Calcium Reactor Question

[dtiedke]

I have dropped my Neilsen reactor (Kalk) a while ago due to high pH readings (dosing only after light-out would result in pH of 8.8 at peak during lights on) and have been having difficulties keeping my pH up now.

I have a Calcium Reactor on my 135 (Korallin model 1502) and it should be sized ok for my tank, but my pH has steadily dropped to 7.2 and swings up to 7.9 during the day.

I suspect that something is amiss with the 1502 as I was told it should be able to maintain the pH aroun 8.2 on it's own (no need for Kalk).

I should note that I took the Kalk reactor offline 6 months ago, and started the Calcium reactor 1 month ago when I saw my pH was staying so low. In that month I have seen no change in my pH readings (Aquacontroller II logging it) and I am wondering if the calcium reactor is faulty. C02 is working as it should (10/min)....

I can say that I expected to see a change in my pH over the past month, but when looked at over the past three months but there is no change in the pattern on the graph...


Any ideas?

Dave

[Illusion]

I have the same reactor and havent had any know issues with pH.. What Media are you using... What is your Effluent pH? The only way that you could possibly have that low of pH is if your putting pure Co2 into the water or you alk, and Mg are completely off the charts..

James

[Krux]

if possible run your effluent line into your skimmer, the action in the skimmer will dissipate the extra co2, which will help your ph stabilize.

[Illusion]

From what I am reading you setup the reactor to the design min specs the 10bpm and 40drips per min correct??? Where is your alk and calcium at? even when my 55g tank was barely stocked the min was not nearly enough to supply my Ca and Alk Demands... my guess is your the Alk, Ca and Mg are extremely low or the Effluent pH is way too low.. which doesnt seem possible at 10bpm

To start off with first I we need to know what the following

Tank
Alk
Ca
Mg
pH

Reactor Effluent
Alk Dkh
pH

BPM
DPM