dual chambered calcium reactors...

[Piper27]

So I have a Geo and my ph gets down to 7.65 every now and then. I have read that the geo is made so you don't need a second chamber, but I went ahead and rigged up a di canister to see if it would help anything.

So does size matter on the second chamber? I would think the bigger the better but I am guessing after a certain point it doesn't matter.

[dahenley]

larger is better, because it will allow more time to absorb excess co2.
but, as you said. after a certain size, it does get excessive.

(also, a second chamber isnt necessary, but it certainly helps and doesnt hurt anything)

[Piper27]

Anyone know if the dimentions on the second chamber matter is taller better than wider?

[dahenley]

My opinion would be a tall skinny verses short and fat, because the fluid would have to pass through more media before going back to the tank. Thus offering a greater buffer capability . Just my thoughts though

[Piper27]

That's what I was thinking, I wonder how much the output ph would differ with a 3 foot skinny chamber rather than the normal size they sell.

[dahenley]

It would depend on the demand.... I think it can only buffer to a certain point. If your running a hot reactor at 6.5 and have a fast effluent,then it might be good, but for 95% of us, its way over kill. Plus,if your reactor is that hot... then you should step up to the next level.....
If you know what I mean

[Piper27]

I run mine at 6.5 and the drip rate is to fast to count, almost a stream. I guess I will see how the small second chamber I set up does.

Someone want to explain how you tell when you should upgrade a reactor? I wasn't thinking I would need to upgrade mine for a while.

[LouH]

Has anyone seen any numbers/tests which show how much of an effect the second chamber has on raising the effluent pH? What kind of increase can you expect to see if you add the second chamber? I'm currently trying to increase my tank's pH, and increasing the pH of my Ca reactor's effluent would be very helpful.

[Piper27]

What about adding a small reciruating pump on the second chamber? I wonder if that would make the most out of it.

I am going to go measure what the difference is coming out of the first one and out of the second chamber...

[Piper27]

Alright so I used a small di canister (the small kind you get from pure waterclub on ebay with the two blue endcaps) filled with media. I am running a Geo 618 with the center ph at about 6.5. When I measured the ph in the reactor was 6.52 and the effluent coming out of the buffer chamber was 6.7 so thats not bad I would think for a few cups of media thats in it. I was thinking about throwing a aqualifter on the second chamber to recirulate the buffer chamber and see how much that helps.
Think that would do anything? I haven't heard of anyone doing that so let me know if its a waste of time.

[dahenley]

.2 is not bad. (especially since its mostly free and it doesnt take up too much room. plus, it can be run in or out of sump, so you can put it anywhere there is room)


give the recirculation pump a try. (let us know how it goes.)

[Piper27]

Yea I am going to lowes to pick up some T's and will hook it up after the skins play. I am hoping it bumps it up another .2 or so. I may play around and stack two of the di canisters together and see what I get out of it too. I will update tonight or tomorow.

[dahenley]

and to be honest. the 2nd chamber doesnt have to be clear (theres nothing to see)
so you can go to lowes and get some PVC and make a chamber that way.
just another opinion

[Piper27]

Yea depending on the results I get I may make one. But nothing is better than having what you need (besides the t's) sitting at home.

[Piper27]

So I hooked up an aqualifter to the second chamber. The second chamber alone raised the ph .2 and with the aqualifter recirculating it it raised .3, which isn't really what I was hoping. The chamber is only 2" by 8" or so. I thought about it and the drip rate probly is making it not worth doing since its dripping so fast. If it was dripping a few drops a second I would think it may go up .4. Now I am going to double the size of the chamber and see what difference it makes.
I think maybe if I can find a way to get something on their that will recirculate the stuff faster and with a bigger tube I will get better results but I haven't thought of anything yet. I don't think anything will be as safe to use as the aqualifter. Maxijet maybe but I dunno. Maybe I will think of a way to put one on there for the heck of it and see what happens.

[LouH]

Hey, a pH increase of 0.2 is pretty decent in my opinion, and that was from simply passing your reactor's effluent through a column of aragonite?

[dahenley]

on your 2nd chamber, what type of media are you using? fine/regular, Course, Extra Course?

the fine/standard media is better. just throwing that out there.

(if you use CPVC, you can use a MJ400 or what ever MJ you have to make a recirc pump.
i did this on a Sulfur reactor and it worked great. (if you can make it to where the MH is at the bottom (kind of like a space saver skimmer) it would make the pump more quiet, and make sure the pumps outlet is not blocked or restricted)

[Piper27]

Yea .2 was from the small second chamber. I am using the small sized arm from what I remember, it's pretty fine.

I think making a bigger chamber with PVC would be a good experiment if I added the maxijet, only thing is I think I need check valves so if the pump turns off the maxijet won't suck up air.

[dahenley]

the MJ would be a closed loop pump, so it wont be able to suck air. (it would just pull water from the top and push it to the bottom)

the only air it could suck it, is if the feed pump on the CA reactor is turned off, and the reactor is higher then the water level. (if that makes since)

this is what i mean. (except the pump should be in water (not above like what i did) and the feed line from the CA reactor should go to the suction side of the MJ, not the pressure side. )unless you want to have it plumbed directly to the reactor and not the plumbing of the recirculation pump like i have it)

this is my Sulfur reactor i built a while back

[mc-cro]

What other options have you tried to raise the ph of the tank? A second chamber can make a difference, but it seems to be a lot of effort for what could be minimal payback. Of course, if your like me, you DIY stuff just cause you can.

(fwiw- I also run a GEO 6x18, currently running at 6.6ph, and a just barely broken stream of effluent)

If you open the windows to the house for a few hours, does the ph of your tank change? It should.

Do you top off or drip with kalk?

I know when I was running a bigger system with my GEO reactor wide open, I was also topping off with kalk just to keep up with the demand from the sps. I am pretty sure the kalk can also help keep the ph of the tank water up.

[Piper27]

Yea the suction would be air being sucked in from the drip valve.

And yea I just got bored and wanted to see what would happen if I put the stuff together, when I can do it myself with stuff I already have it's even better.

I have a 210 I top off with Kalk (about 3 or 4 gallons a day I am guessing) and I open the windows when I notice the ph go below normal which is once a week or so. I cant mod my skimmer for outside or a co2 media thing, it's a lifereef with a loop on the air so if it overflows it goes back through the air line. I am not sure of any other options.

[Piper27]

Well I guess I could t off the air line for an outside intake of air but have been reluctant to do so since I live in townhouses and I doubt anyone would tell me beforehand if they were going to do a pesticide treatment.