pH in Calcium Reactor not dropping

[maury]

I have had a hell of a time getting the pH on the effluent of my calcium reactor to drop. I have restricted the effluent drip rate to around 30 drops a minute, and have even increased the co2 bubble count to an almost constant stream, yet the pH will not drop below 7.2! The recirculation pump is an ehiem, and is working properly. I have a powerhead sitting in my sump feeding the reactor input. What could be the problem here? The alkalinity of the tank is next to nothing (4.0). I had it set up the same way on my 55 gallon, except I had no sump, and ran the input from a powerhead in the tank, which pumped it out the back, under the tank in the stand, then the return tube from the top of the reactor dripped back into the back of the tank. It is now in the sump of my 210, and the pH is not dropping. I can see no reason why not. I am measuring the pH with an Aquacontroller 2, and the probe has been calibrated.

 

[h2o]

curious what type of media do you use, also are you using a PH probe meter?

 

[maury]

I'm using the same media that was in it when I took it off the under the tank location of my 55 gallon. It had the Ca at 450, and the Alk at 7 on the 55. And I am reading the pH with a pH probe via the Aquacontroller 2 as stated above. It's an accurate reading.

 

[maury]

Fixed the problem. The problem turned out to be that the water intake for the reactor is a 'T' piece that is fed from the other side from the bubble counter. Both of these inputs then go inot the reactor. Well, the force being delivered by the powerhead into the reactor at the 'T' piece was too high, and it prevented any of the CO2 water from making it inot the Calcium reactor. All I did was reduce the force being delivered to the reactor, then the pH plumetted.

 

[tankstolove]

that would do it. I was going to suggest going over every conection, though you found the problem/