C02 reactor Help Anyone

[john90009]

what do you run your reactor at with its effluent- the ph monitor and the bubbles per second? mine when it was first setup by someone who had a sick tank but he got out of the hobby it was on a fast bubble like a bubble per second, a slow drip and the monitor was set like 6.8-6.9. over the year my bubbles stayed the same there alittle fast i think my ph monitor is up to 7.4-7.5 and the effluent is a fast streak (from an aqualifter pump). My alk is 10.2 and calcium is 400 now du to the power being out and screwing up my solenoid, it continuously let air bubbles in when the power to the monitor was told to turn off.when i read of when people running there reactors they have slow drips and the monitors are around 6.8

 

[Baxreefs]

john

every system is different. When ever I power my selinoid off it's a real PITA to reset it.

Use your pH probe or test the effluent and get it in the range you metioned, then test or check every few hours, if it is stable you're good. Set the effluent rate using s measuring cup and stop watch.

I go about a bubble per second or more at 23 ml/min. Then adjust from there. It's a balancing act of sorts.

 

[john90009]

yeah i kinda got it solved in my head. when it was first setup it was down in the 6.8 range and the dripps were very slow so it would be a concentrated slow drop then i needed more of it so i increased the effluent then after increasing it it was to strong so i think the monitors been going up since then so thats how i think the reactor got out of tune.

 

[Baxreefs]

I've always found that at initial set up it takes a little effort. And, any time I change a CO2 bottle you have to rebalance it, but then it's forget it until the bottle runs out or loss of power shuts off the valve.

 

[john90009]

bax and other people reading this thread, how do you check your tanks temp? I have 3 thermometers that float an all 3 are different then i have a coralife digital. I bought a new heater today one that uses a pro and i have it set at 79 and it hasn't turned on yet. so im guessing somethings not right and i needa figure out fast. How do you guys check your thermometers i did a cup full of ice and water and i got all different readings only 1 went and sat at 32 and it was the original thermometer. The digital one sat at like 27 so im guessing this is 5 off.

 

[Baxreefs]

I once bought 12 CarLife digi thermometers for an nonreef experiment I was doing. Most all were different from each other. You kinda have to calibrate with whicheverone you feel is most accurate. I like to run a thermometer in every vessel.

 

[john90009]

Yeah somehow thermometers are inaccurate idk how thats possible. I have 3 glass thermometers with the mercury stuff in ice water only 1 went to 32 the other went to 34 and the other drooped way below 32 somehow and it wasn't sitting on an ice cube this was weird.