Ca reactor GURU's help needed.

[barracuda]

Hi all,
i need a help to understand how can you control Calcium and Alkalinity levels with calcium reactor, using CO2 input needle valve and reactor output drip rate. Quantity of bubbles in bubble counter can control the ammount of Ca being dissolved, as i understand. But how can you control Alkalinity? What is being controlled by reactor output drip rate? Any operational tips will be appreciated.
My Calcium level is 450 PPM now and Alk is shifted down to 6.7 dKH or 2.4 meq/l. Previous measurments were made after installing the reactor every few days and were showing Ca = 500 PPM and Akl = 8 - 9 dKH.
Thanks in advance

 

[bigmac]

Its not that complicated (sp?) Once you get the alk where you want it the ca will fall into place. I hardly ever checked the ca levels in my tank, only the alkdkh... I like to have my dkh up around 16......
Get the effluent dkh reading around 35, you want it to be 2-3 times what you want in the tank. Each reactor is different so its better to go with PH readings and alkdkh readings. You want the ph of the effluent around 6.5-6.7, get the dkh around 35 and go from there...

 

[barracuda]

Cool BigMac, but here's my question. If Alk has already dropped down, how can you bring it back up w/o using buffer solution?
And what do you control/adjust by adjusting the output drip rate?
Thanks.

 

[barracuda]

Thanks Skilos1!!!