Cal Reactor Help plz

[xclusive252]

Experience- current tank about 5 months old and i been at this hobby 4 yrs
tank size 105g 48x24x22 i'm 33 yrs old
40 gallon sump with fuge
Alpha vertex 170 Skimmer with Auto Cleaner
vertex rx-4 calcium reactor with Aquarium Plants Electronic Regulator
Reef Octopus Bio Pellet reactor
apex controller
2 Radion Pros with 2 T5HO
No Treatments done to the tank
I use rodi with recently changed filters and new di resin
I do a monthly 30 gal wc with reefcrystals
change filter sock every 3 days
clean skimmer cup every 3-5 days
livestock
3 anthias
powder blue tang
Purple Tang
Chevron tang
yellow tang
Hippo Tang
Salfin Tang
2 Cardinals
2 wyoming whites
assorted sps Mainly ORA and Mid to High end stuff
assorted clean up crew
temp 77 stable
ph 7.9 stable
phosphate Hanna 0.025
Salifert Nitrate 0-2
Salifert Calcium 365
Salifert Alkalinity 8.0
Salifert Magnesium 1230
Salinity 1.026


I am having problems keeping my cal alk and mag where it needs to be I also am having a problem keeping the Cal Reactor on all the time for some reason the Regulator turns on for about 1hr 30 min then turns off for the same amount of time then turns back on and repeats this all day. I am trying to find out some help with the Cal reactor and regulator so it can maybe stay on longer and feed the tank more. A little about the cal reactor; effluent drip rate is about 20 ml a min and I have the regulator set at 1-2 bubbles every 4 seconds. Please if any other info is needed I will be up all night doing maintenance just ask and I will provide. TYVM in advance.

 

[mbg75]

Sounds like you are hitting the on and off settings on the co2 controller.

Either increase the effluent rate or slow the bubble rate. But only do one of these and watch the changes over a few days.

 

[edd]

if you have the reg running off your apex, sounds like something with the programing.
i have the same reg run off rke so if ph drops too low it shuts off reg.

 

[xclusive252]

Fallback OFF
If pH2 > 06.60 Then ON
If pH2 < 06.45 Then OFF


Thats what its set to on the Apex I will also slow the bubble rate to maybe 1-2 bubbles every 6 seconds and see what happens

 

[mbg75]

Those settings look ok.

The trouble maintaining your levels is that they are dropping? If so, I would increase the effluent drip first. You already have enough co2 in there that your hitting the set point.

Mag and cal don't change too fast. Alk is the key. Test it once daily and write it down. If it continues to drop, add more bubbles. If it goes up, back off the bubbles. (Small changes, and they can take days to show up.)

Use the reactor only to maintain your levels. If you need to balance them to a certain #, then hand dose to get what you want.

 

[xclusive252]

ok I will post daily so i can keep you all updated along with get the help i need. should i dose cal and mag tonight ?

 

[mbg75]

ok I will post daily so i can keep you all updated along with get the help i need. should i dose cal and mag tonight ?

You can. Just keep in mind that can change the alk a bit too.

You can dose, then re test 2 hours after.

The idea is to get a timeline to dial in your reactor without any other changes being made. (Water changes, dosing, etc)

 

[vio]

Fallback OFF
If pH2 > 06.60 Then ON
If pH2 < 06.45 Then OFF


Thats what its set to on the Apex I will also slow the bubble rate to maybe 1-2 bubbles every 6 seconds and see what happens

to depend on Apex, also PH probes will be confuse, u may never got the right #,I will leave the safty solenoid plug in outlet (If power fall ,closed) then play w/bubbles (Co2) and calcium reactor effluent.

 

[viplok]

for some reason the Regulator turns on for about 1hr 30 min then turns off for the same amount of time then turns back on and repeats this all day.

seems like u have way too many co2 going into the reactor.

if u need higher level increase bubble count and effluent.

but in ur case i think u need to increase ur effluent rate, by doing so ur reg will stay on longer and rise the level higher.

my reg is on for 12 hour and off for 12 and it keeps the alk and cal stable, is there a reason why u want to keep the reg on 24/7?

 

[xclusive252]

I dont want to keep it on for 24/7 I feel like it doesnt stay on long enough to feed the tank the correct amount of cal and alk and mag so that the levels are the same everyday.
I am looking to keep my cal at about 400 and my alk 8.0-9.0 and my mag at about 1425

 

[viplok]

seems like u have good bubble rate. just increases the effluent in this case.

this should keep the reg open for longer. if it still doesnt keep up with ur demand increase bubble to 1 bubble per sec.

 

[xclusive252]

Update on the tank. I slowed the bubble count down to 1-2 bubble every 6 seconds and I did do a dose that same night so these numbers today will be my starting point;
Cal - 375
Alk - 8.8
Mag - 1230

I will check again at noon tomorrow which will be the 24hr mark. I do see my cal is a little low and my mag is low so I will see tomorrow and if I need to I'll take some advice from my MR members and see what happens.

 

[xclusive252]

Update on the tank.
Cal. 375
Alk 8.6
mag 1260

I did no dosing at all. I will test again tomorrow at around noon again

 

[mbg75]

Has the co2 been staying in longer?

 

[xclusive252]

Yeah about 2hrs 30 min before it goes off

 

[mbg75]

Update?

 

[xclusive252]

Sry I will tomorrow I been busy with work but the tank looks good I'll try to post a fts also