Help Needed - Calcium Reactor

[oxx155]

I have had a couple of issues with my calcium reactor that I just can't seem to solve, hopefully someone can help.

What I have - Geo 624 Calcium Reactor with 10lb CO2 tank, Milwaukee Regulator and Controller. Connected to a home made Calcium Reactor chamber the next size smaller. Flow runs from the Geo through the second chamber and out into the tank. I run the PH of the main chamber at 6.6.

Problems

1. My CO2 tank runs out of juice after about 6-8 weeks.

2. No matter how I adjust the main valve and needle valve I can't get the bubble count to stay the same, I will adjust the tank to 8 pounds and come back the next day to find it up at 11 pounds and bubbles shooting at a constant stream, adjust the needle valve slightly and the bubble almost completely stop. It just won't stay constant.

3. I hardly see any calcium desolving at all, I have had the same stuff for about 6 months and its maybe dissolved an inch or two. I have now moved half of it to the new chamber and added smaller calcium bits to the main chamber.

4. My PH in my main tank has been slowly going up over time, it was staying between 8.3 and 8.5 for a long time, but as of this weekend its up to 8.6.

5. I tested my Calcuim levels in my tank at 560ppm.

 

Am I testing wrong? Am I running the reactor incorrectly? Do I have the wrong equipment?

I just can't figure it out.

 

Any help would be highly appreciated.

[Smann]

I dont know if I can help but I can give you my info.I have a PM reactor with a "control wizzard" regulator, it does not have a pressure guage just a tank pressure gauge with an electric switch and the bubble counter is after the reg on the reactor.

I have a 5lb tank an it last 4-5 months ---- you could have a leak

 

It does take quite a bit of fine tuning to get the right bubble count but not that hard----- sounds like a problem with the regulator

 

I added a second chamber 4/1/08 and cleaned and changed the media, first is filled with ARM sec is half ARM(bottom) aragonite coarse sand on the top. The first is half gone the sec i down 2" as of today

 

The PH of my effulent was 6.8 before the second chamber and now is 7.0 (Ihave a low ph problem) measured with a PH meter-----6.6 is very low what are you testing it with

The Alk is 20+ DHK

 

The flow into the tank is a broken stream

Calcium at 560 is not likely check with a different test kit I use Tunse and mine is about 430, If I use a Salifert and its above 500 then I quit

If you are concerned about PH test in the morning and evening with a meter to get the high and low range for your tank

I would go back to where you got the reactor and ask to solve the equip problems

 

hope this helps

[Smann]

You did not say what the Alk in your tank was or how you are testing for it, this is important as it can also affect your PH. It should be 7-12DKH I keep mine 8-10

[Jay]

I had the same problem with my bubble count and the regulator. My reactor is a knopp C and my regulator may be different from yours but here was my problem. I was adjusting the big knob with the arrow on the dial to adjust my bubble count. This was not the way to do it. I was supposed to just open the tank to presurise the regulator then open the big dial on the front just a little to add preasure to the needle valve then adjust the small needle valve to adjust the bubble count. I was trying to regulate the bubbles with the knob on the front instead of the small one on the side where the needle is. This caused the exact symptoms that you discribe.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jay

[CCR]

Also make sure the gasket is in proper from the gage to the tank.