Kalk and rxreactor
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Reef Chemistry
Forum Description: A place to discuss reef chemistry.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=42712
Printed Date: October 31 2024 at 7:30pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Kalk and rxreactor
Posted By: bugzme
Subject: Kalk and rxreactor
Date Posted: August 07 2010 at 9:23pm
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So I'm getting a reactor in the next few days and was wondering if I need to drip kalk at night? After i have the calcium reactor up and running. ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Replies:
Posted By: sterling18
Date Posted: August 07 2010 at 11:05pm
| If it's coming in the next few days why bother, but that's just me. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 8:53am
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Do you want to provide your animals the healthiest environment possible? If Yes, then you should continue to drip Kalk at night. ------------- 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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Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 10:15am
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Mark I know you want me to ask so I will!! Why? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 11:05am
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Jeff, a calcium reactor can lower your overal ph of your system. Your ph gets low at night as it is and sometimes a calcium reactor can make it too low at night. I had this problem on my tank when I first set up my calcium reactor (75 gallon) so to solve it I built a second chamber on my reactor, this helped a ton. Also at the time I had an AquaC ev series skimmer and I dosed my effluent into my skimmers ozone port, by doing this the skimmer helped "blow off" some of the co2 left in the effluent. I have also read that dosing into your fuge helps alot as well because your macro will consume some of the co2. With your tank being a 125 I dont think you will have much of a problem, did you get a dual or single chamber calcium reactor? ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 11:13am
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Thinking about a single. Don't know for sure yet. What material do you put in the 2nd chamber to reduce the co2? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 3:32pm
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Same as the first chamber, some use the smaller grain size in the second chamber ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 3:59pm
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I've been reading most of the day so correct me if I'm wrong. If you use a single chamber effluent needs to be discharged into your skimmer and the skimmer will cleanse the water of the co2? of course you would need an oversized skimmer for this to work.
Excess co2 in the water could be caused by the Rate of flow through the reactor and too low of a ph (lots of bubbles in the counter) inside the reactor which is bad!
Am I anywhere near understanding what is happening? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: August 08 2010 at 6:12pm
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Jeff do you plan on using a ph controller to control your co2 silenoid? If not I would highly recommend it, it takes out the hassle of setting up a calcium reactor. What I did on mine is set my co2 bubble count to about 1 bubble per second and then set my ph controller to 6.5. After you have it to this point all you have to do is adjust your effluent drip rate to what your tank is consuming. Your ph controller will control when the co2 is injected into the reactor, you dont have to worry about it, it will kick on at whatever ph you want. I had mine set to come on at 6.8 and turn off at 6.5. After I adjusted my effluent to what my tank was using I would just test my tank weekly and it was always spot on (or very very close). You will have co2 in your effluent no matter if the reactor is set up right or not. You are forcing water into a reactor, lowering the ph to 6.5 with co2 to disolve the media to release calcium and dripping it back into your tank so your effluent is going to be at a ph of 6.5 You don't necessarily need a larger protein skimmer to drip your effluent into it. The reason a skimmer helps "blow off" some of the co2 is your skimmer is sucking in fresh air and mixing it with water so dripping your effluent in with the air and water helps get rid of some of the excess co2. At least that is what I have been told
 ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: August 09 2010 at 6:21am
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Yes I have an apex that I will be using to control the ph. So if I had a dual chamber what would the ph be coming out? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: August 09 2010 at 7:49am
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I cant remember exactly what the ph was coming out of the second chamber, sorry. I do know it was enough to keep my ph at a safe level at night where before I had the 2nd chamber my ph got to low. ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: August 09 2010 at 7:14pm
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Right now I am running 1 ph probe and orp. Do I need to have 2 ph probes? ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |
Posted By: tcfab
Date Posted: August 09 2010 at 7:17pm
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Yes if you want to monitor your calcium reactor and your tanks ph. Neptune makes an expansion socket for an additional ph probe. ------------- Need custom acrylic work? give me a call, www.Elite-Aquatics.net (801)645-6386 |
Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: August 09 2010 at 7:20pm
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I'll be broke soon!! I think it is called the pm2. I think monitoring ph in the reactor would be important. But would still like to control my ozone ( it helps alot) ------------- Jeff 125 tank 50 gallon sump T-5 lighting Rum drinker, Carbon User I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!! |