Tuning a Calcium Reactor

[Joe_P]

Hi Guys,

jus wondering how's your reactor working on your reef??

Have been runnin my DIYed CA Reactor on my reef and noticed the following...

Combination of bubble count at 1 bubble every 3 seconds and effluent drip at 40 drops per second... with resultant pH of 6.5 for a single chamber can't meet my Reefs Calcium demand.....

Reading of dkH from the effluent is above the 32 dkH that the salifert can register....

So i increase the effluent rate into a constant drip.... and increase the bubble count to 1 bubble per second.....

Resultants pH of effluent 6.8 ..

dKH of effluent ....47... used 2 ml instead of the usual 1 ml for tiltration.... and using low resolution... with reference to this...

Measuring the calcium and alkalinity in the effluent can be troublesome as the levels of both are expected to be much higher than for normal seawater. Some kits may not be able measure calcium or alkalinity that high. It is worth noting, however, that as both calcium and alkalinity are normally measured using a titration, there should be no reason that extra titrant can't be added.

For both the Salifert and Seachem calcium kits, the titration uses a syringe to dispense the titrant. When the entire contents of the syringe is added, the calcium concentration is 500 mg/L. If the syringe is refilled and the titration continued until completion, the reading from the syringe can be added to 500 mg/L to determine the calcium concentration. For example, if the second reading indicates the calcium concentration is 250 mg/L, the total concentration will be 750 mg/L.

Similarly, the Salifert alkalinity kit uses a syringe to dispense the titrant and this can be refilled to continue the titration. Another method to extend the titration is to use half quantities of sample and reagents. The reading of the titration is then doubled to get the true measurement.

from this thread... "Calcium Reactor tuning"

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...calcium+reactor

Anyone has this problem...??

[Achilles Tang]

Your topic title's misleading. I'll rename it soon.

[Achilles Tang]

Anyway, what's your calcium depletion rate? And what's the calcium levels coming out of your CR effluent?

I have ever tuned mine to output 620ppm of calcium before, with alk at 36.40 at PH of 6.71.

I don't have any problems keeping my tank's alk and cal levels stable now.... but I can't imagine why your frags are taking up more than my reef tank's??

[CalciumReef]

Combination of bubble count at 1 bubble every 3 seconds and effluent drip at 40 drops per second... with resultant pH of 6.5 for a single chamber can't meet my Reefs Calcium demand.....

How to Count 40 drops in a sec???

[Achilles Tang]

You humans are so inferior.

You need bionic eyes for that!

Well... what I would do is I use a countdown timer for 10 secs... and count off the drops and stop once the beeper sounds. Then divide results by 10.

Repeat experiment 3 times... you will come up with an average result.

Works for me! Dunno about Joe_p.

[Achilles Tang]

I'm just pulling your leg lah!! At 40 drops a sec... its a stream already!!!!

IMO, anything past 10 drops/sec is almost a stream already!

Hoping Joe_p will show up and explain it to us... coz he hasn't replied since posting this up.

[CalciumReef]

I thought i gone stoopid

[Achilles Tang]

This is your last chance, Calciumreef, after this, there is no going back.

You take the blue pill and the story ends.You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe

You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

Remember that all I am offering is the truth.....

Once you are in the Reeftrix... you can see 40 drops a sec... no... you will FEEL the 40 drops a sec. if you are the ONE, you can become 40 drops a sec!

[CalciumReef]

[Achilles Tang]

Where's Joe_p... I seriously don't know what to rename this thread into...

My reef has a way monster appetite for calcium? My reactor isn't working? How to tune it?

JOE! Where are you???

[nutx]

I thought i gone stoopid

He paiseh dare not come out to reply!

[CalciumReef]

Should be typo error lah...

[Joe_P]

Sorry ..... 40 drops per min....

And thanks for the entertainment....

[seahorse]

We should thank you for starting the entertainment...

[Joe_P]

I have ever tuned mine to output 620ppm of calcium before, with alk at 36.40 at PH of 6.71.

I don't have any problems keeping my tank's alk and cal levels stable now.... but I can't imagine why your frags are taking up more than my reef tank's??

Whats your effluent drip rate like???

Dunno whether if the rate of effluent drip does affect the system overall Calcium/alk levels...

And that is what I'm trying to point out...

Sorry for the misleading title.....

[Tanzy]

Drops per minute is too vague. Something along the lines of mL/min is more accurate and appropriate. Get a container and measure the amount of water that comes out for 5 minutes.

[Achilles Tang]

Dunno whether if the rate of effluent drip does affect the system overall Calcium/alk levels...

Duh.... of course it does!!!! That's the basis of how you tune your CR!!

Need more calcium & alk.... open up the tap loh!! Dun need so much, lower the output loh!!

Of course, if you want more calcium & alk laden output... you have to up your bubble count and water input at the same time!

[Joe_P]

Aiya .... I go open tap and gas now .....

[Achilles Tang]

Seriously joe... pls tell me what you want me to rename this thread to.

[nutx]

Combination of bubble count at 1 bubble every 3 seconds and effluent drip at 40 drops per second... with resultant pH of 6.5 for a single chamber can't meet my Reefs Calcium demand.....

Reading of dkH from the effluent is above the 32 dkH that the salifert can register....

So i increase the effluent rate into a constant drip.... and increase the bubble count to 1 bubble per second.....

Resultants pH of effluent 6.8 ..

dKH of effluent ....47... used 2 ml instead of the usual 1 ml for tiltration.... and using low resolution... with reference to this...

err...let me try...

I think Joe is asking whether the Effluent drip rate is affecting the output from the Ca reactor, or how to tune for a higher output?

His experiments are as follows:

Trial 1 :

Bubble count at 1 bubble every 3 seconds and

Effluent drip at 40 drops per minutes

Resultant Output :

pH of 6.5

dkH above the 32 dkH that the salifert can register....

Trial 2 :

Bubble count to 1 bubble per second.....

Effluent rate into a constant drip....

Resultants Output :

pH of 6.8

dKH 47... (used 2 ml instead of the usual 1 ml for tiltration.... and using low resolution)

What you missed out is to measure the Output Ca level.

In the 1st trial, the Effluent drip to CO2 input ratio is lower compared to Trial 2, so the ph level is maintain at a lower level which should promote easier dissolve of the Ca media.

But the relationship between the dkh and Ca level on the output is not able to establish in your trials. I suppose the dkh and Ca level is affected by what brand of media you are using.

The Co2 input ratio to the effluent drip ratio is important to maintain the pH in the chamber at 6.x level for best dissolve rate for the Ca media.The Co2 lower the ph, while the Effluent drip (assuming you using the tank water) increase the pH.

[Achilles Tang]

Hmmm.... usually, the lower the PH in the CR, the higher the dKH and Calcium levels.

[Achilles Tang]

Change the title and moving it out to the Marine Equipment forum.

[nutx]

Hmmm.... usually, the lower the PH in the CR, the higher the dKH and Calcium levels.

I tho so on the output, but his measurement is a bit out of norm, based on 2nd trial,

higher effluent drip rate which increase the pH level, yet have a higher dkh.....(but he increase the CO2 input rate too!)

I think the problem is in measuring the correct drip rate.

( 40 drops/second again!)

[Achilles Tang]

You use a reactor too, nutx?

[nutx]

You use a reactor too, nutx?

yes, using a simple macro one...and was having BIG problem to tune for a correct rate previously...