siskiou Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I just got an old, no name calcium reactor from craigslist in trade for corals! Everything is pretty much included, as far as I can tell. The pump might need replacing. I still have to find out. But I've never used one of these before and could use a guru! Is there anyone in Eugene who wouldn't mind coming by some time and helping me figure this thing out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 If you cant find anyone in your area I could help by phone, I've ran one for many years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I would like a picture and I can help you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 Thanks, guys! I'll take some pictures tomorrow. I've cleaned it out and was going to run it with vinegar, but have one quick question: should there be some kind of valve to prevent water from the reactor getting into the bubble counter? Currently it fills up from the reactor, since I'm not running co2, and I don't think it's supposed to do that, or is it? I think the reactor might be a DIY one, though it looks fairly nice. A bit dusty, and some rust on the metal parts, but otherwise okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 The bubble counter should be about 3/4 full of fresh water and hooked direct to the Co2 tank, most have a check valve at the bottom also. If you dont have the Co2 on I would think the water could run back into the bubble counter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 That's what it currently does, but how is it supposed to not happen, when the co2 is turned off by the pH controller? Is the co2 that's already in the line preventing that? Or do I need some kind of one-way check valve inline? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 The bubble counter should be about 3/4 full of fresh water and hooked direct to the Co2 tank' date=' most have a check valve at the bottom also. If you dont have the Co2 on I would think the water could run back into the bubble counter[/quote'] Only some do and some don't. My PM does not. Pictures will solve allot of the mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 Okay, pictures tomorrow! For now, here is the pic from the craigslist ad, but it doesn't show much detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 Here is a pic, with a couple of areas circled in red, which means I'm not quite sure what this is. Some off-gassing valve? Also, I'm wondering if I should switch the water out and CO2 in or leave it as is. Everything seems leak-proof so far. The bubble counter was leaking yesterday, but it is fine now, with the use of some weld-on. The pic is pretty small here. Water in is at the bottom, water out up top. Also, as far as I can read the label, the pump is an Iwaki MD-10L. Not sure if this is a strong enough recirc pump. I can't find much definite info on it, and I can't read the GPM on the label. And I just tried it, and the pump makes a murderous noise. I think it's cavitating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 I'm sending you a PM with my # Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Okay, I've got everything cleaned up and leak tested and changed out the pump for a nice and quiet Eheim 1050. I've filled it about 3/4 with CaribSea ARM, and now I wonder what to set the pH at for my controller. This is what the company says about it: A.R.M. has the highest solubility of any reactor media available (metastable at 8.2) so CO2 consumption is much lower. CaribSea A.R.M. Calcium Reactor Media, its what your corals are made of. So, what's is mean when they say: metastable at 8.2? What does it need to dissolve? I want to run it on my controller and what I've read so far all recommends a pH of 6.5-6.7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 It looks like it's set up exactly like my PM model just more of a DIY unit. The water and Co2 come in at the bottom, the pump recirculates and the water flows out the top to the tank. I cant see but there should be a valve on the out line so you can set it to a trickle. The pumps are small they just need to recirculate the water you can easily replace it. Dont know what the two openings are I would just plug them. Iwould hook it up and go, see how it works. My C02 and bubble counter are the same, I do have a check valve in mine thats the way it came. In order to get water in the instructions say to "suck" water in thru the bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Once you start running it the effulent will be very low Ph, adjusting the bubble count you can tune it to 6.5 to 6.8 which will give you an Alk reading of 20+. make sure you have the water at a slow trickle until you get used to testing and watch the Ph in your tank. I dont use the controller, I now only run mine during the light cycle about 12 hrs a day. I would go slow at first and watch your tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 It looks like it's set up exactly like my PM model just more of a DIY unit. The water and Co2 come in at the bottom' date=' the pump recirculates and the water flows out the top to the tank. I cant see but there should be a valve on the out line so you can set it to a trickle. [/quote'] Yes, it sounds exactly like your unit. There is a valve at the output, and I've currently set the output to 30ml per minute. The pumps are small they just need to recirculate the water you can easily replace it. Dont know what the two openings are I would just plug them. I wonder if the openings are a pressure release in case of emergency. They came plugged, so I'm leaving it that way. My C02 and bubble counter are the same, I do have a check valve in mine thats the way it came. In order to get water in the instructions say to "suck" water in thru the bottom I discovered there is a check valve on mine, too, to prevent backflow into the regulator. Works fine, too. And I don't quite understand the "sucking the water in". Do you mean into the bubble counter? Maybe I should see if I can find an online manual for your model PM. Can you tell me the exact model of your's, please? Once you start running it the effulent will be very low Ph, adjusting the bubble count you can tune it to 6.5 to 6.8 which will give you an Alk reading of 20+. make sure you have the water at a slow trickle until you get used to testing and watch the Ph in your tank. I dont use the controller, I now only run mine during the light cycle about 12 hrs a day. I would go slow at first and watch your tank! I'm currently running the effluent into a cup with my pH probe in it, to keep an eye on the measurements. When the pH gets too low, my controller shuts the co2 off, but I'm trying to get it dialed in, so it's running at the correct pH without being turned on and off all the time. Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Shoot for 1 bubble every 3-4 seconds it a good starting point, should give you a Ph of 6.7-8 then you can lower it if you want. You can mainatin your Alk two ways, 1- the Ph and Alk of the effulent can be adjusted with the bubble count, 2-the amount you flow into your tank can be a strong drip to a stream(high calcium demands) You cant pour water into mine you have to put the bottom into a glass of water then draw it in from the top Model CR422 & CR622 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 I had a heck of a time filling my bubble counter, but now I know how to do it easily in the future! And I'm starting to wonder if one of the ports on it might be a pH probe port. Maybe I'll take it offline and unscrew the cap to see... What should the calcium content of the effluent be? I measured Alk just now and it's at 13 dkh, but it's only been running for a few hours, and not always with co2 on, since the pH goes down in the effluent fairly quickly, despite a slow bubble rate. I'll measure the effluent Alk again tomorrow evening, to see if it's higher then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 What should the calcium content of the effluent be? I measured Alk just now and it's at 13 dkh, but it's only been running for a few hours, and not always with co2 on, since the pH goes down in the effluent fairly quickly, despite a slow bubble rate. I'll measure the effluent Alk again tomorrow evening, to see if it's higher then. I dont think you measure Calcium at least I've never read anything that says to. You go by the Alk, It should be at least 20 or higher. The lower the Ph the higher the Alk, you can adjust that if you dont need that much calcium or your Alk stays to high in the tank, just raise the Ph(slow the bubble count) and balance it the way you want. I run a second chamber now, My Ph is about 7.2 or so. Ran the calcium reactor for many years 24/7 using color test kits for Ph and when i got my controller lasy year found out my tank Ph was running 7.5-7.9 and couldn't get it to come back up. have to dose Kalk at night now to maintain 8.0 and above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 Effluent Alk measures 23 this morning. And how do you know your pH is correct for dissolving media, if you run a second chamber and your calcium reactor has no pH probe port? Or does your's have one? I have a diy second chamber I could put in line, but then I won't really know if I have the pH set correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Effluent Alk measures 23 this morning. And how do you know your pH is correct for dissolving media, if you run a second chamber and your calcium reactor has no pH probe port? Or does your's have one? I have a diy second chamber I could put in line, but then I won't really know if I have the pH set correctly. Thats perfect! I used to check it with a fresh water Ph test, now I use a Ph pen. Once its set I dont check it anymore. I test the Alk in the tank and adjust for that. Rarely do I ever change the settings in the cal reactor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 Thanks! I'm just worried my pH will get too low in the reactor and my media will turn to mush. *g* But I guess I'll let it run for a few weeks, until everything is stable and where I want it to be, and then put the second chamber in line. Currently, my pH is on the high side anyhow, so no problems. Is there a hard and fast rule how fast the output should be for a 120G with a couple of large sps colonies, and a bunch of frags, plus several LPS corals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I'm going to post this in the Info thread it was helpful when I started mine http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcreactors.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siskiou Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Thanks! Very helpful! I've added a DIY probe port to the reactor (found the idea during a search), and have put my second chamber in line, since I can keep track of the pH inside the reactor now. pH in the reactor is 6.9, effluent after the second chamber is 7.3. I could use my controller to keep the pH in the reactor at a certain number, but that would mean a lot os work for the solenoid. Is frequent turning on and off a strain on it? Would it be better to just get it dialed in as good as possible, and just use the controller to turn off the co2, if the tank pH falls below 8.1 or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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