Reactor.. good for sps. bad for lps!!

Mr. Tuna · 07/03/2006, 11:35 AM

I disconnected my calcium reactor about 3 months ago..
its an MRC dual chamber calcium reactor. When it was running, my calcium was fine, but my ph was at 6.5.
My sps were doing great, but my lps were doing horrible.
A couple weeks after i disconnected it, my lps were back to how they were before.
Now im dripping kalk, but the doser keeps getting clogged.
Any suggestions?
Should i fix something with th reactor?
Or should i find a good way to drip kalk instead?
I used the kent aqua doser, and it got clogged up in about a week, so i changed the tubing to an I.V. tube, but it only lasted about a day longer.

Thank you

BLockamon · 07/03/2006, 12:44 PM

I would suggest using both the calcium reactor and the kalk to keep the pH more stable. Since you would need less calcium from each, you could dial up the pH of the reactor and make the kalk a little weaker. That should help with both the pH and the clogging issue.

If clogging is still a problem, consider using a kalk stirrer. You can get them pretty cheap (and good quality) at Aquatic Systems Design or Reef Tek. Using a stirrer, you can control the flow at the inlet and don't have to worry about a valve on the outlet clogging with kalk.

MDboyz · 07/03/2006, 01:00 PM

With the kalk stirrer or reactor, you still need a dosing pump to drip it.

jt_redmist · 07/03/2006, 02:11 PM

Don't give up the reactor. I too am running the exact reactor you have on a 125g. At first I was having the same problem with low ph. I was told that usually happens if the reactor is not tuned properly. My effluent flow rate wasn't constant and the reactor ph would fluctuate too much. I decided to buy a ph controller and a different needle valve to control flow and ph better. Now my ph in my display does not drop below 8.0. I have both lps and sps and all are doing great. I would hate for such a nice reactor to collect dust

JT

Mr. Tuna · 07/03/2006, 03:27 PM

Thank you all..

is it also possible for me to set up the reactor, and instead of also dripping kalk, i can mix a cup of PH buffer about 3 times a week?

Thank you

jt_redmist · 07/03/2006, 04:42 PM

When you said low ph, how low was it in the display tank? I don't see why you can't buffer the ph, but to me that's only putting a bandaid on the problem. My guess is that too much Co2 is getting into your system, hence the low ph. Have you tried dripping your effluent into a cup first, so this way some of the excess Co2 escapes before entering the tank. Just some suggestions, hope this helps.

JT

bertoni · 07/03/2006, 05:53 PM

The pH buffer will add alkalinity, and that'll cause problems over time. A kalk drip is the best you can do for raising pH with additives. More aeration might help as well, or perhaps a refugium lit 24x7. They can consume a lot of CO2.

BLockamon · 07/04/2006, 09:21 AM

Unfortunately, the buffer won't help much with the excess CO2 and low reactor pH. The effluent of the reactor should have plenty buffer on it's own.

I would first try to tune the reactor to cut back on the CO2 escaping to the sump. Second, you can try routing the effluent line near the suction point for your protein skimmer. That should help "blow off" some of the CO2.

If all else fails, dosing some kalk will neutralize any residual carbonic acid coming out of the reactor.

07/03/2006, 11:35 AM	#1
Mr. Tuna Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MIA Posts: 31	Reactor.. good for sps. bad for lps!! I disconnected my calcium reactor about 3 months ago.. its an MRC dual chamber calcium reactor. When it was running, my calcium was fine, but my ph was at 6.5. My sps were doing great, but my lps were doing horrible. A couple weeks after i disconnected it, my lps were back to how they were before. Now im dripping kalk, but the doser keeps getting clogged. Any suggestions? Should i fix something with th reactor? Or should i find a good way to drip kalk instead? I used the kent aqua doser, and it got clogged up in about a week, so i changed the tubing to an I.V. tube, but it only lasted about a day longer. Thank you __________________ __Tuna Current Tank Info: 92 Reef; LPS,SPS,Clam,

07/03/2006, 03:27 PM	#5
Mr. Tuna Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MIA Posts: 31	Thank you all.. is it also possible for me to set up the reactor, and instead of also dripping kalk, i can mix a cup of PH buffer about 3 times a week? Thank you __________________ __Tuna Current Tank Info: 92 Reef; LPS,SPS,Clam,

07/03/2006, 05:53 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The pH buffer will add alkalinity, and that'll cause problems over time. A kalk drip is the best you can do for raising pH with additives. More aeration might help as well, or perhaps a refugium lit 24x7. They can consume a lot of CO2. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/03/2006, 12:44 PM	#2
BLockamon Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,104	I would suggest using both the calcium reactor and the kalk to keep the pH more stable. Since you would need less calcium from each, you could dial up the pH of the reactor and make the kalk a little weaker. That should help with both the pH and the clogging issue. If clogging is still a problem, consider using a kalk stirrer. You can get them pretty cheap (and good quality) at Aquatic Systems Design or Reef Tek. Using a stirrer, you can control the flow at the inlet and don't have to worry about a valve on the outlet clogging with kalk.

07/03/2006, 01:00 PM	#3
MDboyz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 662	With the kalk stirrer or reactor, you still need a dosing pump to drip it.

07/03/2006, 02:11 PM	#4
jt_redmist Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bay area, CA Posts: 354	Don't give up the reactor. I too am running the exact reactor you have on a 125g. At first I was having the same problem with low ph. I was told that usually happens if the reactor is not tuned properly. My effluent flow rate wasn't constant and the reactor ph would fluctuate too much. I decided to buy a ph controller and a different needle valve to control flow and ph better. Now my ph in my display does not drop below 8.0. I have both lps and sps and all are doing great. I would hate for such a nice reactor to collect dust JT

07/03/2006, 04:42 PM	#6
jt_redmist Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bay area, CA Posts: 354	When you said low ph, how low was it in the display tank? I don't see why you can't buffer the ph, but to me that's only putting a bandaid on the problem. My guess is that too much Co2 is getting into your system, hence the low ph. Have you tried dripping your effluent into a cup first, so this way some of the excess Co2 escapes before entering the tank. Just some suggestions, hope this helps. JT

07/04/2006, 09:21 AM	#8
BLockamon Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,104	Unfortunately, the buffer won't help much with the excess CO2 and low reactor pH. The effluent of the reactor should have plenty buffer on it's own. I would first try to tune the reactor to cut back on the CO2 escaping to the sump. Second, you can try routing the effluent line near the suction point for your protein skimmer. That should help "blow off" some of the CO2. If all else fails, dosing some kalk will neutralize any residual carbonic acid coming out of the reactor.