New Calcium Reactor Fine Tuning Assistance Required.

[Jasonanatal]

Hello Manhattan Reefs members, I am in definite need of assistance in connecting a tuning my Deltec PF500 Calcium Reactor with CO2 tank and Milwakee Regulator. I had initially followed all the instructions that came with my Calcium Reactor but shortly effects after the introduction of the reactor led to the following:

• Alkalinity readings which were normally at a range of 8 KH to 9 KH but were now increased to 11 KH and higher.
• pH readings which were normally at a range of 8.0 pH to 8.1 pH but were now decreased to 7.6 pH and lower.
• Massive spread of both Hair Algae and Cyanobacterio "Red Slime Algae" even though Phosphate readings are 0.0 PPM with the use of a Precision Marine Phosphate Reactor with Rowaphos media, mostly of what I believe is the introduction of excess CO2 into the Reef Aquarium water.
• Return line drip steadily decreases over time and eventually clogs blocking the return of water from the Calcium Reactor to the sump.

The Calcium Reactor has been disconnected for about 2 weeks now and water changes have brought the levels back to an acceptable range. But the Hair Algae and Cyanobacteria "Red Slime Algae" remain. Is their a safe method of seting up my Calcium Reactor so that I didn't waste more then $800.00. If not can I use this unit as a Kalkwasser Reactor as a secondary attempt of integration? Any assistance with this issue would be greatly apprecaited.

 

[House of Laughter]

Jason,

Fine tuning your reactor is not an easy science - I have to say that I spent months gnawing on MR Members ears to get "their feedback" on the "how-to's"

There are a few definites and a few maybes - one definite being the introduction of excess Co2 introduced into the system will directly affect the drop in PH levels - do you know what the effluent coming out of the reactor is? be careful not to melt your media with Co2 - if you infuse too much Co2 you'll make cornmeal mush out of it.

Water flow (in the form of evaporation) will also affect the PH of your tank - available fresh air in the room does too. Keep an eye out for those factor as the flow MIGHT (one of the maybes above) be a cause of the cyanobacteria. Cyano also MAYBE a byproduct of the Ca media you are using (high in phosphates?) the age of your tank or byproduct of RO/DI output.

I'd be curious to know what your Po4 levels are with a hannah meter.

All this stuff about drip rate and bubble counts can be confusing - feel free to drop me a line to discuss.

House

 

[Jasonanatal]

Jason,

Fine tuning your reactor is not an easy science - I have to say that I spent months gnawing on MR Members ears to get "their feedback" on the "how-to's"

There are a few definites and a few maybes - one definite being the introduction of excess Co2 introduced into the system will directly affect the drop in PH levels - do you know what the effluent coming out of the reactor is? be careful not to melt your media with Co2 - if you infuse too much Co2 you'll make cornmeal mush out of it.

Water flow (in the form of evaporation) will also affect the PH of your tank - available fresh air in the room does too. Keep an eye out for those factor as the flow MIGHT (one of the maybes above) be a cause of the cyanobacteria. Cyano also MAYBE a byproduct of the Ca media you are using (high in phosphates?) the age of your tank or byproduct of RO/DI output.

I'd be curious to know what your Po4 levels are with a hannah meter.

All this stuff about drip rate and bubble counts can be confusing - feel free to drop me a line to discuss.

House

House of Laughter, thank you for the welcomed assitance in fine tuning my Deltec PF500 Calcium Reactor. Unfortunately I do not know the pH of the effluent coming from the reactor. The instructions manual states that the Alkalinity measurement of the effluent must be in the range of 35 dKH through 40 dKH but does not state anything concerning the pH. I have been told from professional aquarium maintenance personnel that the pH of the effluent should measure 6.5 pH through 7.0 pH. The pH of my Reef Aquarium normally measures 8.0 pH thorugh 8.2 pH with a more the adequate allowance of fresh air circulation. Evaporation effect is minimized through my Do-It-Yourself Automatic Top-Off System. As for Phosphates their measuring 0.0 PPM. I'm running a Precision Marine Phosphate Reactor with Rowaphos Media which has helped maintain the
readings below detection.

I have included some photographs of the Deltec PF500 Calcium Reactor and I have included the Adobe PDF file of the Instruction Manual within this post for your review. Thank you once again for the assistance.

Photograph - Components of the Deltec PF500 Calcium Reactor with CO2 Canister and Milwaukee Selonoid Regulator.

 

[House of Laughter]

What brand media are you using? And why does the top layer look like sand?

As for the effluent - mine coming out of my reactor is 7.6

6.5 is low IMO, but some media react better to that amount of Co2 than others. I use ARM and it has been known to melt away with PH of 6.5 (just from my readings, nothing empirical). if you want to know the PH of your effluent put the PH probe in a cup, allow it to fill with effluent and then check your PH. If you're using a controller, you'll need to set the controller so it doesn't shut off the reactor.

What I was referring to was the gas exchange between fresh air and water. That is a determining factor in PH - not whether or not you're topping off. I am more interested in knowing if there is good evaporation rate/gas exchange happening in the room.

Do you have the reactor on a timer?

 

[Jasonanatal]

What brand media are you using? And why does the top layer look like sand?

As for the effluent - mine coming out of my reactor is 7.6

6.5 is low IMO, but some media react better to that amount of Co2 than others. I use ARM and it has been known to melt away with PH of 6.5 (just from my readings, nothing empirical). if you want to know the PH of your effluent put the PH probe in a cup, allow it to fill with effluent and then check your PH. If you're using a controller, you'll need to set the controller so it doesn't shut off the reactor.

What I was referring to was the gas exchange between fresh air and water. That is a determining factor in PH - not whether or not you're topping off. I am more interested in knowing if there is good evaporation rate/gas exchange happening in the room.

Do you have the reactor on a timer?

House of Laughter, I am using the A.R.M. Medua such as yourself. I actually do not have a pH Probe so I'm guessing I will have to catch some of the drip and us my Salifert Test Kit to measure that reading. Now when you say shut the Reactor off are we just turning off the Regulator so that CO2 is not added to the reactor or killing the entire unit including the movement of the media by the Internal Pump? Currently Ihave a timer that is being used to shut off only the Regulator and keep CO2 from entering the chamber the Calcium Reactor's Internal pump that stirs the A.R.M. media as well as the pump that is responsible for pushing water to and from the unit remains on as well. Their is definitely good gas evaporatiion good gas excahnge in the apartment. an inch or too per day from my sump which may equate to about 2 gallons or more.