Will increasing effluent rate lower Alk?

[BBReefkeeper]

This is a continuation from my post yesterday.
Bubble rate = 32 bpm
Media = ARM
Reactor = single chamber
Drip rate reduced to one drip every 2.5 seconds
Efluent calcium = 500

I don't know the PH of the effluent because my tests suck. I don't have a PH monitor. Can you calculate PH from an Alk reading or some other way? My calcium is at 390 and holding, but my Alk has increased past 16. That is the highest the Salifert test will go. Will increasing the drip rate reduce the Alk? Would a steady stream be an effective way to first lower, then slowly turn back to get an appropriate Alk?
Thanks for the help.
Bryan

[DennisW]

Bryan,

I think that if you are "that" concerned about the alkalinity, you should just shut the reactor down for a while and the system will "reset" itself. This way you could kind of "start over". Remember.....a Ca reactor is suppose to make your life eaiser , not harder.

Dennis

[nobby]

hi there
i have the same problem with very high alk being caused by my reactor, i just turned the whole thing down, so i halved my bubble count as well as my effluent rate, and so far its working...
now the reactor is just ticking over instead of going full peltas it would need to in a larger system.
hope that helps

[mojoreef]

Bryan right now if I were you I would shut down the reactor and allow your Alkalinity to reset itself. At the same time buff up your calcium to 450. using a good calc. addative. Also go to the LFS and get some Magnesium buffer and dose it once or twice (thats it though) The magnesium ions will incase the carbonate ions and slow the disapation of calcium(very laymans explaination). once your alkalinity drops a bit and your calcium is up to level it will be easy to dial in your reactor.

On my reactor I use a bubble a second, and have a very high flow of effluent coming out ( to lasy to go check the exact ammount).

Mike

[BBReefkeeper]

Thank you all very much.
The reactor is turned off untill things balance back out.
See Ya
Bryan

[Flatlander]

Increasing the flow rate without increasing co2, will indeed lower the alk, but will also lower calcium.

Reactors tend to produce good alk levels, as you have noticed. I stopped measuring & counting bubbles,etc. I just watch the tanks calcium and if low, increase the flow,[ already at a steady stream to keep up], and just adjust the co2, until the effluent ph is back at 6.5. This is now the only thing I watch and it keeps the tanks parameters in sync.

I know you dont have a meter now, but perhaps in the future, if you do, its the easiest way, at least in my experience.