bcjm February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 My alkalinity has been going up like crazy after I changed the calcium media 2-3 months ago. It was about 8.9 dkh to right now 25. Am I doing this correctly? I use LaMotte test kit. The reading is 450 ppm. Divide by 50 times 2.8. It was 160 ppm a while back. Magnesium 1350 ppm calcium 430 ppm ph 8.0 What could make alkalinity go this high? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcjm February 10, 2009 Author Share February 10, 2009 I just measured the effluent of the calcium reactor which has more than 600 ppm alkalinity (33.6 dKH). Is this normal? Should I stop my calcium reactor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 I would lower the bubble count which will raise the pH in the reactor as well as slow the drip rate which will decrease the amount added to the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 I just measured the effluent of the calcium reactor which has more than 600 ppm alkalinity (33.6 dKH). Is this normal? Should I stop my calcium reactor? Fully saturated, the effluent can be as high as 40 dKH. Chip's advice is good (as usual). Reduce your effluent drip rate and, correspondingly, drop back on your bubble count. It appears that you're adding effluent well in excess of consumption. With balanced consumption, alkalinity will go up 1 meq/l (or 2.8 dKH) for every 20 ppm of calcium. The calcium level that you're maintaining (430) balances with about 10 dKH normally. Consequently, you may wish to shut your reactor down while letting the alk deplete normally, supplementing the tank with calcium chloride (that is, dosing calcium) in order to maintain your calcium levels, until you reach the 10-11 dKH range. Then bring your reactor back online, monitoring your alk level to match supplementation (via your calcium reactor) with consumption. Water changes can also help you bring your alk levels down to more typical levels. Some studies that I've read recently have shown that certain coral species (e.g. porites) actually grow faster in very high alk conditions (20+). I'm curious what you're seeing in your tank under these conditions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 Should you choose to "shut" your reactor down which is fine, I'd suggest you consider doing it this way. Simply stop the addition of CO2 all together. Continue running the internal recirculation pump. Keep a slight stream of water running through the reactor as you are now. This way you'll keep your reactor active and ready to return to service right away. Otherwise, you'll likely need to flush the reactor until you stop smelling rotten eggs and may even need to replace the media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcjm February 10, 2009 Author Share February 10, 2009 Thanks Chip. That was what I did before I go to bed yesterday. I just shut the Co2 and leave the pump running. If my effluent is 550-600 ppm calcium and 34 dKH, how do I adjust the reactor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUsnakebyte February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 (edited) Do as Chip suggested earlier, slow the amount of CO2 entering the reactor - you have a needle wheel/valve, yes? Do you know what the pH is inside the reactor when you are normally running it? Edited February 10, 2009 by OUsnakebyte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcjm February 10, 2009 Author Share February 10, 2009 Do as Chip suggested earlier, slow the amount of CO2 entering the reactor - you have a needle wheel/valve, yes? Do you know what the pH is inside the reactor when you are normally running it? Embarrassed to say I don't know the exactly PH number inside. Can't find a ph test kit for low PH saltwater. Milwaukee Ph meeter I bought never worked properly. The fresh water low Ph test kit I use show it under 7 . I normally just check the calcium level of the effluent and make sure my media does not get mushy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 Here's an article that you might find helpful: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/index.php (title: A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors, by Simon Huntington) It has a section on tuning your reactor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUsnakebyte February 10, 2009 Share February 10, 2009 Embarrassed to say I don't know the exactly PH number inside. Can't find a ph test kit for low PH saltwater. Milwaukee Ph meeter I bought never worked properly. The fresh water low Ph test kit I use show it under 7 . I normally just check the calcium level of the effluent and make sure my media does not get mushy. I use American Marine digital pH meter - way better than trying to guess at a color chart... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcjm February 10, 2009 Author Share February 10, 2009 I use American Marine digital pH meter - way better than trying to guess at a color chart... That and/or an ACIII is in my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman February 11, 2009 Share February 11, 2009 Embarrassed to say I don't know the exactly PH number inside. Can't find a ph test kit for low PH saltwater. Milwaukee Ph meeter I bought never worked properly. The fresh water low Ph test kit I use show it under 7 . I normally just check the calcium level of the effluent and make sure my media does not get mushy. Not having a pH probe in the reactor makes it a lot trickier... small adjustments of both effluent rate, and bubble count to get your water where you want it. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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