This off gases any Co2 with the bubbles from the drains, (any left over should get absorbed by the macro in my sump), and any phosphate released from dissolving media should also be bound by the macro.

So the short answer is no.

Nick

I've been kicking this around all night and I was thinking if I let it go through the last set of baffles before the sump that this off gas would work.
But if I move it back to the skimmer stage that would give it more time to get rid of the leftover co2 by the macros like you said. Thanks this should work.
Im going to go set this up now while my family is still sleeping that way they can ask me whats that,whats it do,what happens,how does it work can I play with it......

 

[Reefbound]

Well, its up and running and cycling like it should. Should I be able to test the alk and calcium levels coming from the affluent or would that be way to high?
I have about a bubble a second and maybe 40 to 60ml a minute flowing for now. I have to go look but I think to lower alk its increase flow and or reduce bubbles per minute.

 

[trido]

I drip mine into a plastic cup above my sump I stole from my 5 year old. If you want to use a box it surely doesnt have to be fancy. I leave my probe in this so I can easily calibrate it without having to shut down and drain my reactor.

 

[Maxx]

Well, its up and running and cycling like it should. Should I be able to test the alk and calcium levels coming from the affluent or would that be way to high?
I have about a bubble a second and maybe 40 to 60ml a minute flowing for now. I have to go look but I think to lower alk its increase flow and or reduce bubbles per minute.

You can test your effluent Ca & Dkh levels, but they will be significantly higher than NSW levels.

I dont know what your system parameters/size/inhabitants are and I dont know what reactor you have so I cant exactly help you dial it in...but I would suggest following the manufacturers suggestion for getting started. Another thing to remember is that reactors (normally) dont raise your Ca and Dkh, they will only maintain it. So you need to get your parameters right to begin with.

Nick

 

[Reefbound]

I drip mine into a plastic cup above my sump I stole from my 5 year old. If you want to use a box it surely doesnt have to be fancy. I leave my probe in this so I can easily calibrate it without having to shut down and drain my reactor.

Wait until I tell your 5 year old ... :lol: I used the probe port but when I change to the large size media (thats what my reactor calls for,found out afterward) I can see this being much easier to calibrate.

I dont know what your system parameters/size/inhabitants are and I dont know what reactor you have so I cant exactly help you dial it in...but I would suggest following the manufacturers suggestion for getting started. Another thing to remember is that reactors (normally) dont raise your Ca and Dkh, they will only maintain it. So you need to get your parameters right to begin with.

Nick

I have a 75 gallon mixed reef with 140lbs of rock and some very large acro's,leathers,galaxia,digitata's and such... I have a royal gramma,flame angel,mandarin,blue hippo, Purple Pseudochromis and a crocea clam. That is attached to my 45 gallon sump with refugium loaded with chaeto.
When I use a tank volume calculator it comes up with about 100gal total water volume. I have had issue's with keeping my alk up and I was fed up with the constant dosing so hopefully this will help stabilize this for me.
My reactor is a octopus cr-140 reverse flow on a milwaukee controller. I have it set at 1 bubble per second and about 60 to 80 ml per minute.
My numbers look like this according to salifert test kits.

Alk - 9.6 dkh or 3.43meq/l
Calcium - .05ml or 475ppm
Mag - 1440
Ph - 8.0

My alk was much lower four days ago and to help raise it I was dosing two part to get it back up.

Thanks for both the replies. Ed

 

[krisfal]

I drip mine into a plastic cup above my sump I stole from my 5 year old. If you want to use a box it surely doesnt have to be fancy. I leave my probe in this so I can easily calibrate it without having to shut down and drain my reactor.

I just use on old yogurt container, much easier than stealing from five year- olds:lol:

 

[Maxx]

You're calcium level is a little high in relation to your Dkh. I wouldnt do anything to raise it during the period you're getting it dialed in. You're Dkh level is fine, but might rise a little when you get your reactor dialed in.

Does your reactor manufacturer reccomend the bubble and drip rate you're using? I have a Geo 612 and I'm set at about 30 bubbles per minute with an effluent drip rate at about 25 ml/min on my 120. Dkh is at 11 and I cant get calcium to hit anywhere above 420.

Just curious...

After you've had some time to play with it and see how it winds up working for you, I'd be interested in hearing feedback from you regarding your reactor...

Nick

 

[Reefbound]

You're calcium level is a little high in relation to your Dkh. I wouldnt do anything to raise it during the period you're getting it dialed in. You're Dkh level is fine, but might rise a little when you get your reactor dialed in.

Does your reactor manufacturer reccomend the bubble and drip rate you're using? I have a Geo 612 and I'm set at about 30 bubbles per minute with an effluent drip rate at about 25 ml/min on my 120. Dkh is at 11 and I cant get calcium to hit anywhere above 420.

Just curious...

After you've had some time to play with it and see how it winds up working for you, I'd be interested in hearing feedback from you regarding your reactor...

Nick

First problem with this reactor is there is no directions for use other than a diagram. Im going off a page from Melevs reef reactor page.
onother problem is the media size I have, it calls for coarse media, I found this out after it was set up and running.
What Im going to do is lower the bubble count and the effluent rate and keep an eye on it and see what happens.

After I play with this I would be happy to critique the reactor for you.While looking around I found some info on a web site about the media size but no recommendations for rates.

 

[Reefbound]

After digging around (I should have done this first) I found directions on the Coralvue web site for the octopus calcium reactors and they direct me to adjust the bubble rate to 25 to 35 bubbles per minute and a flow rate of 50 to 60ml per minute... I just finished adjusting and I will take some readings later.

 

[DonW]

You need to be more concerned about the reactors ph than the effluent dkh. The ph varies depending on the media used. What brand of reactor media are you using?

Don

 

[Reefbound]

You need to be more concerned about the reactors ph than the effluent dkh. The ph varies depending on the media used. What brand of reactor media are you using?

Don

I have the ARM media small in there right now, but my lfs is ordering me the coarse ARM that the company strongly recommends because the small can get into the pump and kill it. I also have a ph controller on there taking control of the ph. What I have noticed it takes a very long time to cycle from 6.5 to 6.9 and back again (hours). I know its only been two days but this is the first time (in four years) I tested the same alk readings in consecutive days.
(3.43 meq/l today)

 

[Reefbound]

Just wanted to give a update on the new Octopus calcium reactor and latest levels tested this morning.
My veiw on this reactor is it is not bad for the price paid $145 new,its very easily setup and construction is nice quality.My complaints are directions should have been included in the box and not have to search the internet for them on the coralvue website which I probably could have avoided buying the wrong media as coralvue strongly recommends the large type media. I bought the small at the lfs before the unit arrived. The included valves could be better quality even for the price paid. I replaced them with gest valves instead.Once figured out, trapped air is easily removed.
My levels this morning are

Alk- 10.2 dkh (bubble count decreased )(effluent stayed the same)
Calcium- 450
Mag- 1410
Ph is under 8.0 but above 7.7 useing the Salifert ph test. Im going to do a water change later tonight to help raise the Ph and in conjunction with the bubble count lowering should help a little

I have not dosed alk or calcium since adding this to my setup.... very nice.

 

[Reefbound]

Well, Im very sure I have the calcium reactor dialed in. I waited until today to test again after the water change to let every thing settle and my test numbers are nearly the same as they were 8 days ago.Another thing I did today was run a airline from my skimmer to the outside of my house to get fresh air in. I read an article that says it may help to increase the Ph in the tank. I guess I will give a day or two and we will see what happens.

Ph- 8.0
Alk- 9.6 dkh
Mg- 1410
Ca- 450