Quote:
Originally Posted by Railskinner
I have just set up a calcium reactor as well. Last night
calcium 440/alk 11/ ph 8.3 /salinity 1.023
77 gal/33 gal sump
5lbs tank/ milwaukee regulator/bubble counter/soleniod/needle valve /sms122 controller.Followed intructions for set up and ph was about 7.8. So i raised the bubble counter and then it dropped to 7.4
ATM I have everything working bubble counter set at about 150 drops per minute/ effulent at 180 drops. Ph was at 7.4 This morning I looked at ph controller and it's reading 7.0. I 'm trying to get this down to about 6.5- 6.7. If l turn the bubble counter up more and keep the efulent flow the same will this knock the ph down for me.
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With that size tank unless it's overflowing with large sps colonies I would slow down the drip rate to ~120 min and bubble count to about 60/ min and come adjust the reactor slowly from there
A basic rule of thumb to start is ~ 2 drops of effluent to one bubble... then test ph CA and ALK if all are fine then leave'er be if the ph is low, then so will the alk, just increase the bubble count. If the Ca is low but ph is OK-low and the ALK is high, only adjust the drop rate.
Summary
Low alk---> increase the CO2 bubble count
Low Ca---> increase the drop rate
Low Alk and Ca but good PH----> increase both in the 2:1 ratio (drops:CO2)
Good Ca and Alk but low PH---> leave it and check again in a few days
High alk and low Ca---> check Mg if OK (above 1350) increase drop rate
These are the general rules of thumbs I have used to dial in my reactor...
HTH
Dan