CA reactor or Dosing?

GMGQ · #1 02-14-2011, 01:07 AM

If the water is just streaming out of the reactor, then the pH in the reactor would not be low enough to break down the aragonite. Doesn't the pH have to be around 6.5 in the reactor?

If it's just streaming through the reactor, it would be closer to the level of ur tank, which is around 8.2.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

My setup is really easy. I have a stream coming out of the reactor, no drip rate. I run CO2 full time at a bubble per second, and control output via flow. More flow = less contact with CO2. I tweak it about every 3 months as growth rate expands, and fill it every 8 or 9 months.

amoreira · #2 02-14-2011, 01:22 AM

I don't steadily bubble in the CO2, but let it bubble in at a good rate for 9 minutes every hour. The amount of CO2 in the water becomes saturated in the column. Some excess CO2 gets blown off, but the amount of CO2 in the water is the same every time as it's saturated. The pressure in the column rises to the point were the flow of water through it stops. Eventually, enough CO2 gets blown off or dissolves in the water that the pressure drops and the flow through it resumes. The pH drops and a good amount of aragonite gets dissolved. This method gives me stable Ca/alk parameters. Maybe I'm using too much CO2, but it's not a big waste in my opinion.

Aquattro · #3 02-14-2011, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMGQ

If the water is just streaming out of the reactor, then the pH in the reactor would not be low enough to break down the aragonite. Doesn't the pH have to be around 6.5 in the reactor?

If it's just streaming through the reactor, it would be closer to the level of ur tank, which is around 8.2.

In theory, but with CO2 running full time, contact time is enough to dissolve the media. I'm down about 1.5 inches in 2 months, 6" dia. reaction chamber. Flow is through an micro irrigation drip valve, so not a huge stream, but it is a constant flow.