Calcium Reactors, Controllers and C02 Bubble counts.

Another question for you CA reactor guru's out there...
How critical is bubble count when you have a controller managing the pH of the reactor?
If you're bubble count was slightly faster than it needed to be, wouldn't the control deal with that by simply shutting down the C02 when the pH dropped below the threshhold?
-JB

 

That's the way I have always ran mine. I paid more attention to effluent going into the tank than the bubble count. However, I wouldn't recommend turning up your bubble count to like 200 bpm or anything just in case your solenoid sticks in the on position. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

Sone,

Thanks for the input.

I wasn't planning on turning it up quite that high.

I've got the bubble count at about 12 per minute right now and my pH is dropping, but very very slowly. My effluent is dripping at about 40 drops per minute, and ultimately I think I'm going to have to turn that up a bit, so I'm thinking I'm going to need a slightly higher bubble count.

I was thinking about turning it up to about 15 per minute.

-JB

 

I have mine cranked up pretty high, basically you want to set it so your solenoid turns off/on as little as possible but after a year of tinkering i give up. I think as long as you keep your regulator turned to like 20 psi below you will never blow up your reactor even if your solenoid sticks. My CA reactor is like 10" x 30" and is a CO2 hog, when the solenoid clicks open you can hear the bubbles...

 

Jeremy,

I'm not sure what you mean by the 20lbs on the regulator.

The tank guage on my regulator shows 50lbs and the other gauge is not even registering while the solenoid is open. Are you talking about when the solenoid shuts off?

-JB

 

I think he's referring to the low pressure guage. Mine shows a range of 0-65 PSI on the low pressure guage. 

 

One gauge reads the PSI left in the tank, the other gauge is the line pressure.  While the solenoid is off, you don't want the line pressure to be more than say 20 psi, put in to many PSI and you could have a big mess. I had to find a happy medium with my reactor, if the pressure was to low my BPM would slow down over time, if its set too high you could possibly blow the entire thing up. 

 

JB what does the low pressure gage read with the solenoid closed?
Then with it open?
Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but all you should really need is 1psi, maybe 2psi at the most with the solenoid open? (CO2 running)
Thats how I would set my regulator. Then as I need to turn up my bubbles I would also turn up the regulator to stay in that 1 to 2 psi range, when running.
Your not trying to pressurize the reactor, just get the co2 into the reactor chamber right?

 

Hmmm, Rick, now you have me thinking. If i have the PSI set that low CO2 will never come out of the CO2 tank and now i think i know the reason why. I think the reason i have to have mine so high is because of the way i have my feed pump. I read in an earlier post you suggested t'ing off the feed pump so you don't dead head the pump. Being i am not doing that i believe my feed pump is making pressure in my reactor, therefor the CO2 pressure needs to be higher pressure that whats in the reactor. I am going to have to do a little experimenting but i think you are right.

 

I would not count the drops coming from the reactor as a measurement for the amount effluent coming from the reactor...its way to inaccurate.
I use a small measuring cup and measure the amount that goes into it for one minute. for example mine is set to about 28ml per minute.

Same with co2 bubbles...that can only be a guestimation at best. I set the co2 so its a moderate flow which I eyeball the bubbles so you dont get a crazy situation should the selenoid stick on like Sone said.
pH controller with probe in the 2nd chamber is how you want to controll the the co2. I keep my effluent right around a pH of 7 or so.
Set the reactor for slow effluent flow and check the alk of the tank....24 hrs later check alk again and adjust effluent flow accordingly. If tank alk is way low use some alk addive from a 2 part to bring it upand keep the tank somewhat stable until you get it dialed in.
B-Rad is dead on for regulator pressure....I run mine at about 5 psi. Use a needle valve to adjust the co2 flow to the reactor so you have just a moderate co2 flow.


Hope that helps.....Bill

 

Bill (and everyone else),

Thanks for the Info.

I made some adjustments today and now my regulator is showing 5 psi and I've used the needle valve to get just about 15 bubbles per minute.

My PH probe port is on the first chamber (but I'm guessing it could be moved to the second with some minor modifications). Right now, the pH readiing is holding steady at 6.8.

I've already noticed that the pH of my main tank is more stable. It didn't dive down nearly as far last night when the lights went off.

-JB

 

If you can do it I would move the probe to the second chamber as what is important, is to monitor what is entering your tank...... not what is happening earlier in the process and changing before it gets to your tank.


Sounds like you have a handle on it...just test alk a lot while in the dialing in phase....I wouldnt worry about tank pH unless it gets below 7.8 or higher than 8.4, tank pH is going to be what it is....
Tank alk is what you want to be dialing in to the target number and then keep it as rock steady as you can. SPS dont like much alk change and will brown out if it ping pongs much.
Remember there is a balanced alk for whatever you target your calcium at. for example if you want tank calcium to be at 420ppm then the alk should be 8.4dkh. So if you adjust the reactor to keep the tank steady at 8.4dkh your calcium will fall in at ~420.
Here is the calculator I use to find the balanced alk / calcium ratios. http://www.ultimatereef.net/calcula...ittype=dkh
Ok...ok....I will leave you alone now, I know I get carried away with this stuff.

GL

Bill