FarmerTy Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Btw, I enjoyed the creeping cat surprise in that one picture. [emoji6] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 You been talking to Diesel?Oh man, he's probably awesome in real life but his online persona is a little much for me. I guess I hadn't noticed. But for me his tank and SPS are top notch and I know he uses T5s, so was just curious if that was the reefer in Houston Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Ah yeah it's diesel. Yeah he definitely has a flair for the theatrics with his online "brand" if you will but agreed his experience level and willingness to advise based on strong lighting opinions were greatly appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 And I didn't even notice the cat in the pics. My nitrate actually is way down from a couple weeks of very sparse feedings. I was on vacation out of the country and the house sitter was given VERY specific feeding instructions as to avoid a disaster. I had him feeding maybe 1/4 what I normally do so the nitrates came way down from 8 ppm when I left to 0.25 now a week after returning. 1/2 amount of recommended GFO brought my PO4 down to 0.04 from 0.21 a month ago and it's crept up to 0.07 so I replaced it. Since it's not soaking up so much I imagine it'll last a while. I haven't run gfo in over 2 years and I never tested po4 before so actually changing it based on test results is new for me and I expect to get a lot more mileage out of it. I have a feeling I've thrown away a couple gallons of good gfo over time that didn't need to be changed Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Also. Just heard back from PA again. The Geo 618 it is. Offered me a discount I can't refuse and being that it's one with an eheim pump and those are an endangered species I'm going to strike while the iron is hot. The MTC Pro Cal won't fit under my stand or even anywhere near the stand in or out of sight so that is out, and the minical would be nice but the Geo 618 is going to run me about the same price, and has a much larger capacity. I don't REALLY feel like I'm settling knowing it's a good reactoe Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Not that I've actually used it yet, but I really like the solid construction of my Geo. I feel like you made a good decision. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Done and done. Can't take it back now. Payment sent. Geo 618 with eheim pump and 8.8# of reborn media shipping out Monday morning first thing. I don't have an extra ph probe but I'll just use my one I have now and order another in a couple weeks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 The post man cometh. Ty! Or anyone really. Help me tune this thing. I am getting such conflicting information from all around. Be it hobbyists or the Geo Instructions. What bubble count and effluent rates should I be starting at? I'm at about 7 teaspoons of kalk per 5 gallons of topoff water, adding about 0.75 gallon per day. And it's holding steady. What bubble count and effluent rate should I start with to stay on the super low side? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Woohoo! This is as far as I go. You're on your own now! I just like to spend other people's money. [emoji12] What media are you planning to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Lol. Reborn Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Cool, that's what I use too. You'll want to probably add neomag in the reactor as well as I've noticed the media has less Mg content then the caribsea media and it doesn't keep up with my tanks Mg uptake. Anyways, it's just going to be trial and error while you tweak. Don't worry about nuking your tank, the reactor is really designed to just maintain levels so it would take settings pretty far out of whack to really increase your alk too much in a day. I'd start with aiming to get a reactor pH at 6.7-6.8 range with an effluent rate of about 5 drops/second. You just adjust your bubble rate until you can get it to maintain a pH of around 6.7-6.8, probably about 2 bubbles/second but every CaRX is different. I'd set the solenoid to shutoff at a value of 6.6 just in case. Test your alk level before firing up the CaRX and test 24hrs later and see how it impacted your alk level. If you are paranoid, then test in 12 hrs and see what the impact is. My guess is it'll do very little supplementation. I would leave the effluent rate the same and from this point increase the CO2 bubble rate and lower the pH 0.5 more each day until it starts matching your tanks alk uptake rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 did you mean lower ph 0.05 each day Ty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 I think he did. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 I still need to get another PH probe and more media as well I just want my ducks in a row. I have just gotten so much different advice. Anywhere from 1 bubble per 10 seconds to start and a steady stream, and reduce the effluent as needed to cause more dwell time and more concentrated effluent as demand increases. To keeping effluent stable and only changing co2/ph to increase with demand. To adjusting both co2 AND effluent a little as demand increases Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I'm going to be using the "toXIc method" to tune my CaRx. Which is set a stable effluent rate and use your controller to slowly decrease ph by 0.05 each time. Bubble rates vary due to speed of effluent, size of reactor, amount of media, etc. if I remember correctly he advocates a very fast drip / stream. http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tuning-your-calrx-alternate-method-thats-too-easy.202048/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Good catch guys. Yes, I meant 0.05. Here's the thing, everything you stated is true Bpb. What everyone told you is something to keep in mind. But really, tuning is as simple as what I described. Keep a steady flowrate, decrease pH in the reactor until your tank's uptake matches the output of the reactor. It really is that simple. Sorry Reburn, I tried to watch that video but his delivery was excruciating. The long pauses, the continual back tracking... drove me nuts. I'm sure there was good information in there. From what I could pull from the thread discussion though, same idea but with using the controller and manipulating the pH via a solenoid (his case, the carbondoser). The only problem I have with that is you are reliant directly on your controller to set and maintain your pH. I prefer to set the bubble rate and pH manually without the solenoid first and then program my controller to react if it ever goes beyond my limits by killing the CO2. Otherwise, IME, your solenoid will eventually wear down (I know you guys use much fancier ones than I used in the past) and your nice steady 6.6 pH just shot down to 6.3 in a day because your solenoid gave out. If you tune your reactor without using the controller and solenoid and do it manually, the bubble rate should maintain your pH without ever having to engage or disengage the solenoid. At that point, it's there for insurance like it should be utilized, not as a control mechanism. But that's just my preference. To me, it won't bite you in the butt now, but it will eventually with that control scheme once the solenoid wears down. Even if yours is the much more stable and reliable solenoid, why risk it? The other issue with Toxics method is desired efficiency. He recommends a quicker flow. I actually ran a pretty quick flow on my first two reactors but have since dialed it back on this one. The main reason... efficiency. The faster flow requires you to use more CO2 to maintain that lower pH as more water is being replaced in the reactor. Hence why I've dialed my flow back, deliver a more concentrated effluent, and save my CO2. He is correct though in the fact that it is super easy to tune your reactor. Set drip rate, check, don't mess with it anymore. Now set bubble rate to achieve X pH in the reactor, check. Test alk, oops, it went down in 24hrs, decrease pH 0.05 and test again in 24 hrs. Rinse and repeat until it matches your tank uptake. Done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 I can dig it. And yes I agree Ty. Even though my solenoid would last years and years with cycling on and off several times a day, it's not stable. I don't want a constantly rising and falling Ph. I agree on that video. I have seen it several times in research, but looking past his awkward delivery the method seems good. In not manipulating effluent and only changing co2 injection until that just won't keep up. I'll probably run a fast drip effluent as to get longer life out of the masterflex tubing and just increase the flow rate once co2 isn't enough, though with a reactor this size, I doubt I'll ever reach that point on my tank Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I can dig it. And yes I agree Ty. Even though my solenoid would last years and years with cycling on and off several times a day, it's not stable. I don't want a constantly rising and falling Ph. I agree on that video. I have seen it several times in research, but looking past his awkward delivery the method seems good. In not manipulating effluent and only changing co2 injection until that just won't keep up. I'll probably run a fast drip effluent as to get longer life out of the masterflex tubing and just increase the flow rate once co2 isn't enough, though with a reactor this size, I doubt I'll ever reach that point on my tank Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Exhibit A:Dull and boring, like I prefer. The one blip was me working on the sump that day where the probe was. I actually have removed my carbon doser and will sell it off. My current method doesn't really require it anymore. I'll build a fancy regulator one day with a super fancy solenoid like you guys but with nothing actually actuating right now, I'll put it off for now and put the money towards other things. I actually have to turn on my solenoid every once in awhile just to make sure it still works. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I agree with you Ty about adjusting bubble rate to match the desired ph rather then 100% relying on the controller. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 So it is written. So it shall be done Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Ok assembly done. I need to get more media in and fill my co2 tank and order my ph probe and calibration solution before i actually start running it. Here's my process. Very well packaged. No instructions included. And everything separated out. Nothing missing or damaged First step was to give everything a good rinse and dry. Next was to install the pump to the baseplate Oops...couple of cuss words and fixed. Pump and plated installed backwards. No big deal. I wasn't even looking at a picture just building the puzzle, as it were. Plenty of Teflon tape. Well not too much. Just the right amount. Everything tightened snug and the thumb clamps tightened down. One gripe...eheim pump won't slide onto its base of the gray cage is on. No big deal it's being run external so I don't need it. Just think it looks better with it on. Oh well. Output tube attached to base of reactor, and manifold attatched to lid and pump input via supplied tubing. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160616/be30daa90773d3abc30670afb100dffe.jpg Feed and effluent lines attatched and bundled up. Done. Easy as that. I love how simple and robust everything feels. No tiny odd delicate or specialized parts. Here it is next to a 5 gal bucket and then crammed under the stand. The co2 tank and reactor JUST fit. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160616/ea20a10fab0f2748b590a028ed9673c0.jpg http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160616/fa42a37672877453823f0333a0260ab6.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Not sure if you found these, but there are instructions on the geo site: http://geosreef.com/index.php/pump-installation-instructions http://www.geosreef.com/index.php/calcium-reactor-instructions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 I did see those but they're fairly vague. But it is pretty self explanatoey Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 Newcomers recently. This one is without a doubt my favorite. It's a no namer. Don't care. The colors and PE are spectacular. The mother colony it came from grows lightening fast too which is good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Nice! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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