Calcium Reactor

rich19020 · 05/18/2013, 06:18 AM

I set up my calcium reactor late last night. I set the PH controller to be on at 6.7 and off at 6.5. The PH has been at 6.40-6.47 since I set it up.

Should I increase the flow to allow the PH to climb inside the chamber. Since my initial set up the solenoid has not turned on. Is it possible I just added too much CO2 initially when I set it up? If so how long does it take to diffuse?

sirreal63 · 05/18/2013, 06:54 AM

Make sure the probe is calibrated, I use 4 and 7 solution to calibrate mine for the CaRx. If the probe is calibrated with 7 and 10 solutions it may not be accurate enough at the pH levels a reactor uses. Increasing the effluent is not the way to change pH, but you did not mention what the effluent rate was, so I am assuming it is at least dripping. What is the effluent rate?

Go here and read all of the Calcium Reactor articles, it will help.
http://reef.diesyst.com/index.html

rich19020 · 05/18/2013, 07:14 AM

I did calibrate with 7 10. The drip is about 40 ml per min. I understand how to lower PH in the chamber but how do you raise it? I am confused because tank water is around 8.10 and solenoid is off. You must be right about calibration.

sirreal63 · 05/18/2013, 07:28 AM

At that effluent rate it would only take an hour or so for the solenoid to kick on, probably less. Probes can be problematic, the cheap ones tend to not last or be very accurate. It is a good idea to have a backup probe or two, lab grade is preferred to the $20.00 ones. I bought a Milwaukee pH controller in 2005 or 2006 and believe it or not, the probe that came with it still works, still calibrates and has been a backup for several years now. I have gone through several of the cheap ones which seem to last about 6 months and then they don't calibrate or drift within days.

I don't know what probe you have but it is probably the source of the issue, or at least the first thing to check.

rich19020 · 05/18/2013, 07:46 AM

It is a Neptune Lab but a year old. I will swap my sump probe with the reactor to see if they match.

sirreal63 · 05/18/2013, 07:51 AM

Sounds like a plan, if the probe checks out then we look at the solenoid, which is another weak point in a system.

rich19020 · 05/18/2013, 03:14 PM

Ok new probe. Calibrated with 4 & 7 solution. I turned off the CO2. Should the water in the reactor read the same as the tank water for PH? Or does the ,media in the tank keep it lower? Currently the reactor is reading 6.64 with no CO2 in the reactor.

sirreal63 · 05/18/2013, 04:13 PM

That's weird, no the pH in the reactor will be different than what is in the tank, provided the co2 is still circulating in the reactor, and it will take a little time for the existing water to be flushed from the system.

05/18/2013, 06:18 AM	#1
rich19020 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 389	Calcium Reactor I set up my calcium reactor late last night. I set the PH controller to be on at 6.7 and off at 6.5. The PH has been at 6.40-6.47 since I set it up. Should I increase the flow to allow the PH to climb inside the chamber. Since my initial set up the solenoid has not turned on. Is it possible I just added too much CO2 initially when I set it up? If so how long does it take to diffuse? __________________ 72 gallon bow front, 40 gallon sump, 25 gallon refugium, Reef Oct. XS200 Mix of soft coral, lps and sps. 1 clam and green tip buble anenome.

05/18/2013, 06:54 AM	#2
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Make sure the probe is calibrated, I use 4 and 7 solution to calibrate mine for the CaRx. If the probe is calibrated with 7 and 10 solutions it may not be accurate enough at the pH levels a reactor uses. Increasing the effluent is not the way to change pH, but you did not mention what the effluent rate was, so I am assuming it is at least dripping. What is the effluent rate? Go here and read all of the Calcium Reactor articles, it will help. http://reef.diesyst.com/index.html __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

05/18/2013, 07:14 AM	#3
rich19020 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 389	I did calibrate with 7 10. The drip is about 40 ml per min. I understand how to lower PH in the chamber but how do you raise it? I am confused because tank water is around 8.10 and solenoid is off. You must be right about calibration. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, 40 gallon sump, 25 gallon refugium, Reef Oct. XS200 Mix of soft coral, lps and sps. 1 clam and green tip buble anenome.

05/18/2013, 07:28 AM	#4
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	At that effluent rate it would only take an hour or so for the solenoid to kick on, probably less. Probes can be problematic, the cheap ones tend to not last or be very accurate. It is a good idea to have a backup probe or two, lab grade is preferred to the $20.00 ones. I bought a Milwaukee pH controller in 2005 or 2006 and believe it or not, the probe that came with it still works, still calibrates and has been a backup for several years now. I have gone through several of the cheap ones which seem to last about 6 months and then they don't calibrate or drift within days. I don't know what probe you have but it is probably the source of the issue, or at least the first thing to check. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

05/18/2013, 07:46 AM	#5
rich19020 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 389	It is a Neptune Lab but a year old. I will swap my sump probe with the reactor to see if they match. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, 40 gallon sump, 25 gallon refugium, Reef Oct. XS200 Mix of soft coral, lps and sps. 1 clam and green tip buble anenome.

05/18/2013, 07:51 AM	#6
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Sounds like a plan, if the probe checks out then we look at the solenoid, which is another weak point in a system. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

05/18/2013, 03:14 PM	#7
rich19020 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 389	Ok new probe. Calibrated with 4 & 7 solution. I turned off the CO2. Should the water in the reactor read the same as the tank water for PH? Or does the ,media in the tank keep it lower? Currently the reactor is reading 6.64 with no CO2 in the reactor. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, 40 gallon sump, 25 gallon refugium, Reef Oct. XS200 Mix of soft coral, lps and sps. 1 clam and green tip buble anenome.

05/18/2013, 04:13 PM	#8
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	That's weird, no the pH in the reactor will be different than what is in the tank, provided the co2 is still circulating in the reactor, and it will take a little time for the existing water to be flushed from the system. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.