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Calcium Reactor and CO2 Setup

yellojello

yellojello

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Finally got water flowing through calcium reactor and no leaks. Got a few questions before starting up the CO2. In particular, I've got a dual stage regulator going into a Avast Marine CA1 reactor with secondary effluent chamber reactor. Main chamber is Reborn and secondary is with ARM coarse (came with reactor setup). Have a Masterflex feeding reactor (may switch to pull later). I'm dosing about 80 mL Alk on my current BRS Soda Ash solution.

1. What PSI should the 1st stage incoming be from cylinder, open valve full to 800 psi? (This is with a full tank of course)
2. What PSI should 2nd stage be going to needle valve? I've read from 3 psi to 10 psi on a dual stage.
3. Bubble count or target reactor pH level? I've seen from 6.5 pH to over 7 pH.
4. Effluent drip rate? I've got the Masterflex feeding at the lowest 6 rpm setting (about 17 ml/min). At 10 rpm (22 ml/min). At 15 rpm (42 ml/min).
5. Feed line is in the return chamber near the return pump (so return pump sucks all potential debris first).
6. Effluent line drips above sump water line or submerged under? It's dripping into the skimmer intake area.

I understand I have to test Alk daily and adjust until it's stable, but just wanted a starting figure.

Also, any issues for my Apex programming?

Reactor Recirculation Pump:
Fallback ON
Set ON
If pH < 7.80 Then OFF

Masterflex:
Fallback ON
Set ON
If pH < 7.80 Then OFF

CO2 Solenoid:
Fallback OFF
If CaRxpH > 6.70 Then ON
If CaRxpH < 6.50 Then OFF
If pH < 7.80 Then OFF

IMG_1340.JPG
 
Dang, that looks complicated.
Are you supposed to turn reactor recirculation pump off?
Fallback on Masterflex perhaps should be off?
 
Looks about right to me.

My masterflex from apex

Fallback ON
Set ON
If pH < 7.40 Then OFF

Carx solenoid

Fallback OFF
Set ON
If CARXPH < 6.45 Then OFF
If pH < 7.75 Then OFF
If Output CARXPUMP = OFF Then OFF







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Set my regulator psi to 6, bubble count to about bubble every 7 seconds. Masterflex 6 rpm. From 5 pm to 11 am, kept it around 6.5 ph and below but solenoid shut it off till back to 6.7 ph. My Alk went from 8.0 dkh to 8.1 dkh 18 hours. Usually dose 80 mL prior to starting CaRx.

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Lowered my psi to 3-4. Bubble every 15 seconds. Masterflex 12 rpm.

2f619a4ff8123ba5916621fea1c3ba5b.jpg
 
Try to adjust it where the bubble keeps the pH constant so solenoid stays on all the time.


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scuzy said:
Try to adjust it where the bubble keeps the pH constant so solenoid stays on all the time.


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Yup, I’ll shoot for that. I remember you told me 30 ml per minute effluent was good to start at. That’s what I’m trying now. 12 ml is pretty slow, but I’m sure it would work too if I just decreased bubble count.
 
I read somewhere anything under 7.4 ph will dissolve, albeit at a slower rate. But I was just testing the bubble rate and it settled at 7.07 overnight and it’s weak. Alk dropped from 8.1 to 7.8 overnight.

Readjusted to 6 spb and ph is stabilizing around high 6.7’s right now. But need to wait longer.
 
scuzy said:
Try to adjust it where the bubble keeps the pH constant so solenoid stays on all the time.


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I tried having my carx run without using solenoid and pH probe, but when my lights came on and tank pH revved up, the carx pH would rise significantly too. So you get less alk at the time when you need it most, leading to bigger swings. If my tank pH swings 0.3 each day, that’s too much swing for my liking to the carx.

After I struggled with that for awhile, I just started using the pH prove and solenoid, and I’ve been super stable since.


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Gablami said:
I tried having my carx run without using solenoid and pH probe, but when my lights came on and tank pH revved up, the carx pH would rise significantly too. So you get less alk at the time when you need it most, leading to bigger swings. If my tank pH swings 0.3 each day, that’s too much swing for my liking to the carx.

After I struggled with that for awhile, I just started using the pH prove and solenoid, and I’ve been super stable since.


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But that means that at night when the tank pH drops, so does the CaRx pH and you get more alk then. Kinda evens out. Just need to find the sweet spot.

Same goes for using a pH range with a solenoid. If you adjust for uptake in the day, then with less up take during the night, alk rises. Then falls slightly and maintains when lights come back on. Rinse repeat. That will make alk rise slowly overall.


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Doh! Noticed I had a slight leak between solenoid and metering valve. Now I’m getting steady gauge readings when it’s flowing.

I just set the metering valve to 3, and adjust the main regulator in 1/4 increments. I was trying to go by bubble count but it’s too fussy, especially since I have a co2 recirculating thing on the reactor. Keeping the metering valve low and fixed, just need to adjust either regulator or masterflex.

But back to basic question, does lower drip effluent rate at the same ph as a higher effluent rate mean lower dosing? Reason I ask is if I’m already at the lowest masterflex setting and ph 6.5, and my tank alk is still increasing, the only way I can decrease that is decreasing the co2 injection for a higher reactor ph?

So if lowest effluent rate possibly and highest reactor ph possible, and still increasing alk, that means reactor is too large for system, and then I would either have to get a smaller reactor, or just cut off the solenoid on a schedule?
 
yellojello said:
Doh! Noticed I had a slight leak between solenoid and metering valve. Now I’m getting steady gauge readings when it’s flowing.

I just set the metering valve to 3, and adjust the main regulator in 1/4 increments. I was trying to go by bubble count but it’s too fussy, especially since I have a co2 recirculating thing on the reactor. Keeping the metering valve low and fixed, just need to adjust either regulator or masterflex.

But back to basic question, does lower drip effluent rate at the same ph as a higher effluent rate mean lower dosing? Reason I ask is if I’m already at the lowest masterflex setting and ph 6.5, and my tank alk is still increasing, the only way I can decrease that is decreasing the co2 injection for a higher reactor ph?

So if lowest effluent rate possibly and highest reactor ph possible, and still increasing alk, that means reactor is too large for system, and then I would either have to get a smaller reactor, or just cut off the solenoid on a schedule?
Click to expand...

yes...decrease the amount of co2 or get yourself a dosing pump that can dose at a lower rate. I run a pH of 6.75 with at a rate of 6 ml/min.
 
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