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Calcium Reactor Media: What do you use?


JasReef

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Woohoo! Reburn and I won the JasReef CaRX media contest! [emoji6]

I run my carbon doser regulator at 7-8 PSI. Make sure the knob is turned all the way off on the regulator before supplying air or it'll blow up your new toy before you even get to use it.

They have online instructions on their website. That's where I found it when I was looking last.

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Congrats on the contest, now you win answering all my questions as I dial it in. Seems pretty straight forward and just requires diligent testing and measuring but if I get stuck you win!

Reeflover, I bought it new, no more buying critical equipment used for me, (expensive $200 lesson therethumbsdown.gif ). I got it from here, http://www.aquariumplants.com/CarbonDoser-Electronic-Co2-Regulator-p/co2.htm and it just came in a plain white box with the regulator and a precision check valve, no directions in or on the box. It was too late to call tonight when I figured that out so I thought I would ask here.

I have checked the website and must be missing the instructions specific to setting the low gauge psi. In the videos they have on the site each one is different running between 6, 8 and 9 psi. I figured 8 was a good starting point.

It's not a big deal tonight because my ph calibration fluid is out of wack so I just ordered more and it will be here Wednesday. If I get a chance I may run to the Saltyfish in San Antonio, it's only 20 minutes from me if traffic is descent. They sometimes have some in stock.

As always, thanks for the info.

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Doh! doh.gif CaRX tech support duty! Well, it isn't the first time I've been on call for a calcium reactor setup. shifty.gif

Adjusting the secondary pressure is for bubble size on the carbon doser regulator. So, you can start at 6-7 PSI and adjust up in PSI if you want the bubble larger or adjust down if you want it smaller. You use the dial to adjust how many bubbles per second... but that is pretty self-explanatory.

Aquatek, RCA, Fish Gallery, and I believe Aquadome all carry the pH calibration solutions here in Austin.

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You know I will say I was so nervous getting and setting up this thing because it seemed so complicated but once I did it and really understood the concept it seems like such and easy way to keep the main elements for success in check. Notice I say seems because I just set it up and don't have any real experience on long term success but I bought it because all the research supports that hypothesis.

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You know I will say I was so nervous getting and setting up this thing because it seemed so complicated but once I did it and really understood the concept it seems like such and easy way to keep the main elements for success in check. Notice I say seems because I just set it up and don't have any real experience on long term success but I bought it because all the research supports that hypothesis.

I'll have to admit that I was the same way. It seems so complicated and the entry price is so high that it intimidated me. I will have to say that I tried to keep costs down by buying used and using a Pinpoint pH probe to monitor the reactor. The result was a complete and utter tank crash on an Armageddon level. You can run them that way, but when things go wrong they really go wrong. IMO they should only be run with an aquarium controller like an Apex or Reef Angel.

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But I don't want to fail. Autocorrect has been killing me lately too.

The price point is definetly a factor along with the lack of knowledge with something most people don't use. I have gotten used to testing regularly and that is a huge component to the dial (fail[emoji6]) process.

Through a lot of research that regulator tops the list to me, especially for newbs such as myself. I know the price is off putting but I believe it will pay for itself in no time.

Compared to the price of dosing it is long term vs upfront cost and I am in a fortunate place to afford the upfront cost. But I did consider dosing as it is cheaper when you are starting out, especially since you can dose by hand with no additional cost.

I am in search of being as automated as possible so the reactor made more sense to me although I do realize dosing pumps can be automated as well.

Sorry for the typos with my posts lately, I am on my phone and don't tend to proofread like i do on the laptop.[emoji9]

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I have a quick request to look over my apex programing for solenoid.

Fallback OFF

Set OFF

If pH > 6.70 Then ON

If pH < 6.60 Then OFF

How does that look?

That's about what mine is currently, so I might even suggest you start a bit higher, like in the 6.80-6.70 range, just to start running yours and to get a feel for how much alk/Ca it'll add to your system at those pH levels. Also, I added this line in my programming as my CaRX is fed by my return pump. That way if I turn my pump off, it'll shut off the gas as well so it doesn't just keep bubbling away in there. Either way, the pH will get too low and it'll shut off anyways but redundancies are great in the Apex world.

If Outlet ReturnPump = OFF Then OFF

Once you have a good feel for tweaking it, then maybe adjust the pH down to match your tank consumption level. The main thing to focus on is not trying to have the CaRX increase your alk until it is at your desired level. The key is to set your CaRX so that it maintains your alk at a specific number, then just use 2-part mix for alk to get it to the level you want. The CaRX will hold it there from that point on. When you use your CaRX to increase or decrease your alk, you'll be chasing numbers all week and it's very hard to dial in using that method.

Another thing to keep track of is if your Apex is actually shutting off the carbon doser if the pH gets too low, then adjust your carbon doser to put out less bubbles. That'll keep your pH levels from cycling up and down with the disengaging of the carbon doser each time the pH is too low.

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I been lowering my pH until i see it keeping up w/ the tank... have had these for about 2mo:

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If CaRktr > 6.54 Then ON
If CaRktr < 6.48 Then OFF
If pH < 7.89 Then OFF
If Outlet Leak_A2 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet Levels_A5 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet WcBtn_A4 = ON Then OFF
If RefuLo CLOSED Then OFF (<-- fuge drains a couple inches w/ pumps off, so i dont check for pump status)
If Outlet PwrApex_A12 = ON Then OFF
Defer 005:00 Then ON

w/ the flow and that 5min defer, it stays around 6.54 range.

post-1733-0-53873800-1456357679_thumb.pn

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  • 1 month later...

im gonna email texas crushed stone see if they've had theirs analyzed. I'm not completely happy w/ ARM, i keep having to lower the ph more:

If CaRktr > 6.53 Then ON
If CaRktr < 6.47 Then OFF

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  • 4 weeks later...

Fresh air! Seriously, pulling in fresh air from outside of the house stabilized my pH more than anything else I've done. I'm able to keep my pH between 8.0-8.15 even while running 0.15mL/hour of effluent at a pH of 6.5-6.6!

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what do you guys use to maintain the display pH? I have read that one of the downsides to a Ca reactor is a constantly falling pH. Is this a real concern?

I wouldn't say constantly falling, I would say depressed. It just stays at a lower pH than a regular tank probably would. My pH is typically from 8.0 - 8.2.
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