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ReefBones 
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Joined: January 14 2006
Location: Magna, Utah
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 Topic: Ca reactor help needed FAST!
Posted: April 25 2006 at 2:34am |
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how fast dose your Ca reactor drip? and how many bubbles per minuet do you count in your bubble counter?
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140 gallon Reef
65 gallon Reef
55 gallon Aggressive
www.thesalttank.com
801-865-6074
"encourage other divers and sea enthusiasts to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles"
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: April 25 2006 at 9:02am |
For your system, which doesn't have much demand yet, I might start with one bubble about every 5-10 seconds and a drip every 2-5 seconds. Testing Alk and Ca when you start and as you go is really the only sure way to continue. Then you increase as needed.
Knowing how the Alk and Ca are used in your tank and knowing how a Ca Reactor works are crucial. Try to learn what happens when bubble and drip rate are increased and decreased independently of each other.
The biggest worry in a Ca reactor is that the CO2 dispenses too fast and drops the pH of the tank. Do a search here for more info, especially stuff written by Jfinch.
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Shane H
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Posted: April 25 2006 at 2:28pm |
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What brand of reactor do you have?
I have a Marine Aquatics reactor.
With a heavily stocked, 120 gallon aquarium I'm currently using 1 bubble every 2-3 seconds (20 bubbles per minute) and approximatley 1 drip of effluent per 1.5 seconds. (about 40-45 drips per minute).
Test often to determine what to tune. It is also helpful to know the pH of the effluent exiting the reactor. If you know this, you can then turn both "knobs" (CO2 in and drip rate out) to effectively meet the specific needs of your aquarium.
Good luck.
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jfinch
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Posted: April 25 2006 at 4:09pm |
Every tank is going to have a different calcium demand so what I do in my tank may not be very applicable to your tank. But in my tank, 125 gallon pretty heavily stocked, I have about a bubble every second and drip 30-35 ml/min through the reactor (that's almost a steady stream, but not quite... it barely separates into individual droplets).
As Shane mentions, test your reactor effluent for pH and alkalinity. The pH should be about 6.4 - 6.8 (lower will dissolve more substrate) and the alkalinity should be about 30 dkH (10 meq/l). My "philosophy" for reactors is to minimize the amount of CO2 used, so when I start I'll start at about one bubble every 3 seconds or so and a drip rate of about one drip every second. Let it sit like this for a day and measure the effluent pH and alkalinity. If the pH is higher then 6.8, then I would increase CO2 until the pH drops down into the recommended range. Once the pH is in range check the effluent alkalinity. If it's close to 30 dKH then leave it and monitor your tank's alkalinity. If it's lower then 30 dKH then decrease the flow until it gets up to 25-30 dKH. Perfect, imo, is a pH of 6.5 and alkalinity of 10-12 meq/l. Then if your tank's alkalinity is increasing over time you need to back down on the effluent rate. If the tank alkalinity is dropping over time then you need to increase the reactor effluent. After changing the effluent rate you then need to recheck the reactor pH and adjust CO2 if needed. This takes a little time to get "tuned in" but once there you hardly never have to touch it again.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: April 25 2006 at 10:21pm |
Steve, you are jumping the gun. I would advise you to go look at Shane's tank and at Jon's tank before you set up the Ca Reactor. As I said above, your tanks need for Ca and Alk is very low. You would be better off to wait on this until you see just how much coral these people have that are using Ca Reactors. It will surprise you.
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ReefBones
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Posted: April 26 2006 at 12:59pm |
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Ya .. Mark I think you are correct ... I will wate until I get a higher need for Ca and Alk. .... I am however trying my dangest to get my alk and ca to stabilize ... I get my ca up .. my alk drops ... so than I get my alk up .. and my ca drops ... I would like to be at 3.5 for alk and 400 for ca .. but its not working .. also my Ph is at 8.1 ... I know thats not bad at all .. but I Would like to get it up to 8.3 ....
Edited by thebutler4 - April 26 2006 at 1:01pm
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140 gallon Reef
65 gallon Reef
55 gallon Aggressive
www.thesalttank.com
801-865-6074
"encourage other divers and sea enthusiasts to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles"
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: April 27 2006 at 12:28am |
Stop checking pH. That reading doesn't matter when the tank is doing well. And pH follows Alkalinity anyway so if Alk is good then pH is usually good.
Stop trying to get Alk and Ca to maintain at certain points. look at the back of the WMAS business card and notice that an Alkalinity anywhere between 8 and 14 dKH (3-4 meq/l) is good. Ca anywhere between 350-450ppm is good.
You are making this too much work. Sit back on the couch, relax, have a cool drink and enjoy the aquarium.  |
Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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ReefBones
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Posted: April 27 2006 at 12:39am |
 Mark Peterson wrote:
You are making this too much work. Sit back on the couch, relax, have a cool drink and enjoy the aquarium. |
OO a .. but I am loving it! ... 
Your right though .. I need to stop working on it so hard and just kick back and enjoy! ....
Just wait until I call you in about 2 1/2 weeks and ask you to help me move the tank up into the remodeled living room! ... 
Would you be willing?
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140 gallon Reef
65 gallon Reef
55 gallon Aggressive
www.thesalttank.com
801-865-6074
"encourage other divers and sea enthusiasts to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles"
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