pH level in Ca Reactor

[coolwater]

I recently setup up a DIY Ca reactor which resembles DIY square reactor on ReefCentral and I started with tank parameter as followed:

Alkalinity: 8 dKH
Ca: 420 ppm
pH: 8.2

Effluent out parameters are:
Alkalinity : 26 dKH
Ca: undetermined
pH: 7.2

Quection is: Should I lower more pH in effluent out to about 6.5-6.8? I want my tank level at around 10-11 dKH and about 440 ppm of Ca of course while maintaining tank pH around 8.0-8.2

 

[ChrisRD]

Your tank parameters look perfect (right at NSW numbers). If you're holding those numbers, I wouldn't mess with it personally.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree. If your corals continue to grow and you find Ca and ALK levels gradually falling then it would be a good time to increase bubble count but if it's working fine don't mess with it.

 

[Anonymous]

Classic reefer mentality:

If it is doing great, and I trick/hack it a little more, maybe it will be even better?

 

[coolwater]

I read it somewhere (probably reefkeeping issue) that try to set reactor pH to about 6.5-6.7 or something like that. Mine is at 7.1-7.2. Should I try to get it lower? Does the ARM media dissolve at pH around 7.1-7.2?

I just setup the reactor but still have to monitor in next couple days or weeks just to match up with consumming rate. I don't even know whether it's working or not since I just set it up. If in the next couple weeks and my tank is still at where it started, I am a happy man.

 

[ChrisRD]

Does the ARM media dissolve at pH around 7.1-7.2?

Yes, it will. The ARM media dissolves easier (ie. at a higher pH) than many other medias. One of the advantages to this is that it can help minimize the problem of depressing system pH because your reactor effluent pH is so low. Another advantage is that it can help lower your CO2 usage (although CO2 is very cheap anyway).

HTH