Question for the CA Reactor users.....

[Miller]

For the members that are using a CA Reactor with a single PH probe (measuring the tanks PH not the PH inside the reactor), how low do you have your controller set before it switches the power off to the solenoid?

8.0, 7.8?

Looking to turn my CO2 on soon and was looking for some input before I programed the AC Jr.

 

[Cheetos]

I have mine set to 7.8 as my pH rarely ever goes higher than 8.0. I also have it shut off the solenoid when the lights go off at 10 pm and then back on again about 2 hours before the lights come back on....all of this so I'm not dumping co2 in my tank all night long. I've been doing this since I started up the reactor 2 years ago and my alk is constantly 9 and calcium 450. Hope that helps Barry!

 

[JohnK]

I run my controller on the effluent and have it set to a turn off at about 6.6

Not sure if that's a good way to do it with a whole system controller, but it works great for controlling just the reactor/co2.

 

[Miller]

I have mine set to 7.8 as my pH rarely ever goes higher than 8.0. I also have it shut off the solenoid when the lights go off at 10 pm and then back on again about 2 hours before the lights come back on....all of this so I'm not dumping co2 in my tank all night long. I've been doing this since I started up the reactor 2 years ago and my alk is constantly 9 and calcium 450. Hope that helps Barry!

Thanks! I was thinking 7.8. ATM without the reactor the tank runs about 8.15-8.2, not sure how much the CA Reactor will drive that down.

I run my controller on the effluent and have it set to a turn off at about 6.6

Not sure if that's a good way to do it with a whole system controller, but it works great for controlling just the reactor/co2.

I thought about using my probe to control just the PH of the reactor, but then if for some reason PH in the tank begins to go do low there is nothing to shut off the reactor (until the inside of the reactor gets to 6.6).

 

[Jim Tansey]

I would leave the controller in the tank, after all that's the main concern (I set mine at 7.8), that said, I also had a monitor on the Ca Reactor and would run about 6.6.

Jim

 

[Greg Hiller]

For those folks that have a solenoid automatically turn off the CO2 flow...don't you find that the water in the line works its way back up the CO2 delivery line and into your needle value (screwing up the valve)?, or do you all have good quality check valves on the line?

 

[Jim Tansey]

I guess I need to check but I think my solenoid valve is downstream from the needle valve, this would prevent that from happening.

Jim

 

[cakemanPA]

I have a good quality check valve directly after my bubble counter. I keep my ph monitor on the CA reactor and setting of at 6.8 seems to keep my parameters pretty good. My alk does run a little high. But my clams are happy as....with the alk high

 

[jtma508]

Yea... you definitely want a check valve in the feedline. I use a plastic one from USPlastics. It's chemically resistant and inexpensive compared to the brass ones.

 

[JohnK]

For those folks that have a solenoid automatically turn off the CO2 flow...don't you find that the water in the line works its way back up the CO2 delivery line and into your needle value (screwing up the valve)?, or do you all have good quality check valves on the line?

I just have a cheapo check valve but as far as I can tell it's never allowed backflow. (Everytime I need to refill the tank I check it by disconnecting the tank side of the line and letting it sit like that for the day while I'm off swapping out the tank).

Should I be concerned?

 

[Miller]

I would leave the controller in the tank, after all that's the main concern (I set mine at 7.8), that said, I also had a monitor on the Ca Reactor and would run about 6.6.

Jim

Thanks Jim. looks like I should get me reactor going soon. Now I just need to start slow with the amount of BPM of CO2.