CA reactor set up

[Frank]

Want to try another way of setting up my Ca reactor in the past I just did the drip and the bubbles and let the controller turn off and on the Co. Didn’t really like the way it was working so instead I use the controller to make the bubble’s to flow to get it right on 6.49. Don’t really see a problem with doing it this way. Wanted to see what anyone else thought of this. I got a carbon dozer for plants so I can really tune in the bubbles. Was surprise how slow the bubble’s count is to get right on 6.5.

[reefnjunkie]

What was it you did not like about how it was working ( or not working) when you had the controller running the on/off.

 

You mention how few of bubbles it take to get the effluent at 6.5 but thats going to be relevant to the flow of the effluent.

 

When I had a smaller tank with a few stoneys ( mostly frags) my effluent rate was a fast drip, as my stoneys grew the absorbtion increased which meant my effluent rate needed to increase. My current rate is a steady stream, I would guess it would take about 2 seconds ( or less) to fill a 5ml vial. My bubble count has to be 3-4 per second and my solenoid is set for over 6.57 on, under 6.51 off ( if I recall).

 

My solenoid is on 5 mins, off 7 mins -24/7 and my KH stays stable @ 8.96

 

So there's a long explanation of why effluent rate to bubble count can vary and still achieve the 6.5 ( which you knew I understand) and why I ask what was not working, or what you did not like about how it used to be, I suspect the way you describe may put you testing a lot more often to gauge the absorbtion and at one point the rate of effluent will need to increase to keep up with growth

[kriz2fer]

The key to running a cal reactor without issues is to have a solid dosing pump feeding the reactor. The second thing you need is a quality co2 regulator. Those are the most important things or you will always have you effluent valve clogging. If you don't have a solid regulator then you bubble count will fluctuate and thing will never seem stable. A lot of people buy a half *** setup and it never works and then they complain how cal reactor are problems. In order To have a hands free cal reactor setup you need to buy high quality equipment to start with.

 

Another thing to buy is a quality John gust needle valve to control you effluent and they are less prone to clogging. Also when I you set your effluent make sure it's at least a broken stream. If you try you have a slow effluent rate It will clog faster and never be stable.

[Smann]

I never liked using the solenoid to maintain the Ph because I could hear it clicking on and off for some reason that bugged the heck out of me. I always tuned the bubble count to maintain 6.5 or below.

[kriz2fer]

I never liked using the solenoid to maintain the Ph because I could hear it clicking on and off for some reason that bugged the heck out of me. I always tuned the bubble count to maintain 6.5 or below.

 

It also wears out the regulator faster.

[Frank]

What I didn't like was how the co2 was shutting off and on to me if it was set up right the controller wouldn't need to it would just monitor the co2. My effluent rate is 54ml/min and bubbles are 40 min. I also have a lid with the probe in the reactor and it has been holding 6.48 ph for two days now.

For the regulator it is a http://www.carbondoser.com/product_p/co2-11.htm to me one of the best and the reactor is a korallin ca reactor both high quality.

[kriz2fer]

Yeah had the same regulator and it rocks. Feed my reactor with a bulb reef supply dosing pump and had a cr-140 reactor. My alk never swings...lol sounds like you should be on you way but I would look into getting a dosing pump for a more consistent effluent flow. Your right about about the regulator cycling, if the regulator is a good one it should hold the ph just fine without the controller turning it off and on all day.

[reefnjunkie]

I cant picture a dosing pump 'feeding' the reactor so I dont follow that idea/design?

 

Having the effluent return clogging is not a regulator issue it has to do with that rate of the return and the PH of the effluent, IME/O

 

If your are melting the media below 6.4 your making mush and the return will clog, if the rate of return is slow and your making mush, it'll clog, if the JGuess valve is not open much (ie slow drip) it'll clog, if you dont rinse your media and just refill your reactor it'll clog-all of which has happened to me.

 

I suspect there are many ways to skin the cat so whatever works for each individual. For my amount of stoneys I have to do what I do or my levels drop, I used to be able to do a fast drip but when your SPS grow they consume.

 

If you have your effluent is at a fixed PH which means the flow is consistant to maintain that PH, as your corals grow the demand for calcium increases which means your rate of effluent needs to increase which means your bubble count needs to increase to maintain that same PH-its a lot more testing to find when you need to increase it-been there done that

 

 

Again whatever works for each individual. There are lots of ways to get the results we are after, mine may be different than some others

[Smann]

My PM reactor instructions say to use a siphon to feed the reactor so that's what I always did. My magic number was 6.4 to keep the Alk where I wanted it and a pretty good stream. I switched to the coarse media so never had the gunk in the bottom like I did with sand.

 

I recently switched to the two part and so far I really like it, already had the Litermeter III so no big investment to try it out

[kriz2fer]

I cant picture a dosing pump 'feeding' the reactor so I dont follow that idea/design?

 

Having the effluent return clogging is not a regulator issue it has to do with that rate of the return and the PH of the effluent, IME/O

 

If your are melting the media below 6.4 your making mush and the return will clog, if the rate of return is slow and your making mush, it'll clog, if the JGuess valve is not open much (ie slow drip) it'll clog, if you dont rinse your media and just refill your reactor it'll clog-all of which has happened to me.

 

I suspect there are many ways to skin the cat so whatever works for each individual. For my amount of stoneys I have to do what I do or my levels drop, I used to be able to do a fast drip but when your SPS grow they consume.

 

If you have your effluent is at a fixed PH which means the flow is consistant to maintain that PH, as your corals grow the demand for calcium increases which means your rate of effluent needs to increase which means your bubble count needs to increase to maintain that same PH-its a lot more testing to find when you need to increase it-been there done that

 

 

Again whatever works for each individual. There are lots of ways to get the results we are after, mine may be different than some others

 

The feed pump is one of the most important part of the reactor. The regulator has nothing to do with clogging, the feed pump and the effluent valve are responsible. The effluent valve is not a regular valve you buy at he depot its small gate valve with John gust fittings. When I ran my reactor I never paid much attention to ph inside of reactor since my regulator was dead On it never needed a ph controller. I just watched my alk and if the alk moved I adjusted it based on that. I think I had my ph at 6.9...

 

 

Here is a link to the gate valve I used for my effluent.

http://www.usplastic.com/mobile/item.aspx?itemid=24525&categoryid=956

[Algae]

Yeah had the same regulator and it rocks. Feed my reactor with a bulb reef supply dosing pump and had a cr-140 reactor. My alk never swings...lol sounds like you should be on you way but I would look into getting a dosing pump for a more consistent effluent flow. Your right about about the regulator cycling' date=' if the regulator is a good one it should hold the ph just fine without the controller turning it off and on all day.[/quote']

 

I have the same Aquarium Plants Carbon Doser and a CR 140 on a controller. I use a variable speed Masterflex peristalic pump to adjust the flow in relationship to CO2. Works very well.

[kriz2fer]

Peristaltic Pumps are the way to go when feeding a cal reactor. I tried everything, t'd off from return, aqua lifter pump and maxi jet. You need a consistent flow feeding the reactor and it's hard to achieve that with your return line or a maxi jet.

[reefnjunkie]

like i said;

more than one way to skin a cat-its easier to type that than say I disagree-but wait I just did (scratch)

 

If the feed pump is one of "the most important parts" of the reactor, I guess I have been lucky since I have not used one in the past 4 years.

 

I still couldn't picture it-I did however google "what feeds a calcium reactor" and did find this;

 

The Feed Pump: Most reactors also benefit from the use of a feed pump, which supplies the reactor with a steady flow of water from the sump. An inexpensive submersible pump like a Maxi Jet 600 can be used, or a more expensive dosing pumpalso works well.

 

I like the pretty colors(whistle)

 

My humor is dry so no offense meant its just such bold statements make me ask questions which makes me search the internet for answers(sometimes I find themDOH! )

 

Its all a matter of opinion but for the laymen or unknowning, reading such things can lead to misiformed choices-Im glad it works for your set up, I just never heard of that method

 

(drinking)

 

[Frank]

I run my feed line off my main pump (Snapper) from a manifolded and has plenty of feed I do have a valve on the in and the out off the feed.

As far as drip rate dont think I can get much more than the 54ml/min that is a broken steam. What got me thinking of this was Westside tank and Upscale have no controller on there tank just off of Alk and Ca.This is why I didn't want the co2 to keep shutting off. Will I will keep trying this and see what happens.

[kriz2fer]

I understand bro simple works for a lot of people's calcium reactors just not mine. All these little things I had to buy ended up costing a grip of cash and I did it all to have a hands free setup. Now I'm done with cal reactors and using a triple dosing stand alone doser for my tank, much easier and cheaper. So far I'm loving the 2 part, don't see ever going back.