impur Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Well i finally got over to airgas and got my co2 tank filled. I didn't know they actually just take yours and give you a used one. Glad i didn't spring the 80 bucks for a nice shinny aluminum one. Anyway, i'm setting up my DIY CA reactor this weekend finally. I am gonna need it when i'm gone to hawaii. Any tips on dialing these things in? Pretty much set it and let er rip? I've never installed one, or used one. So any tips are much appreciated. I'll be using my AC Jr. for the controller and i have a JBJ regulator. The reactor will be fed by my return pump, its tee'd off with a ball valve to supply the reactor. I'll drip the effluent into my sump in the skimmer section. Thanks for the help!! Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Well.... I just setup my first one 2 days ago.... Jay told me to make sure the output water is slow (I had to get a valve to adjust it down) and make sure the output water is released to a fast moving part of water. So Mine has a fast drip over the output of my skimmer, then hits the return pump. This helps remove the c02 from the water from the reactor water and return your ph to a more realistice number. Watch your PH close for a while! And Personally I recommend using a reactor media not crap substrait. Other than that let her rip, I just filled mine at Industrial source, it was dirt cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 My co2 tank hadn't been tested since 1984!! So i had to pay for the test too :( Oh well. Thanks for the info, i will get a valve on the output for sure now. I hadn't thought of that. I'll have my AC Jr. controlling the pH in the reactor, and i have a pinpoint pH meter to watch the pH of the tank. I will be sure to keep a CLOSE eye on that for the first week. I'm using ARM media. The effluent will drip into my skimmer chamber, go thru the baffles O-U-O, then hit my return pump. Thanks for the info Nyles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Sounds like you got her covered. GL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 So what are you shooting for internal PH? Jay told me a number and I can't remember what he said.... was like 7.2 or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 I think the media dissolved at the high 6's. I guess i should research that huh LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Im thinking the same, after I posted I was thinking.... "Or was it 6.8?" and low 7's into the output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 That sounds right. I'll keep researching and let you know what i find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Looks like most ppl set it at 6.5-7.0 from what i'm reading. Any tips on setting the effluent amount and bubble count? I'm clueless on this part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Good starting point 1 bubble per second or 65-70 per minute on the conservative side. on the effluent Im "trying" a steady drip, almost a drizzle.... not there so I cant count but I would guess somewhere around 5-8 drip per second seems to get the ph nice and low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Someone help us out here..... LOL Im in the preliminary stages of testing results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 No doubt!! I'll go with that then and adjust from there i guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rude944 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 I concur. Perhaps start with less co2, tho. A bubble every two secs and test your tank until you get to the desired alk and calc levels. I liked high alk and lower calc (well, if you consider 400 low). You just got to set it and check it. And do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Miles, I think you have the same DIY reactor that I use. A couple things about it, I've had a lot better luck with the bigger media in it, I started with the ARM type and it would not flow every well through the reactor and you cannot fit it very high otherwise it will kill the flow. I'm now using the bigger media from Gen-x and it works a lot better. Other then that take it slow and monitor your pH and ALK closely. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/reactor.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 Miles, I think you have the same DIY reactor that I use. A couple things about it, I've had a lot better luck with the bigger media in it, I started with the ARM type and it would not flow every well through the reactor and you cannot fit it very high otherwise it will kill the flow. I'm now using the bigger media from Gen-x and it works a lot better. Other then that take it slow and monitor your pH and ALK closely. Rich Yah i am using the same one. So the ARM didn't work well......bleh. I'm doing the final leak test on the reactor tonight, so i might put the media in after that and run it without any CO2 and see how it goes. I'd hate to just toss out brand new media! If it doesn't seem to work well i'll go the other route. Thanks for the heads up. I can't find my CO2 tubing now, naturally. Anybody know where i can get it locally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/reactor.html Nice link!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theron Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Using a controller to keep the ph in the reactor is the way to go. Sounds like you are using your AC JR to do that, so it should be easy to setup. No need to count bubbles and testing the effluent. I have a Deltec reactor and I keep my Ph in the reactor at 6.3 to 6.5. I use their reactor media and that is what is suggested. I used ARM in my last reactor and I tried to keep it around 6.8. I just monitor the alk in the tank and make small ajustments to the effluent drip to keep the level where I want it. Theron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 Thanks Theron, sounds like a piece of cake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefin' Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 nice link Nyles...... Chief, this should be added to our links page... could be very useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drock59 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Miles, Just monitor your alk and pH like a hawk. dont worry about CO2 tubing. Also, if you find your tank pH drops too much for you liking run your effluent into you skimmer or put an airstone where it enters the water. As far as a valve for the effluent, those little green valve used in airline tubing work great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted June 29, 2006 Author Share Posted June 29, 2006 What should i use in to get the CO2 from the regulator to the reactor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Simple airline is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Thanks Theron' date=' sounds like a piece of cake![/quote'] They are a piece of cake until your demand for ALK goes up real high and you have to figure out how to fix that. I'm fighting that problem now, my CA and Mag is fine but I cannot keep the ALK up. That Calc helped though. I bumped my pH down to 6.60 last night to see if I can get my ALK higher... Yeah the ARM is really small and gets caught in the pump and also clogs up the bottom so the flow almost stops. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drock59 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 I used RO tubing just like I used for the water input and output for the same DIY reactor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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