What triggers these two reactors to go on and off?
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Ca Reactor/Ka Reactor Question
- Thread starter MikeNapoli
- Start date
would you recommend getting a calcium reactor that has the ph probe in the effluent chamber or in the tank to trigger the release of co2? i only have an AQJR and if i get a reactor that has the ph probe in the effluent chamber then i will have to rely on my stupid no good pinpoint ph monitor which i hate almost as much as my nitrate probe.
Phyl said:
Why Ph in the effluent, and not Ph of the main system?
You need to measure the PH of the effluent because you need to keep the water inside of the Ca reactor at 7.0 (for Arm media, lower possibly for other brands). Much lower than this and it is mush. Higher and it won't dissolve. In order to do that you need to measure the water coming out of it. The PH of your tank can't help you assess this.
We've always used the PH probe in a drip cup that we keep strapped to the side of our sump. When we wanted to measure the PH of our tank we'd move it into the sump, check the ph and then (try really hard to remember to) put it back into the effluent cup (otherwise the CO2 pumps away like crazy, the media melts, the ph in the tank drops and you have complete and total anarchy). Now we have an ACJr running upstairs with the ACII running downstairs. Someday I'll consolidate them all!
I would prefer one PH probe in an effluent port off of chamber 1 (that's where you want the ph to be around 6.8 ) and a second one in the tank. When you have the effluent running off of chamber 2 you have to guess at what it needs to be (or add another JG fitting and valve for testing randomly). And hope the reaction time between chamber 1 and chamber 2 is fast enough to prevent to dramatic a swing. Just not optimal. Of course this is assuming a 2 chamber reactor. If using a 1 chamber reactor the effluent is the effluent.
We've always used the PH probe in a drip cup that we keep strapped to the side of our sump. When we wanted to measure the PH of our tank we'd move it into the sump, check the ph and then (try really hard to remember to) put it back into the effluent cup (otherwise the CO2 pumps away like crazy, the media melts, the ph in the tank drops and you have complete and total anarchy). Now we have an ACJr running upstairs with the ACII running downstairs. Someday I'll consolidate them all!
I would prefer one PH probe in an effluent port off of chamber 1 (that's where you want the ph to be around 6.8 ) and a second one in the tank. When you have the effluent running off of chamber 2 you have to guess at what it needs to be (or add another JG fitting and valve for testing randomly). And hope the reaction time between chamber 1 and chamber 2 is fast enough to prevent to dramatic a swing. Just not optimal. Of course this is assuming a 2 chamber reactor. If using a 1 chamber reactor the effluent is the effluent.
i have a acjr and it only comes with one ph probe, but to buy a acIII or pro plus the probe expansion box would be too costly (cant use it on jr model). it would be cheaper to buy another acjr to read the ph lol. since i can only read one ph level with the acjr, i would use the pinpoint to read the ph water (which is horrible because i always calibrate it and the acjr probe at the same time and i get different readings), but fortunately salifer ph kits are their easiest tests and take a whole 30 seconds to work. but the whole drip cup method looks sounds pretty good. something to think about. meanwhile i dont even own a calcium or kalk reactor.
My brain is melting right now.... 
I think I understand the whole process. I'm ready for my Ka Reactor.
I think I understand the whole process. I'm ready for my Ka Reactor.