alk issue with reactor

[mikea213]

So my tank has been having a issue keep the alk high its at 2.5 mlq and cal around 400 and mag 1250. Have a mixed of spa and los. I'm running a reactor and its saying the ph inside if 6.4 - 6.5 with kind a fast just above being able to count. The eff coming out of the reactor is 4mlq which seems low. Should I up the co2 or lower the ph on the controller a little to raise the eff up? The media in the reactor is course arm doesn't seem to be turning into mud yet.

Thanks

 

[danbstrong]

So my tank has been having a issue keep the alk high its at 2.5 mlq and cal around 400 and mag 1250. Have a mixed of spa and los. I'm running a reactor and its saying the ph inside if 6.4 - 6.5 with kind a fast just above being able to count. The eff coming out of the reactor is 4mlq which seems low. Should I up the co2 or lower the ph on the controller a little to raise the eff up? The media in the reactor is course arm doesn't seem to be turning into mud yet.

Thanks

Hows the drip coming from reactor?

 

[mikea213]

It's just fast enough it doesn't clog up but not full stream u can see the drops but hard to count.

 

[danbstrong]

It's just fast enough it doesn't clog up but not full stream u can see the drops but hard to count.

Slow drip down this will allow co2 to breakdown the media better

 

[mikea213]

Is a slow rate enough to hold the tanks demands? I go it to a drip a sec should I raise the ph in the reactor ? Or is 6.5 ok for the arm media ?

 

[danbstrong]

Is a slow rate enough to hold the tanks demands? I go it to a drip a sec should I raise the ph in the reactor ? Or is 6.5 ok for the arm media ?

Yes leave at 6.5 with a slower drip the alk can get higher coming out of the reactor i also have mine about 60drips/minute so check alk daily at same time each day if alk is maintaining leave it if alk goes down add co2 not much just very lil until alk maintains

 

[mikea213]

Ok thanks for the help. If alk starts to go up do I raise the ph then or the flow ?

 

[danbstrong]

Ok thanks for the help. If alk starts to go up do I raise the ph then or the flow ?

Ph has to stay at 6.5 to break down the media so if alk starts to rise then lower the co2 if alk lowers raise co2 but keep in mind very small adjustments or youll just be goin back and forth and checking same time each day is important to give correct readings

 

[mikea213]

Ok gottcha I just check I'm a 3 meq now 8.4 dkh I want to be up in the 9 to 10 dkh in the tank correct? I did add some alk last night to the tank to bump me up .5 meq so should I do it again or see if the reactor will hold it at 3 meq

 

[danbstrong]

Ok gottcha I just check I'm a 3 meq now 8.4 dkh I want to be up in the 9 to 10 dkh in the tank correct? I did add some alk last night to the tank to bump me up .5 meq so should I do it again or see if the reactor will hold it at 3 meq

Ok heres what to do get reactor stabalized in the way i meantion before once stabalized then add alk to desired level using the alk supplement also once reactor is stabalized use calcium supp to get calcium to desired level then let reactor hold those parameters for you took me about 2 weeks to get dialed in but now i dont even touch it i personally keep my calcium at 420 and alk at 12 dkh my coral seem to like the higher alk and show better color and polyp extension at this level so you may need to experiment with your coral to see what is best for you

 

[mikea213]

Ok thank you for all your help. I really do appreciate it.

 

[danbstrong]

Ok thank you for all your help. I really do appreciate it.

Np glad to help

 

[mikea213]

Ok so I tried a slow drip rate and now the alk is dropping more I have tried increasing the co2. It went from 3meq the other day of the posting to 2.5 yesterday now its 2meq. What should I do should I turn up the eff and the co2? Does more eff needed to hold the tanks demands with just more co2? My controller shuts off the co2 at 8.4 and on at 6.6. Should the co2 be cycling on and off or should it be running all the time but just enough to hold the ph?

 

[danbstrong]

Ok so I tried a slow drip rate and now the alk is dropping more I have tried increasing the co2. It went from 3meq the other day of the posting to 2.5 yesterday now its 2meq. What should I do should I turn up the eff and the co2? Does more eff needed to hold the tanks demands with just more co2? My controller shuts off the co2 at 8.4 and on at 6.6. Should the co2 be cycling on and off or should it be running all the time but just enough to hold the ph?

Is there a pump on your reactor circulating the water within the reactor?

 

[danbstrong]

Ok so I tried a slow drip rate and now the alk is dropping more I have tried increasing the co2. It went from 3meq the other day of the posting to 2.5 yesterday now its 2meq. What should I do should I turn up the eff and the co2? Does more eff needed to hold the tanks demands with just more co2? My controller shuts off the co2 at 8.4 and on at 6.6. Should the co2 be cycling on and off or should it be running all the time but just enough to hold the ph?

How many bubbles per second is your co2?

 

[mikea213]

One per sec. Should the co2 always be on? Or should it be turning on and off 3 times hr

 

[mikea213]

There is a pump on the reactor. I have the vertex Rx6 duo. Do you have a check valve between your bubble counter and the solenoid? Wondering if that's part of my problem I have the brass one. Wonder if I can just use any airline one if that's causing a issue.

 

[danbstrong]

There is a pump on the reactor. I have the vertex Rx6 duo. Do you have a check valve between your bubble counter and the solenoid? Wondering if that's part of my problem I have the brass one. Wonder if I can just use any airline one if that's causing a issue.

Ok adjust co2 down a tad mines at 1bubble every 3 seconds then up the drip rate to much co2 thats prolly why it keeps turning off i run mine constantly my drip is 1/sec also if you can drip into skimmer compartment of sump the skimmer helps get co2 out of the water so it dont lower your ph in tank

 

[danbstrong]

There is a pump on the reactor. I have the vertex Rx6 duo. Do you have a check valve between your bubble counter and the solenoid? Wondering if that's part of my problem I have the brass one. Wonder if I can just use any airline one if that's causing a issue.

Takes awhile to dial it in but once you do its lovely

 

[mikea213]

ok let me try that. Does your system have a check valve on the co2? Should there always be bubbles and the controller is just there in case it pulls to low? Sorry for all the questions