Dave,
Thanks. I will send you a few pics (offline of course). I didnt get the
chance to work with the reactor this weekend because I seem to have a leak
in it somewhere. I had the drip count at one drip every 5 seconds, I left
for work, and when I came home, the CO2 bottle was empty (it was a brand new
bottle to, pisser). Will start again after I get it refilled.
I do have 2 chambers. One is the reactor, and the other is a single pass
where the water then flows out and into the area of the sump where the
output to the tank is.
Thank for you advice!
Shane C.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave Akard [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 8:26 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Calcium Reactor Update and Questions
>
> hey shane can you get me a pic of this setup???
> anre you using one or two chambers??
> you may need another chamber to even out the ph and co2
> if ya want me to build ya one lemme know, this one hardly ever needs
> adjustment and once set doesnt budge.
> but with your setup I would suggest another chamvber to soak up the excess
> co2
> you should start your output at 1.5 liters per hour. I think you are
> running
> too much water thru the system too fast. so set your flow first once that
> is
> stable then set your co2 starting at about 1 bub every couple secs.
> hth
> dave
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Shane Clays" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 11:30 AM
> Subject: Calcium Reactor Update and Questions
>
>
> > All,
> >
> > Okay, I finally got my needle valve hooked up and it is working well. I
> > currently have the reactor running at 1 bubble every 5 seconds and an
> output
> > rate of about .75 gallons per hour. The weird thing is that for the last
> 4-5
> > days, I had not been running any CO2 into the reactor because I did not
> have
> > the control on the bubbles that I needed, so I shut it down and just let
> the
> > pumps run without the CO2 injection. During that time, the output rate
> was
> > about a half gallon per hour. So, after about 5 days I got the needle
> valve,
> > and installed it (last night).
> >
> > Before injecting with any more CO2 and just out of curiosity, I tested
> the
> > pH. Suprisingly, it tested at 7.5. The pH of the tank was 8.3. I didnt
> think
> > it would be this low since I had not injected with CO2 in almost a week.
> > Whats up with that?? Not enough flow out of (and into) the reactor or
> what?
> > I mean, I know CO2 is going to remain in the reactor for a period of
> time
> > after you quit injecting, but for a week? I had also hooked up a second
> > chamber, so the output is going through about another 3 pounds of media
> > before being output into the tank.
> >
> > I know it is breaking down the media, because some of the media in my
> > reactor has gone from a large grade aragonite to very small sand like
> > particulate size, and the tubing I used is now all white and covered
> with
> > calcium. Thus, it must be doing the job on the media.
> >
> > Now, after I hooked up the CO2 last night, I upped the output from the
> > reactor from about a half gallon per hour to three quarters gallon per
> hour
> > (3 quarts) and began to dose the reactor at one bubble every 5 seconds.
> > Within an hour, my pH had dropped from 8.3 to 7.72. I then disconnected
> the
> > CO2 and just let the reactor run without it again and the pH came back
> up
> to
> > 8.06 by this morning. Not only does it run through the second chamber,
> but
> > the output also is on the top of my sump, where the output of my tank
> > splashes down. I cant seem to drive the CO2 out of the water at a high
> > enough rate, which means that there must be too much CO2 in the output
> water
> > right?
> >
> > I have not tested for caclium or alk. coming out of the reactor, because
> > without using the CO2, I went back to dosing with additives to maintain
> > levels. I planned on letting it run without any additves this weekend,
> and
> > monitoring the rise or fall of calcium and alk. to get an idea of what
> it
> is
> > doing.
> >
> > So, to summarize, at a injection rate of one bubble every 5 seconds and
> an
> > output rate of .75 GPH, my pH dropped significantly. I know it is
> working
> > though, due to the calcium collecting on the tubing of the reactor,
> although
> > we dont have any specific data because any tests done would have been
> scewed
> > due to the Calcium and Alk. additives used, so no tests were done. I
> also
> > did not measure the pH of the output from the first chamber, so that may
> be
> > lower.
> >
> > I am already thinking that this reactor is too small. Other wise at a
> drip
> > rate of one bubble every 5 seconds, the pH of my tank should not be
> affected
> > that much that quickly, right? I guess it will all depend on what amount
> of
> > calcium and alk. comes from the reactor so I think that is my next step,
> > along with measuring the pH of the effluent from the 1st chamber.
> >
> > Any thoughts anyone??
> >
> >
> > Thanks, sorry for the book....
> >
> > Shane C.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________________
> >
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