Trouble dialing in calcium reactor!! Help!!!

[steevareno]

I have an MRC Cr-2 dual chamber reactor. My problem is that the effluent PH won't go under 7.7. I understand it should be between 6.5 to 6.9. I have the bubble count set to 6 bubbles/min and the effluent 15 drips/minute. I originally had it double that but read that i should turn the effluent down to get the effluent PH to a lower reading. It's been 48 hours and the effluent PH still won't drop below 7.7! How should i tackle this problem? The calcium and alk of the tank are slowly dropping as well so i will need to raise those a little. Ph in the tank is fine at 8.2........

 

[Ray]

Raise you bubble count

 

[steevareno]

ok, how much? Should i raise the effluent drip too?

 

[nitrofish]

iv heard that 2 drips of effulent to every 1 buble works out close to the right combo. either way your gona have to tinker with it a little.

 

[JohnK]

Yea more bubbles. I would set the effluent rate than keep that steady and make adjustments with the Co2 until you get the effluent at the target PH. If that doesn't keep up with the system demands, increase the effluent rate and then repeat the Co2 dialing in process. Wait a day or so between adjustments. I want to say I was running about 50-60 ml / min effluent rate with about 30-40 bubbles of Co2 / min.

To measure the effluent I would run it into a measuring cup for 5 min then figure out the ml / min. It's tough to go by drops IME.

jk

 

[steevareno]

Thanks Jimmy. Your on your #666 post

 

[smcnally]

Now I'm confused...The instructions to my PM reactor say to have a "Trickling Stream" of effulant and to set the CO2 to 1 bubble per second to start. It then says to lower bubble count to raise PH and raise bubble count to lower PH. My PH was staying between 7.9 and 8.1 so I lowered my count to what I belive is 1 bubble every 2 seconds (The bubbles come up tiny but faster) Now my tank PH is right at 8.2-8.4, alk around 12 dKh, and calcium is around 440-460.

 

[delta]

why worry about ph why not just test the alk till your bubble count(co2) is keeping the alk\calc in line. i use a broken stream and adjust my bubble count.
very simple to dial in this way and that is all your trying to accomplish really doesnt matter what the ph is specifically. then if using a controller you can figure out what ph level to set the controller to turn off the co2.

 

[JohnK]

I wouldn't try to dial the reactor by looking at the tank PH, it will vary a lot between different systems and reactors.

theoretically the PH in the reactor needs to be within a certain range (6.5-6.8?) for the media to dissolve without turning to soup. I agree that you can test the levels of Ca and alk in the effluent, but I would start by going for the ballpark PH first then fine tune from there.

If you have a PH monitor, just run the effluent into a small container (shot glass) with the probe in the container and set it somewhere where it will overflow into the tank or sump. Then set a drip/stream rate and leave it steady and tune with the bubble count. Increase bubble count to drop PH, lower bubble count to raise PH.

$.02

Now I'm at 667 and no longer evil

jk