CA Reactor Q's...

ReefTECK · 08/20/2007, 09:32 AM

I've been accumulating more and more sps corals in my aquarium, so much that I've been seeing massive swings in my CA concentrations throughout the day. (as much as 80ppm!) Some of this could be precipitant, but my dKh remains the same (around 7-8, so I'm supposing that's not the case. I also have a 5" Tridacna Dersa that has grown more than 1 cm throughout the last two months!

Thus it is time, to add a calcium reactor. However they are so expensive to set up. I already have a 5lb co2 tank, and I'd like to continue accumulating the equipment in bits at a time. But how do you run a CA reactor WITHOUT a fancy pH controller? Just during the day? Fine adjustment of the co2 with a needle valve?

I'll buy a nice pH controller sometime around tax season (Neptune AC III), but for now I'd like to just start with the reactor and stabilize my CA!

Thanks guys,
Andy

Shaun120 · 08/20/2007, 10:02 AM

A pH controler is not necessary to run a CA reactor. Though it would be a nice to use one to make sure the CO2 is turned off when a radical drop in pH is detected.

You set the effluent drip to maintain the CA demand of your reef. Each CA reactor is different and based on the CO2 injection rate and the amount of effluent drip, those amounts can vary.

You have to balance the CO2 injection and the effluent drip so that the ph of the effluent is low enough for the media to "melt" usually that is around 6.5 or so but it can vary. If your reef has a high demand you may have to inject more CO2 so that the effluent rate is enough to provide the CA your reef demands.

Basically you have to get the reactor producing CA and ramp up the CO2 injection and effluent rate until it matches the demand of your reef.

Randy Holmes-Farley has several articles related to CA/ALK/pH here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=102605

He also has a calculator for CA reactor setup here (really handy):
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html

ReefTECK · 08/20/2007, 10:06 AM

Alright! thanks, now I'm getting somewhere. I read the articles on reefkeeping.com, but none of them elaborated on a probeless setup. Thanks for the links!

tony1970 · 08/20/2007, 05:39 PM

Thats what were doing now, but our alk is at 10.2 dkh with calcium of 350, and its a 90 gal with 8 corals in it and 100 lb rock.so how do i go about raising calcium without raising the alk with reactor?

If i turn up the co2 and the effluent rate, wont that up my alk to?

djultra · 08/20/2007, 05:56 PM

I had to add Mag to get my Cal and Alk to stabilize at the right levels. Maybe you should check your Mag levels.

burris · 08/21/2007, 10:20 AM

You can raise the calcium independently of the alkalinity by adding calcium chloride. There are zillions of products, including the calcium part of the various 2-part solutions. Make sure your Mg levels are okay.

08/20/2007, 09:32 AM	#1
ReefTECK Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Iowa City, Iowa Posts: 901	CA Reactor Q's... I've been accumulating more and more sps corals in my aquarium, so much that I've been seeing massive swings in my CA concentrations throughout the day. (as much as 80ppm!) Some of this could be precipitant, but my dKh remains the same (around 7-8, so I'm supposing that's not the case. I also have a 5" Tridacna Dersa that has grown more than 1 cm throughout the last two months! Thus it is time, to add a calcium reactor. However they are so expensive to set up. I already have a 5lb co2 tank, and I'd like to continue accumulating the equipment in bits at a time. But how do you run a CA reactor WITHOUT a fancy pH controller? Just during the day? Fine adjustment of the co2 with a needle valve? I'll buy a nice pH controller sometime around tax season (Neptune AC III), but for now I'd like to just start with the reactor and stabilize my CA! Thanks guys, Andy __________________ 2013 President of the Greater Iowa Reef Society www.iowareefs.org Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Tank, 96 DIY LED's on 3 channels, 30gal sump/fuge, 4x2x0.5' & 40gal frag tank, SRO Ca rxr, GSA Kalk rxr, SRO 3000 skmr, Gen-X PCX40 Return, 2xMP40w's, 1xTunze 6101, 140lbs LR, SSB, SPS all the way!

08/20/2007, 10:02 AM	#2
Shaun120 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 259	A pH controler is not necessary to run a CA reactor. Though it would be a nice to use one to make sure the CO2 is turned off when a radical drop in pH is detected. You set the effluent drip to maintain the CA demand of your reef. Each CA reactor is different and based on the CO2 injection rate and the amount of effluent drip, those amounts can vary. You have to balance the CO2 injection and the effluent drip so that the ph of the effluent is low enough for the media to "melt" usually that is around 6.5 or so but it can vary. If your reef has a high demand you may have to inject more CO2 so that the effluent rate is enough to provide the CA your reef demands. Basically you have to get the reactor producing CA and ramp up the CO2 injection and effluent rate until it matches the demand of your reef. Randy Holmes-Farley has several articles related to CA/ALK/pH here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=102605 He also has a calculator for CA reactor setup here (really handy): http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/reactor.html __________________ I'm givin' er all she's got Captain! Current Tank Info: 225 Reef + 120 FOWLR in-wall system, and 68 FOWLR

08/20/2007, 10:06 AM	#3
ReefTECK Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Iowa City, Iowa Posts: 901	Alright! thanks, now I'm getting somewhere. I read the articles on reefkeeping.com, but none of them elaborated on a probeless setup. Thanks for the links! __________________ 2013 President of the Greater Iowa Reef Society www.iowareefs.org Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Tank, 96 DIY LED's on 3 channels, 30gal sump/fuge, 4x2x0.5' & 40gal frag tank, SRO Ca rxr, GSA Kalk rxr, SRO 3000 skmr, Gen-X PCX40 Return, 2xMP40w's, 1xTunze 6101, 140lbs LR, SSB, SPS all the way!

08/20/2007, 05:39 PM	#4
tony1970 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hawaii Posts: 109	Thats what were doing now, but our alk is at 10.2 dkh with calcium of 350, and its a 90 gal with 8 corals in it and 100 lb rock.so how do i go about raising calcium without raising the alk with reactor? If i turn up the co2 and the effluent rate, wont that up my alk to?

08/20/2007, 05:56 PM	#5
djultra Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Treasure Coast, Florida Posts: 243	I had to add Mag to get my Cal and Alk to stabilize at the right levels. Maybe you should check your Mag levels.

08/21/2007, 10:20 AM	#6
burris Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 257	You can raise the calcium independently of the alkalinity by adding calcium chloride. There are zillions of products, including the calcium part of the various 2-part solutions. Make sure your Mg levels are okay.