Calcium Reactor Add on

[Big Country]

Am thinking about adding a second chamber to my calcium reactor. Was looking at the Avast Marine website and saw the Seabones Effluent Reactor Kit, http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/youbuilt/SeaBones-Effluent-Chamber-Kit , Justin recommended I go with the Seabones III to match up with my Geo618 calcium reactor, seems kinda large since my reactor doesn't even hold that much media. I've been having problems keeping my PH up since I added my reactor, PH is typically 7.6-7.9 even with all my top off going thru a kalk reactor. I'm not having any issues with keeping my calcium or alkalinity at a good level with just the reactors.

Anyone have experience with a second chamber on a calcium reactor? Does it do what the Avast website says it does? Since my primary want is to degas the CO2 and keep it from driving down my PH do I really need the largest model?

[Coral Hind]

I have had dual chambers and they do work. It helps to raise the pH some before dripping back into the tank. Even a small one will be better than nothing but normally the second chambers equal the first. Of course a larger chamber would make sure you have used as much CO2 as you can, I just don't know how much more you will get out of it by going the larger size. I guess it would come down to space and money available.

[ridetheducati]

Have you considered a CO2 scrubber? Adding a second chamber may not give you the boost your anticipating. How much does your alk drop per day?

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Big Country]

Every time I check the alk it's between 7.7 and 8.3 dkh on my salifert test kit, no idea what it drops per day. Guess to figure that out I'd have to do a test, switch off the calcium reactor and swith the ATO from kalk to just straight water to see what the alk drop is for a day when I test the next day. I never really worried about it, I thought the plan was to adjust the reactor to maintain a constant alkalinity and thereby take care of the usage of the tank.

[ctenophore]

You could just try running the effluent from the Ca Rx through your skimmer first. That should help get rid of some dissolved CO2. Next thing to consider is how tightly sealed is your house? If you have excess CO2 indoors, that will drive pH down. The scrubber mentioned may work, you should PM armydoc as I know he was trying that.

[Big Country]

Considering the house was built in 1968 I doubt that the house is very air tight, before I hooked up the Ca Rx my PH stayed around 8.1-8.3 with kalk ato additions. How do you drip the outflow from the Ca Rx into the protein skimmer? This reef equipment is just entirely too confusing, I googled Co2 scrubber and came up with nothing that looked like it was for an aquarium

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

I added a tiny one and from what I remember it added .2 to the ph coming out of the reactor. That was a tiny di canister. Since then I am using a big one but haven't tested it. My ph has always been from 7.6 to 8. The placement of my drip into the fuge then through the skimmer is the best way to keep my ph from dropping down low though. I think it's more about where the drip goes rather than the size of the extra reactor chamber.

[Big Country]

I never thought about dripping the CaRx into the fuge but CO2 is dosed in FW planted tanks so it should make the chaeto grow like mad. My reactor is tall enough that I can definately put the outflow into the fuge, will have to try that.

[ridetheducati]

Every time I check the alk it's between 7.7 and 8.3 dkh on my salifert test kit, no idea what it drops per day. Guess to figure that out I'd have to do a test, switch off the calcium reactor and swith the ATO from kalk to just straight water to see what the alk drop is for a day when I test the next day. I never really worried about it, I thought the plan was to adjust the reactor to maintain a constant alkalinity and thereby take care of the usage of the tank.

 

I asked about consumption to get an idea about how hard your driving the reactor.

 

A lot of people with dual chambers and keeping SPS have suppressed pH values, comes with the territory. Some friendly advise, do not chase the pH numbers. The second chamber may scrub off some Co2, but not enough to matter. You may already be doing this, but ensure the effluent is dripping near the skimmer.

[Big Country]

Effluent is dripping in right next to one of my skimmer pumps. I don't think I'm driving the CaRx very hard at all, takes a long time for the media to start dropping and a 5# CO2 tank is lasting me about 6 months, not near the SPS that you had in your old tank but hopefully someday. Checked my alk earlier and it was 7.5 dkh, slowed down the drip rate slightly, don't want to slow it down much more so if that doesn't get the level above 8 again I will up the BPM and the output. Currently running about 80 BPM

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

Have you upgraded the recirculating pump on the geo 618 yet? That helped a little for me, but was also a need because that little eheim pump couldn't keep up at all. I put a 350gph pump on mine and wish I could have found something bigger still...

[Steve175]

Charles: I know for a fact you have been good. Maybe Santa will bring you this:

 

http://www.geosreef.com/index.php/cr1218

[basser9]

Charles you have your stuff in a nice large fishroom which means a ton of space

running a very large 2nd chamber to a calcium reactor is a no brainer.

Depending on your ph in your main chamber a 2nd reactor can have a big impact

on your ph and alk levels.

I prefer to run finer material in the 2nd chamber and i cant really imagine not running a

good sized 2nd chamber in any calcium reactor setup.

If you can get your ph up and orp i find i never have any type of slime algea in my tanks

even on very old systems but on the tanks that have had low ph and orp i have had some

issues.

[Big Country]

Charles: I know for a fact you have been good. Maybe Santa will bring you this:

 

http://www.geosreef....ndex.php/cr1218

 

That's too funny, don't you think a reactor that big might just be a little overkill for a 180g tank?

 

Charles you have your stuff in a nice large fishroom which means a ton of space

running a very large 2nd chamber to a calcium reactor is a no brainer.

Depending on your ph in your main chamber a 2nd reactor can have a big impact

on your ph and alk levels.

I prefer to run finer material in the 2nd chamber and i cant really imagine not running a

good sized 2nd chamber in any calcium reactor setup.

If you can get your ph up and orp i find i never have any type of slime algea in my tanks

even on very old systems but on the tanks that have had low ph and orp i have had some

issues.

 

There is no issue with lack of space in my basement back room, as long as I keep it neat for the wife I can take up as much space as I want. The second chamber from avast is only $140 for the largest model which definately won't break the bank. I did notice that my ozone hadn't come on recently, I checked yesterday and it said my ORP was 425 which I knew was wrong, soaked the ORP probe in some vinegar for awhile to clean it, put it back in the tank and the reading went to 270, another maintainence issue that's my fault. I just added filter socks to the drains this weekend, per copps suggestion, that's definately taking some junk out of the water since they were getting full last night after only 2 days, will change them tonight.

[Swimboy123]

I added a tiny one and from what I remember it added .2 to the ph coming out of the reactor. That was a tiny di canister. Since then I am using a big one but haven't tested it. My ph has always been from 7.6 to 8. The placement of my drip into the fuge then through the skimmer is the best way to keep my ph from dropping down low though. I think it's more about where the drip goes rather than the size of the extra reactor chamber.

 

I do the same thing.