Calcium reactor question
- Thread starter dcforester1
- Start date
Behrmon
pr (BearMon)
I'd go with the original foam. Media gets smaller and smaller as time passes, eventually it's sand and would blow right through the black and white plastic stuff and clog up something somewhere
Agreed, those openings are to great IMO.
OP
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dcforester1
Finally enjoying my tank
OK Ques#2 any idea where I can get some? I dont feel like ordering it from PM, then waiting and pay $10 for shipping
Thanks Guys
Thanks Guys
TI has a great selection of replacement round foam disks in the form of replacements for canister filters. Too much $ for what they are, but still probably less than $10. You just have to hunt around to find the right size. (ie open some boxes and measure the actual size)
OP
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dcforester1
Finally enjoying my tank
I dont know if this is easier to keep questions here, or to start a new thread. I am wondering how people are feeding there reactors, and placing there PH probes if there is no holder on the reactor. Also does the water exiting the the reactor just get dumped in to sump, and does it matter what chamber?
Thanks for the help, and I am sure I will have more qustions. Derek
Thanks for the help, and I am sure I will have more qustions. Derek
Leroy
Pres. NE Matchcover Club
Rena filters has 3 different sponge types that can be found at Pet Smart for reasonable money. I find that an electric carving knife works best to cut foam and sponge.
Some reactors are siphon fed, from some articles I've read, and others will use a Mini 404 or 606 to feed the reactor. Water exiting the reactor or effluent is monitored within a container with a PH probe and can be made of anything from a small plastic food grade cup to an elaborate hang on drip type acrylic box so effluent drips can be counted and probe is secured in place. Effluent PH is monitored and would controlled so's not to allow your reactor media to degrade. Allow effluent to drip in the first phase of the sump to adequately mix before being returned to the display tank. There's good information regarding calcium reactors and their function in Reefkeeping online aquariums.
Some reactors are siphon fed, from some articles I've read, and others will use a Mini 404 or 606 to feed the reactor. Water exiting the reactor or effluent is monitored within a container with a PH probe and can be made of anything from a small plastic food grade cup to an elaborate hang on drip type acrylic box so effluent drips can be counted and probe is secured in place. Effluent PH is monitored and would controlled so's not to allow your reactor media to degrade. Allow effluent to drip in the first phase of the sump to adequately mix before being returned to the display tank. There's good information regarding calcium reactors and their function in Reefkeeping online aquariums.
NeverlosT
Engineer with a reefing problem
Ive done it both ways (measuring effluent down the line and measuring in the reactor). If you think of it as a typical control system, there is less "lag" in the system when you measure the pH IN the reactor, as CO2 is added as SOON as it is needed. When you mount the probe out at the end of the effluent line, by the time it sees a high pH and tells the controller "hey I need CO2" the actual pH IN the reactor will be considerably higher. Therefore mounting the probe in the reactor will give you a more steady pH right where you want it, mounting it external at the end of the effluent line will result in a sine wave looking pH. Really, they are both ok, as long as your sine wave amplitude isnt super high (i.e. you arent dipping to 5.5 and then rising to 7.5). My current probe is mounted in a secondary chamber and my sine wave dips to 6.2 and then rises to 6.8 all day long. I think that is fine.
As far as mounting goes, you can drill a hole in the top cap of the reactor, tap it, and they make these probe holders that thread in and are water tight.
water exiting the reactor should get dumped into a high flow area of the sump. Mine enters right where the refugium dumps back into the sump. I think some people have theirs output right into the skimmer chamber and aerating the effluent along with the tank water it is added to is supposed to keep the low effluent pH from lowering your tank pH. Although I must say, I dont think my reactor alters my tank pH what-so-ever.
Good luck!
oh and fill your reactor 85% with ARM and 15% with Dolomite (can get it at CRA or just about any fish store, or I have like 20 lbs of it...). The ARM will give you Ca and Alk and the dolomite will help maintain your Mag levels (they wont completely replace having to supplement, but they will slow down the dip).
go get em.
EDIT: oh and leroy brings up a good point. put a needle valve on the output of your reactor and put a small (very small) powerhead on the input. it will pressurize the reactor and allow you to predictably control the effluent drip (probably better than siphon feeding).
As far as mounting goes, you can drill a hole in the top cap of the reactor, tap it, and they make these probe holders that thread in and are water tight.
water exiting the reactor should get dumped into a high flow area of the sump. Mine enters right where the refugium dumps back into the sump. I think some people have theirs output right into the skimmer chamber and aerating the effluent along with the tank water it is added to is supposed to keep the low effluent pH from lowering your tank pH. Although I must say, I dont think my reactor alters my tank pH what-so-ever.
Good luck!
oh and fill your reactor 85% with ARM and 15% with Dolomite (can get it at CRA or just about any fish store, or I have like 20 lbs of it...). The ARM will give you Ca and Alk and the dolomite will help maintain your Mag levels (they wont completely replace having to supplement, but they will slow down the dip).
go get em.
EDIT: oh and leroy brings up a good point. put a needle valve on the output of your reactor and put a small (very small) powerhead on the input. it will pressurize the reactor and allow you to predictably control the effluent drip (probably better than siphon feeding).
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Derek, if you don't want to drill a hole in your reactor you can always plumb the probe into the circulation loop. This is what I did on my GEO reactor. Just make sure you mount the gland higher than the top of the reactor so it can be easily removed for cleaning/inspection.
The two advantages I see to having the probe mounted in the chamber/circulation loop, instead of outside the reactor, are:
1) If the effluent clogs you won't run the risk of the controller continuing to dump Co2 into the reactor which will ruin the media.
2) When the controller is dumping Co2 into the chamber, the probe will have an instantaneous reading of the falling PH inside the chamber. If you're only measuring the effluent, there could be a considerable lag time until the PH of the cup shows a true representation of the PH inside the reactor.
The two advantages I see to having the probe mounted in the chamber/circulation loop, instead of outside the reactor, are:
1) If the effluent clogs you won't run the risk of the controller continuing to dump Co2 into the reactor which will ruin the media.
2) When the controller is dumping Co2 into the chamber, the probe will have an instantaneous reading of the falling PH inside the chamber. If you're only measuring the effluent, there could be a considerable lag time until the PH of the cup shows a true representation of the PH inside the reactor.
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dcforester1
Finally enjoying my tank
WOW, I didnt know there was this much to it. Does anyone want to buy a calcium reactor?JK Thanks guys, all you had good info. Thanks for the help. I was also wondering what you put in the bubble counter? Should you use glycerin, or water? Its a Milwaukee regulator.
I prefer olive oil. It's thick enough so you can easily count the bubbles, and it's green so it looks purdy
Miller
Non-member
I always use RODI water....for some odd reason I always have plenty on hand
.We had a Milwaukee regulator, hopefully yours is not a cranky PITA like mine was
. I had to adjust mine weekly to keep it running right. that only lasted a year before I ditched it for an aquariumplants.com setup.We had a Milwaukee regulator, hopefully yours is not a cranky PITA like mine was
Were your problems with the solenoid or the regulator? IME the Milwaukee regulators are just fine but the solenoids usually fail after a couple years.
I too ditched my traditional solenoid for an aquarium plants electronic solenoid. Money well spent...
Miller
Non-member
I believe the problem was with the regulator. I took it apart a few time to make sure the solenoid was still functioning properly and wasn't stuck only part way open.
Probably in the top five for best purchase reef tank wise for me!
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dcforester1
Finally enjoying my tank
Are you peeking in my window? I couldnt get any bubbles solenoid not opening. I took the box of it, and it caked with some crap that isnt allowing it to open. So much for buyinh second hand.
Can you get new solenoids? Or do I need a new regulator, and where ould I get one?
Its just the little silver box on the line. The solinoid is working.
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Miller
Non-member
Are you peeking in my window? I couldnt get any bubbles solenoid not opening. I took the box of it, and it caked with some crap that isnt allowing it to open. So much for buyinh second hand.
Can you get new solenoids? Or do I need a new regulator, and where ould I get one?
Its just the little silver box on the line. The solinoid is working.
Derek you going to hate this suggestion. Ditch the regulator you have and buy one from aquariumplants.com. Their electronic one KICKS some major donkey.
It is way easier to use then the one you have.
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