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Poriferan
05/30/2013, 11:05 PM
Is there a good starting point for an aquariumplants.com pressure settings? The calcium reactor is of unknown brand and pictured below. I have about 45ml/min dripping out. The tank is around 250gal total water volume. I keep turning down the pressure and slowing the bubble count. now at 8lbs and 5 sec/bubble. I am still getting quite the on off cycle happening from the monitor. Set PH to 6.50 with a hysteresis of 0.10

Do just keep turning it down until it stays steady, should i increase the flow through the reactor?

This is my first reactor so any help is welcome.

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt346/crossbow422/IMAG0583.jpg (http://s626.photobucket.com/user/crossbow422/media/IMAG0583.jpg.html)

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt346/crossbow422/IMG_2008.jpg (http://s626.photobucket.com/user/crossbow422/media/IMG_2008.jpg.html)

fishyguy7
05/31/2013, 04:53 AM
Reactor looks like a MRC. if so here are some instructions off of there sight for the dual chamber unit

http://www.myreefcreations.com/instructions/CR-Dual.pdf

SVTour
05/31/2013, 05:52 AM
Reactor looks like a MRC. if so here are some instructions off of there sight for the dual chamber unit

http://www.myreefcreations.com/instructions/CR-Dual.pdf

Agreed...and I have the same on my tank with a tad more water volume than the OP (~330 right now)

http://users.zoominternet.net/~bchestnut//Switches.jpg

1st off, your bubble count seems a bit slow (at 12 per minute). Typically, I run mine at 30 to 40 BPM. From there, the effluent should be just a trickle into a cup that flows into the sump.

Final setting is with the pH probe sitting in the cup. I have mine set to turn on around 7.1/7.2 (where it turns on the solenoid), and shuts off once it hits 6.6. I believe 6.5 is where the agitate starts to break down...so shutting it off at 6.6 can actually get it to that level before it starts to go back up. I've been tuned in to 450 in my calcium level for a while...

Poriferan
05/31/2013, 09:34 AM
Thanks for link and replies. I have a PH probe inside the reactor. It looks to have been added. I have the PH fluctuate between 6.4 and 6.6 inside the reactor. Does this sound correct? The MRC instructions said that the media will turn to mush below 6.4 and I have seen the PH dip to 6.37 for a moment. Should I adjust the controller to keep it above 6.4?

SVTour
05/31/2013, 12:33 PM
Thanks for link and replies. I have a PH probe inside the reactor. It looks to have been added. I have the PH fluctuate between 6.4 and 6.6 inside the reactor. Does this sound correct? The MRC instructions said that the media will turn to mush below 6.4 and I have seen the PH dip to 6.37 for a moment. Should I adjust the controller to keep it above 6.4?

I would, 6.3 seems rather low...but I don't have my probe in the reactor, mine is measuring the effluent coming out. 6.5 is about as low as I would go (again, I shut mine off at 6.6 knowing that it will drop another point point before going back up).

Have you measured your calcium levels in your tank? You may need to do more checks until you get it dialed in...but that should help you with your settings.