I really need some basic CA Reactor ?s answered

[Mish]

Hi all,
I bought a used Korallin, no directions. Long sad story. Anyway...

Should I see the media in the reactor swirling when it's on?

Should the PH probe be in the media, or in the water above the media in the chamber?

And on the Korallins there are two outlets, water is streaming out of both, I dialed back the one, but I was told to leave the second unrestricted. I was told that it would only slowly drip out, this is not happening. Is something wrong?

Thanks

[gman19]

Can't comment on your particular reactor, but of the 2 I have experience with, the media should not be swirling about. As for the pH probe, I would think that you'd not want it in the media if for no other fact that the end of the probe could be damaged.

The flow through the reactor should be slow. I use a dosing pump to push about one litre per hour through mine. The goal is to balance your co2 bubble count and your flow to acheive a lowere pH that allows good dissolution of the media.

I control my reactor effluent at about 6.8.

Hope this helps in some small way...

[Mish]

Thanks,
my husband really thought you should be able to see the media moving.(That's settled)

The probe thing is strange. I have it in the reactor above the media, and it's giving me the PH of the tank, not the PH of the effluent. I thought you wanted this to monitor the effluent PH? Am I confused...again?

[gman19]

How much CO2 are you inputting??

[mikeatjac]

Here is the thread you need;
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7740418#post7740418

By the way it is a great CR. Post your question there and you will get all the help you need.

[Mish]

My Co2 is 1bubble every 10seconds. If I test my effluent with a drip cup I have a PH of 6.5. But the probe in the reactor is reading 7.9 as of this morning. This is what didn't make sense to me.

I'm going to to look at that thread.

Thanks

[gman19]

Just in case you didn't...you also need to calibrate the probe using a 4 & 7 calibration solutions to more accurately read the lower reading of the effluent.

Not sure about the 2 outlets on the Korallin. Are you sure one is not the inlet for the CO2? Just curious...

[manofcoral]

Hi, I own a Korallin 1502 and love it. The outliet the comes out of the top is used to get all the air and co2 out the the reactor. You turn on the top outlet and turn off the side outlet until water is running out of the top. Then turn on the side outlet and turn off the top outlet. Ajust the side outlet drip rate to about 40 drops/min. to start off. I have my co2 bubbles going at about 60/min. in a 180g with lots of sps and the CA stays great at 420. I use ARM reactor media and fill it to the top of the Kofallin name on the side of the reactor. The media should not be swirling, it should just stay put. I do not have a ph probe in mine so I can not really help with that. Once you get it going I am sure you will be very happy.

Paul<><

[antonsemrad]

With mine, I had to replace the grey and orange valves. They leaked. I have effuent drip out of both lines. I am also new to these things, (6months) but I think you are supposed to have the effuent at 6.5 PH and about 9meg for alkilinity. Thats where mine is at anyway. About 20 bubbles per min for Co2, and I resrict the effuent drip rate to set the PH. (6.5) I have also found that useing kalk along with the ca reactor helps alot with the ph of my tank.

Can someone tell me what I am supposed to do for media refills? How often? Rinse or not?

Oh, and as for the media swirling, as long as its not clogging the pump intake, who cares. The pump is supposed to pump down to the bottom and suck at the top. Is this your issue?

[Mish]

antonsemrad,
Should the top outlet stay closed?

I just set this thing up last night, so I am early on in the adjustment. I have calibrated my PH monitor. I have the lid that has a place to put the probe in the chamber, so this is where it's at. It reads the water in the chamber as PH 7.9, but if I take a cup full of effluent and read the PH I get 6.5. This is what is confusing me. Shouldn't the water in the chamber be the same PH as the effluent? They are the same thing aren't they?