CalcFeeder Basic/Pro - latest generation calcium reactor

[Johnseye]

Originally Posted by robbous

The pH in my reactor going above excepted levels which prevents the media from dissolving which in turn would cause my alkalinity to fluctuate all the way down to seven.

How is the flow through your reactor? I was having the same issue until I increased the flow.

[yifan917]

I am about to set up my unit，its an AC5 model which I believe is custom made for my system (roughly 1200 gallons total water volume) could someone suggest a good CO2 regulator? Thank you.


Yifan

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by robbous

The pH in my reactor going above excepted levels which prevents the media from dissolving which in turn would cause my alkalinity to fluctuate all the way down to seven.

I've been dealing with multiple issues, including this one, but a new restrictor pipe hasn't been offered as a solution to me.

[Ted_C]

Originally Posted by yifan917

I am about to set up my unit，its an AC5 model which I believe is custom made for my system (roughly 1200 gallons total water volume) could someone suggest a good CO2 regulator? Thank you.


Yifan

I wouldn't get the aquarium plants regulator. I know Rob is using it successfully but I couldn't get enough pressure in mine to fill up the mixing chamber.

It also makes an awful racket (it clicks the solenoid every time it's letting gas into the system). You need something like 2-5 bubbles per second so its a constant racket. Not acceptable for a living room solution.

I PM'd AlanLE on here (he created that thread on how to build your own dual stage regulator) and he built one for me. Very happy with it for the few days I got to use it before Irma hit us. Now I'm waiting on power to come back on before I can start messing with it again.

On a dual stage regulator - I'm running 12 PSI and 2-3 bubbles per second via a needle valve. It fills up the mixing chamber in 2-3 hours. after that - it was normal operation.

[yifan917]

Originally Posted by Ted_C

I wouldn't get the aquarium plants regulator. I know Rob is using it successfully but I couldn't get enough pressure in mine to fill up the mixing chamber.



It also makes an awful racket (it clicks the solenoid every time it's letting gas into the system). You need something like 2-5 bubbles per second so its a constant racket. Not acceptable for a living room solution.



I PM'd AlanLE on here (he created that thread on how to build your own dual stage regulator) and he built one for me. Very happy with it for the few days I got to use it before Irma hit us. Now I'm waiting on power to come back on before I can start messing with it again.



On a dual stage regulator - I'm running 12 PSI and 2-3 bubbles per second via a needle valve. It fills up the mixing chamber in 2-3 hours. after that - it was normal operation.

Sounds great, thanks for the advice. I will PM him soon! How long did he take to build yours?


Yifan

[Przemek_PacSun]

Hello
We want to inform that we released new version of firmware for CalcFeeder controllers with new degassing option and increased solenoid open time (which allow to use also solenoids with very small gas flow without bringing CO2 alarm on).
That degassing option automatically remove gas from mixing chamber(without needed turning off main Aquabee pump) and fill it with new one portion of CO2.

Controller start degassing program when mixing chamber is filled with gas(it could be co2, co2 mixed with air or only air) and when in exact flow thru controller - gas is not dissolving into water.
It also remove some gases which can be released from media during dissolving so
it protect against pH fluctuation in mixing chamber.
Tools for firmware update can be downloaded from our website - firmware link:
http://www.pacific-sun.eu/pliki/calcfeeder_1.1s16.bin
It's very easy procedure but if anybody need technical support - please contact with our service, they can do it remotely for you.

First photo of mixing chamber during normal work, second one - after degassing procedure finished. It remove almost 98% of gas from mixing chamber.
No additional hardware changes are required - only firmware update.

[Ted_C]

He got it to me in about a week. He had one ready to go that I could have had on the spot, but I had some space requirements that he obliged

[Przemek_PacSun]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

I've been dealing with multiple issues, including this one, but a new restrictor pipe hasn't been offered as a solution to me.

@Hippie
If you still have any troubles with setting up your reactor please contact with our service.
In our experience we noticed that first versions of firmware (used on CalcFeeder controller) had to narrow on/off opening valve times and it was a source of troubles like CO2 errors or too low pH in mixing chamber.
In newest version of firmware we included algorithms which allow to use very popular in USA digital valves(almost not available/used in EU) which have limited CO2 flow(too slow for first versions of firmware).
Regards

Przemek

[Ted_C]

regarding your pictures Przemek: I assume the first picutre is not how the mixing chamber should look and the 2nd picture is how it should look when it's running correctly?

Also, the bubble diffuser plate in your picture of the mixing chambercis much lower than my bubble diffuser plate. Mine sites just below the inlet from the media chamber. Does it matter where the bubble diffuser plate sits in regards to the optical sensor?

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by Przemek_PacSun

@Hippie
If you still have any troubles with setting up your reactor please contact with our service.
In our experience we noticed that first versions of firmware (used on CalcFeeder controller) had to narrow on/off opening valve times and it was a source of troubles like CO2 errors or too low pH in mixing chamber.
In newest version of firmware we included algorithms which allow to use very popular in USA digital valves(almost not available/used in EU) which have limited CO2 flow(too slow for first versions of firmware).
Regards

Przemek

I've been in contact with customer service for quite some time now. I've gone through multiple firmware versions and a faulty sensor, but still have issues. Customer service is responsive, but it hasn't been a fun process and I've lost a few coral. Hopefully, degassing is the solution.

[Przemek_PacSun]

@Ted_C
As you can see - that reactor is working without any media (it's AC2) which can limit flow on mixing chamber(AC1/AC2 don't have main regulation valves).
On first photo you can see too much foam/gas inside mixing chamber. That can happen if flow is too strong or pH will drop too low(water is saturated and nothing more can be dissolved). So on first photo it's not looking natural(some gas bubbles are sucked by main pump - which mean that there is too strong flow).
On second photo there mixing chamber is almost empty(without any gas).
I will try to publish some short movies from my phone later.

Additionally if gas inside mixing chamber is not clean co2 - but also gas coming from dissolved media (some media release natural gas during dissolving process ) pH will increase.
That's a reason why degassing process can help protect pH swing(similar function is included in Dastaco calcium reactors)

@HippieSmell
You need to check last firmware with degassing option - please reply to all questions sent from our service(I got information that they not received all answers from you to their questions).
I'm 100% sure that they will find a way how to solve your issue.

Regards
Przemek

[Ted_C]

FYI. For those installing the new firmware and turning on the degassing, degassing mode runs the controller pump in reverse it seems.

This means if you collect your normal ouput in a cup that overflows into your sump, the cup can be emptied and you'll start sucking air into the reactor.

Your cup is going to need to be below the sump's water line to avoid having this occur.

It also seems running degassing mode is a simple timed program to run the pump in reverse. There's no sensor or anything involved that would tell the program it's complete.

It also seems like when you turn degas on, it's a program that can run at some time on it's own. This hasn't actually happened for me yet. If this runs and our output cup is above the water line, you'll suck air back into the media chamber.

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by Przemek_PacSun

@HippieSmell
You need to check last firmware with degassing option - please reply to all questions sent from our service(I got information that they not received all answers from you to their questions).
I'm 100% sure that they will find a way how to solve your issue.

Regards
Przemek

I've answered the questions and sent a video yesterday, but maybe they haven't seen it. I've also installed the newest firmware. We shall see what happens. I hope you're right.

[Ted_C]

please share: how high are you running your Bubble diffuser plate in the mixing chamber?

Rob: I dont even see a difuser plate in your reactor from your video?

Przemek: I see your running yours just above the optical sensor.

Lionfish: I'm using part of your solution - the ziptie wrapped around the tube to keep it in place. I think you removed bioballs from yours (which I didn't). so I dont know how low yours is sitting.

Thanks everyone.

[lionfish300]

Lionfish: I'm using part of your solution - the ziptie wrapped around the tube to keep it in place. I think you removed bioballs from yours (which I didn't). so I dont know how low yours is sitting.

Thanks everyone.[/QUOTE]My plate is about a 1/4 inch from the bottom of the clear pipe that run water to the media chamber. Hope that help

[Mike de Leon]

Has anyone had any experience of only ordering the controller and feed pump to use on my existing crx?

[dz6t]

I am wondering how exactly the controller works with the rest of the reactor. Is the controller monitoring the CO2 sensors?



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[Ted_C]

the controller monitors the optical sensor that is glued to the side of the mixing chamber which turns on the pac sun solenoid in the normal running system.

As far as I can tell - when the optical sensor is covered, the pac sun solenoid is wide open and stays open until the optical sensor is tripped.

The other thing the controller does is pump water into the mixing chamber. If the optical sensor is covered (i.e. CO2 is being dosed) the pump will not run.

I'm not sure this is a good standalone solution for other calcium reactors. I dont think they've built anything into the firmware to bypass these two limiters / sensors / controls.

[Ted_C]

Originally Posted by lionfish300

Lionfish My plate is about a 1/4 inch from the bottom of the clear pipe that run water to the media chamber. Hope that help

Indeed. thanks for the follow up Lionfish! That's a little higher than Przemek's position and lower than mine.

Mine is just below the clear pipe that connects mixing to media chambers.

[PacSun Service]

Hello.

@Mike de Leon & Ted_C - Of course our Calc Feeder controller could work as standalone device. Just turn ON standalone mode in controller menu and it will dose water constantly at flow which You set. But it will NOT control CO2 doses in this mode.

Best regards

Pacific Sun Service.

[dz6t]

Originally Posted by Ted_C

the controller monitors the optical sensor that is glued to the side of the mixing chamber which turns on the pac sun solenoid in the normal running system.

As far as I can tell - when the optical sensor is covered, the pac sun solenoid is wide open and stays open until the optical sensor is tripped.

The other thing the controller does is pump water into the mixing chamber. If the optical sensor is covered (i.e. CO2 is being dosed) the pump will not run.

I'm not sure this is a good standalone solution for other calcium reactors. I dont think they've built anything into the firmware to bypass these two limiters / sensors / controls.

Thank you very much.
Is the optical sensor be able to detect different CO2 concentrations?


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[Przemek_PacSun]

Place where optical sensor is different and depend from reactor type(cause they have different size/diameter of mixing chamber) but it not change overall reactor performance.
Top plate in mixing chamber is placed on higher edge of T-elbow inside mixing chamber.

[Ted_C]

Originally Posted by dz6t

Thank you very much.
Is the optical sensor be able to detect different CO2 concentrations?

That's a little tougher to answer for me. The quick short answer would be No.

What I think is happening is the optical sensor only measures the line where there is a boundary between water and "gas". Gas can Be CO2, Air, Mix of CO2 and Air or some other natural gasses that Przemek mentioned earlier. For this reactor to work correctly you want "Gas" to only be CO2.

Again - I'm guessing - but I think the reactors are designed so if you have CO2 down to the optical sensor then you have the correct concentration of CO2 for the reactor.

If you were to increase the amount of controller flow (from 500 ml/hr to 1000 ml / hr) - then you would raise the amount of water in the mixing chamber to cover the optical sensor. Then the controller sees this and realizes it needs to dose more CO2 to compensate for the increased flow until the boundary between gas and water is at the optical sensor.

Hope that helps (and I hope it is a correct interpretation of how the reactor works in theory).

[dz6t]

Thank you very much for taking your time to explain this.
So there is a blanket of gas inside the reactor at the top? Thanks again. I just can't figure out how this reactor works. I can understand how a traditional reactor with pH probe works.
In fact when higher amount of CO2 dissolved in the water, pH is lower. So in the PacSun reactor, CO2 is always saturated?
Any one had measured the pH of the water coming out of the reactor? Thanks

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[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by dz6t

Thank you very much for taking your time to explain this.
So there is a blanket of gas inside the reactor at the top? Thanks again. I just can't figure out how this reactor works. I can understand how a traditional reactor with pH probe works.
In fact when higher amount of CO2 dissolved in the water, pH is lower. So in the PacSun reactor, CO2 is always saturated?
Any one had measured the pH of the water coming out of the reactor? Thanks

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When mine works correctly, I get about 6.7 pH.