Help tuning DIY reactor.

[BBReefkeeper]

I turned on my reactor two days ago. My co2 is running at 14 bubbles per minute and the effluent is dripping at around 1 drip per second. My calcium was at 335, dKH at 11.2, PH at 8.4. Today my calcium is at 360, dKH at 12.8, and PH at 8.4. I'm not sure the PH is ever accurate, it is a red sea tester and it reads 8.6 half the time. Anyhow is 12.8 too high or do I need to adjust co2 bubbles or effluent output or both?
Thanks for your help building the reactor, I'm very pleased with the results. Except the Mag 2 pump is noisy.
See Ya
Bryan

 

[NaH2Ofreak]

Bryan,

Get a hold of some Kent brand Turbo calcium and bring the calcium level up to where you want it. Then the reactor will MAINTAIN it. Also...as soon as you bring the Ca level up to say...450 or so, your alkalinity should drop off a little. 12.8 dKH thouogh is still ok. Thats about where mine is and all seems ok.

Dennis

 

[BBReefkeeper]

Re-tested today and here are the results.
12/14/01- Calcium 335, Alk 11.2dKH
12/16/01- Calcium 360, Alk 12.8dKH
12/21/01- Calcium 370, Alk 13.3dKH
So what do I need to do to lower Alk and increase calcium?
I would like to tune the reactor before I add anything else.
Thanks
Bryan

 

[Gatortailale1]

B-Ionic recommends, that you test ALK and calcium early in the morning when the levels are at their lowest point in the day. PH and ALK naturally go up during the day do to chemical reactions, amount of photosynthesis (sp?) and oxygen absorption, ect.

Based on that, Just follow the results you get early in morning before lights come on for day.

ALSO: we need to know tank size; sump size to help advise bubble and effluent rate. You may need more or less rate on each depending on tank size.

Just my opinion.

 

[Carpentersreef]

And for my broken record message....

Check your magnesium. s/b 1300 or more.
search the board for recent magnesium threads.

Mitch

 

[BBReefkeeper]

My tank is 70 gallon, 10 gallon sump, 5 gallon refugium run on reverse daylight cycle. The bubble count on CO2 is 15 bubbles per minute, effluent rate is one drop per second. The reactor has been running for six days.
So do you guys think I shoud tweak something?
Bryan