Calcium Reactor Tunning

[sugi]

Hi all,

I am currently using Korallin C-3002 for my 3.5ft x 2 x 2.5ft tank.

I am using ARM media.

It has been running for about 5 months.

I am keeping SPS and LPS. SPS about = 12 medium size colonies.

My CR setting:

Effluent: 1 drop per second

CO2 Bubble:

1 bubble every 8-10 seconds

I have been able to maintain my CA at 450 - 480 without any adjustment.

I also dose to increase DKH.

I usually measure my Ca about once a month cause the value quite stable.

Recently I set up a PH controller and to my surprise my effluent PH has drop to 6.01 which i belive way too low.

I felt very strange at 1 bubble/ 8 seconds, i can bring the PH value so low.

Has anyone experience such a phenomenom ?

What is the apropriate PH value for ARM media ?

It seems like my CR is so efficient. or it is normal ?

Thanks

[lightningstrike]

hi,

did u calibrate ur pH controller right? previously while i was using my korallin C-1501, i maintain my pH at ard 6.7 for A.R.M media to dissolve.

btw, C-3002 is the 110W ehiem 1048 version, so u got ur korallin overseas?

[roidan]

no surprise at all...

korallin design is for pressurized chamber and thus the co2 usage rate is very low....i also bubble around 1 bubble per 8-10 seconds....

i used to bubble much faster and end up the whole chamber gets chalky/milky faster due to excess dissolution of the ARM...hehe

[weileong]

If you need to dose to increase kH that means your CR is not supplying sufficient kH and Ca which means you need to increase the effluent flow for your case.

The ratio of kH and Ca is abt 1:50 in our reef tank and that is why is always seems that kH drops while Ca maintains but in actual fact boths are dropping but just that Ca needs to drop more for us to detect it. What I suggest is to tune your CR so its hold the kH value as any changes in kH can be easier to see than compared to Ca.

[minsmarine]

I believe he is using 3001.

Did u see bubble forming @ top of CR ?

My setting is 10 bubble - 1 CO2, 70 bubble per minutes. PH 6.7. But I got Kh reading only 23dKh.

Any other Koralin user could u kindly share ur setting ?

[sugi]

hi,

did u calibrate ur pH controller right? previously while i was using my korallin C-1501, i maintain my pH at ard 6.7 for A.R.M media to dissolve.

btw, C-3002 is the 110W ehiem 1048 version, so u got ur korallin overseas?

Sorry Bro,

It should be C-3001.

Bought from EAN.

My initial set up, My Ph about 6.8.

[lightningstrike]

Sorry Bro,

It should be C-3001.

Bought from EAN.

My initial set up, My Ph about 6.8.

where did u plug in the pH probe for the controller? coz the old korallin design do not comes with the new lid which can hse the pH probe.

[sugi]

where did u plug in the pH probe for the controller? coz the old korallin design do not comes with the new lid which can hse the pH probe.

I drip the effluent into a small container before it overflows to the sump.

The probe is inserted into the small container.

Would it effect the PH reading ?

[sugi]

If you need to dose to increase kH that means your CR is not supplying sufficient kH and Ca which means you need to increase the effluent flow for your case.

The ratio of kH and Ca is abt 1:50 in our reef tank and that is why is always seems that kH drops while Ca maintains but in actual fact boths are dropping but just that Ca needs to drop more for us to detect it. What I suggest is to tune your CR so its hold the kH value as any changes in kH can be easier to see than compared to Ca.

Bro Weileong,

What would be the best tunning to have balance CA and KH ?

Inreasing the bubble count or effluent drop might increase my CA significantly.

I have a few occasion that my CA is more than 500.

Rgds

[lightningstrike]

I drip the effluent into a small container before it overflows to the sump.

The probe is inserted into the small container.

Would it effect the PH reading ?

frankly, i am not 2 sure, coz i was doing the same previously as what u r doing now. but for simplicity and better control, why not get the lid upgrade. available from marinedepot. i got mine from there.

read korallin lid upgrade for more details.

[sugi]

frankly, i am not 2 sure, coz i was doing the same previously as what u r doing now. but for simplicity and better control, why not get the lid upgrade. available from marinedepot. i got mine from there.

read korallin lid upgrade for more details.

Bro,

How much is the total cost inclusive freight ?

Thanks

[surfedelic]

Using C3001 model. Mime is still fine tunning. But so far Cal is too high at 500 ppm but KH still trying to balance at 12 dkh .. so far morning and night difference is always 2 dkh usu reach home in the evening the dkh drop to 8 or 9 dkh.

Co2 bpm is at 2/sec. effluent dkh is about 27 to 28 dkh and 5 bps.

mg is about 1500 ppm.

The dkh demand is really a challenge .. a friend of mime suggest to me using another cal reactor anybody having the same thought ?

[weileong]

Bro Weileong,

What would be the best tunning to have balance CA and KH ?

Inreasing the bubble count or effluent drop might increase my CA significantly.

I have a few occasion that my CA is more than 500.

Rgds

Assuming your ARM is not expired which I don't believe so. In this case your effluent output shouldbe kH and Ca in a ratio of around 1:50 which should be roughly equal to the ratio of consumption rate in your reef.

So what you need to do now is to go measure your kH consumption rate in your reef tank then try to tune/measure the kH that your CR is supplying. Tune till the Cr can hold the kH nicely.

When you Ca is more than 500, how much is your kH? I bet it shoot sky high?

[weileong]

Good reading

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.htm

For my tank, the kH stays very close to 7.0 and Ca 430ppm. No need to dose any addictive or stuffs like that even after water change as the TM pro reef salt I used has kH and Ca close to 7 and 430ppm respectively.

I am using rowalith in my CR and at CR chamber pH 6.32 the effluent Ca is 570 and kH 31.5 so I just adjust the effluent flow and control the chamber pH to be stable with a pH controller, with this I can tune the consumption rate of my tank to match the supply from the CR.

Without knowing your effluent kH and Ca and tank consumption rate, how do you expect to tune your CR properly?

[lightningstrike]

Bro,

How much is the total cost inclusive freight ?

Thanks

think it will cost u ard $100+++, hv since sold the CR away. buyer of my korallin C-1501 did a simple mod on the lid for recirculating co2 as well. drilled a hole on the lid and placed an air hose adaptor to prevent co2 build up in the chamber, connecting the hose to the pump. looks good, works well so far. but again, i m not sure if it will help u with ur current tuning qns.

i m a nerd when it comes to these things.

[surfedelic]

ARMS media got expiry ? never really take note .. thanks for pointing out.

[weileong]

I meant exhausted

Dissolved till let the outer skin only.

[sugi]

I have adjusted the effluent PH as 6.5

Just taken the effluent reading:

CA: 560

KH : more than 32 cause maximum reading of the test kit is 32

but I think it should be around 38.

I guess this is normal.

I will monitor further and control the effluent drip rate as bro Weileong suggested.

I will start as 1 drip/second and monitor the tank consumption.

I learnt something from this thread.

[lightningstrike]

I have adjusted the effluent PH as 6.5

Just taken the effluent reading:

CA: 560

KH : more than 32 cause maximum reading of the test kit is 32

but I think it should be around 38.

I guess this is normal.

I will monitor further and control the effluent drip rate as bro Weileong suggested.

I will start as 1 drip/second and monitor the tank consumption.

I learnt something from this thread.

juz halve the dosage instructions for ur kH test. u'll get a less accurate but good enough kH reading.

[sugi]

juz halve the dosage instructions for ur kH test. u'll get a less accurate but good enough kH reading.

Bro,

Already half it.

Cannot divide by 4.

[weileong]

Just one suggestion, is to tune your CR till your kH is stable, remember to always measure the kH around the same time of the day. This is due to the fact that kH changes are more apparent than Ca as seawater contains much more Ca.