A potential problem for Calcium Reactor users

[Anonymous]

A recent problem with my reactor allowed me to identify a problem I didn't even know I had.

I have a customized PMI reactor that I have been using fro a couple of years. The reactor is based on their CR622 (?) design, but with a 4" taller reaction chamber and a much larger Eheim circualtion pump (twice the size of their pump on their standard reactor). I increased the size of the pump because I was, and still am, convinced that circulation through the reaction chamber is a key factor in reactor performance.

Anyways, I recently topped off the media in the reaction chamber with additional ARM media. I didn't bother cleaning the reactor or rinsing the media still in the chamber since it had not been that long since the last complete cleaning. Anyways, a few weeks after adding the extra media, the reactor starting leaking water out through the top gasket. I also notice that air had accumulated in the bottom of the reactor below the media.

After tearing the reactor apart, I discovered that sponge at the bottom of the reactor, and on which the media sits, had become clogged with fine particulate matter from the dissolviong media. This created a back pressure sufficient to cause the leak. Prior to the actual leaking, the clogged sponge most likely reduced the flow through the reactor by quite a bit, which in turn reduced the efficiency and capacity of the reactor.

The problem was easily solved by increasing the surface area of the sponge and by adding an additional, coarser sponge on top of the original sponge. The result is that I am getting higher effluent dkh readings for the same level of pH. But as I mentioned above, I would not have known that this was even a problem if it were not for the leak.

 

[liquid]

marked for archiving

 

[MiNdErAsR]

The problem was easily solved by increasing the surface area of the sponge and by adding an additional, coarser sponge on top of the original sponge.

Of course simply cleaning your reactor, rather than refilling it, would have also prevented this problem. I find I can "top off" the media only once before having to clean the sponge.

IME

 

[Anonymous]

The problem was easily solved by increasing the surface area of the sponge and by adding an additional, coarser sponge on top of the original sponge.

Of course simply cleaning your reactor, rather than refilling it, would have also prevented this problem. I find I can "top off" the media only once before having to clean the sponge.

IME

Actually, it would not have prevented the problem. It would only have reduce the degree of the problem to a level that would have allowed the problem to go un-discovered. It is almost impossible to gauge the actual flow through the reaction chamber. My pump is rated at 800 gph, but it could have been operating at 200 gph for all I knew. It was not until the flow rate had deteriorated enough to create a back pressure large enough to cause a leak that I even knew I had a problem. Moreover, because this unit is a custom design with an extra large pump, I don't even know if the original sponge, even in its most pristine condition, was sufficient to handle the flow rate for this pump. This is an issue that I am still exploring and may require some additional changes to my reactor, such as increasing the surface area of the sponge, to make sure flow rates are not deteriorated.

In any event, the problem was caused by the deterioration of the sponge originally supplied by the manufacturer. Although I clean the sponge regularly, it is almost impossible to restore it to its original condition. The sponge also tends to compress more easily over time, which further reduces it porosity. As a result, I would suggest replacing the sponge on a regular basis.

 

[Anonymous]

I have been giving this some more thought. Perhaps a sponge is the wrong material to begin with. My old reactor, a Koralin 1501, only used a very thin permeable sheet to prevent the media from getting into the pump. There was very little compression of this sheet so it would tend to not clog.

What types of materials are used in other calcium reactors? There has got to be something better than a sponge that will not compress or clog. Any ideas??

 

[dgasmd]

This happened to me for a different reason recently.
I have a very large custom made reactor that had been going for about 4-5 months. Over the last few weeks I ahd been adjusting the CO2 rate thinking the regulator must ahve been faulty, but in reality it was the pH probe that was old and needed replacing. I had turned the CO2 to the point the reactor media turned into mush and clogged the sponge. After taking out the media and rinsing it, there must ahve been about 3-4 Lb of sand/mush sitting among the media and clogging the sponge.
What I think would work better is a piece of eggcrate covered by some mesh used for screen doors with a sponge under it.
I knew this would be a problem long term and was planning on rinsing out the media when topping off. It just got here sooner than expected due to the pH probe.
:lol:

 

[Anonymous]

A few questions:

What media are you using?
What pH are you trying to maintain for the effluent?
What dkh are you able to obtain for the effluent and at what flow rate?

I have been using Caribsea's ARM. I maintain an effluent pH of around 6.8. I am having trouble getting an effluent dkh of more than 18-20 irrespective of what effluent flow rate I use.

FWIW, I suspect that the media turning to mudd is also a problem that I am having.