High Tide Aquatics

Calcium reactor setup input needed

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Krak256

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I recently switched over from dosing 2 part to a calcium reactor and need a bit of help. The setup is a Kamoer STP2, Carbon Doser, and Aquamaxx T-3.

Right now I am having the Carbon Doser set at 10 PSI with a bubble rate of 1 bubble every 6 seconds. The Kamoer is set at 20 ml/min. I also have my Apex set up to turn on the Carbon Doser when its above 6.5 PH and turn off when it dips below 6.5 PH. Does these sound like reasonable inputs?

The set up has only been running a day but I just tested the effluent: 1ml effluent and 3ml tank water = 13.2 dkh so that should be 52.8 dkh effective effluent, correct? That seems a bit high; I heard that the effluent should be around 25 dkh so I need to either increase the Kamoer flow rate or increase PH?

What are thoughts on the above?

In addition, I've purged as much air out of the reactor as possible but after a few hours, I see more air at the lid. I don't think I have a leak given I don't see any moisture so does that mean perhaps I'm pushing too much CO2 which is resulting in gas build up at the top? I will note that I did not soak the media before adding so that may have resulted in some released air but its been over a day.
 
I haven’t run a calcium reactor in 25 years. But I have had a conversation with Sam Parker ( Parker’s reefs) about the air bubbles in the calcium reactor. I know. Hella random. He said he lets his run with out any co2 for the first 2 weeks. Just media and flow to remove all the air. He said it works better that way.
 
I don't think this is the reason why air is building up. I think it is correct to assume that the co2 is building up in the reactor because the co2 is coming in too fast. My guess is something is wrong with your pH probe.
 
iani said:
I don't think this is the reason why air is building up. I think it is correct to assume that the co2 is building up in the reactor because the co2 is coming in too fast. My guess is something is wrong with your pH probe.
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What makes you think that? It's a brand new probe and was just calibrated.
 
pH is directly related to how the carx media is broken down. If you are expecting 25dkh effluent with a pH of 6.5, but are getting 50 plus. The pH must not be correct and actually lower.
 
iani said:
pH is directly related to how the carx media is broken down. If you are expecting 25dkh effluent with a pH of 6.5, but are getting 50 plus. The pH must not be correct and actually lower.
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Sorry, it may have not been clear in post. I wasn't expecting it to be 25 dkh but I read somewhere that I should be targeting 25 dkh. Given that, does that mean I should either increase the PH in the reactor or increase flow rate?
 
Depends on if your alk in your aquarium is stable at that flow rate.

EDIT
Actually regardless of that you should probably raise the pH setting.
 
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Well since you are controlling co2 with pH increase the pH setting on the controller and change the effluent rate based on your aquarium kH readings.
 
Are you off gassing the effluent ? Pushing or pulling with the Kamoer? That is a debatable subject Geo's Reef recommends pushing with a kamoer since pulling puts more pressure and can suck in air but alot of people have the kamoer on the end.. Ive been soaking media in a couple buckets tor a few days which is still releasing a bit of air..
 
PjFish said:
Are you off gassing the effluent ? Pushing or pulling with the Kamoer? That is a debatable subject Geo's Reef recommends pushing with a kamoer since pulling puts more pressure and can suck in air but alot of people have the kamoer on the end.. Ive been soaking media in a couple buckets tor a few days which is still releasing a bit of air..
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What do you mean by gassing the effluent? The kamoer is pushing water from the sump into the reactor.
 
After the 10 minute mark Jake gets into the co2 effluent off gasing/dilution which can lower your PH. Some tanks pH drop every night a bit so with the reactor running 24/7 can lower pH even more at night.. Putting the effluent line into a container of crushed coral/ skimmer/second chamber are things people do to offset the PH.
Some people say if your calcium reactor is properly tuned the effluent pH will not be low so a bit of two sides of thought..

 
PjFish said:
Are you off gassing the effluent ? Pushing or pulling with the Kamoer? That is a debatable subject Geo's Reef recommends pushing with a kamoer since pulling puts more pressure and can suck in air but alot of people have the kamoer on the end.. Ive been soaking media in a couple buckets tor a few days which is still releasing a bit of air..
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Aren't most reactors meant to be run pressureless now days? Which means purging isnt needed?
 
If your running a feed pump or plumbed into a return manifold then have a kamorer at the end or needle valve on the effluent your going to get a bit of back pressure plus a bit from CO2 pressure maybe but overall not alot of pressure to cause anything.. think they run better with some pressure.. @iani I believe you remember diy calcium reactors that were cracking under pressure/ psi? Don't remember what the end result was on that thread many moons ago..
 
PjFish said:
If your running a feed pump or plumbed into a return manifold then have a kamorer at the end or needle valve on the effluent your going to get a bit of back pressure plus a bit from CO2 pressure maybe but overall not alot of pressure to cause anything.. think they run better with some pressure.. @iani I believe you remember diy calcium reactors that were cracking under pressure/ psi? Don't remember what the end result was on that thread many moons ago..
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Yeah I do. Older reactors ran pressurized to get the pH low enough to dissolve the carx media. I just thought most of the new ones didnt.
 
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