Trouble with calcium reactor

[duke62]

Check with Jeff at MTC. He'll guide you in the right direction. I had a piece of bubble algae clogging the input line of the Pro Cal causing it to fluctuate. Also check your output line to see if anything is clogging it. Good luck!

i had a bristle worm stuck in the intake line couple of months ago lol. i thought that the line was clogged as well thats why i blew the lines out with compressed air

 

[duke62]

Jaftica i disconnected my lift pump from my ato and connected it to my reactor and there is no change. left it running for an hour and the ph is still jumping

 

[Jaftica]

how old is the ph probe?

 

[duke62]

I checked the probe in the tank and its steady at 7.95. Thought about that as well

 

[Jaftica]

call the manufacturer

 

[duke62]

yeah going to do that tomorrow. i know he is going to say its the pump really dont want to spend 150 on a new eheim

 

[Jaftica]

yeah going to do that tomorrow. i know he is going to say its the pump really dont want to spend 150 on a new eheim

i dont think its the brand of the pump thats the problem. ..the pump is circulating the water right?

 

[duke62]

im going to take it apart again tomorrow and look carefully at the rubber gasket and make sure there are no cuts in it then tighten it back up like i would a tire to make it all even all around. i think im losing co2 from somewhere thats my guess.

 

[regal]

Have you check the one way valve of the CO2 supply line? Mine got salt deposit when and restrict the CO2 and the pH starts going Kookoo.

 

[duke62]

i changed the line that went from the bubble counter to the reactor i will check the line from the co2 tank to the bubble counter tomorrow.

 

[savage]

Anone else have trouble keeping there calcium reactor a constant number? I use a ph probe with a effluent cup and my ph numbers go from 7.09 to 6.85 constantly moving up and down. i have the mtc mini cal but the eheim pump went but i replaced it with a mag 3 with real close GPH. could it be the pump. I just took it all apart blew through all the lines with my compressor, cleaned the foam pad in the first chamber and rinsed off the media but its still doing it. my alk and calcium are fine but i like my ph steady so i can see if i need to lower or raise the flow when needed. could it be the pump thats doing this?

Sorry Bro I'm a little lost about your question?? Now I'm assuming your using a Co2 regulator and controller?? Now my PH in my reactor alway fluctuates I have my set at 6.80 to turn on the solenoid and to turn off at 6.50...

 

[duke62]

savage the ph should not fluctuate if its set right. your selenoid shouldnt turn on and off through the day unless you set the reactor up wrong. my selenoid does not shut down it is not that the co2 shuts off the selenoid and the ph goes back up then turns back on when the ph reaches the appropriate ph.the water coming out of the reactor is not steady with the selenoid on constantly

 

[Jaftica]

+1 co2 check valve...maybee its sticking from corrosion

 

[savage]

savage the ph should not fluctuate if its set right. your selenoid shouldnt turn on and off through the day unless you set the reactor up wrong. my selenoid does not shut down it is not that the co2 shuts off the selenoid and the ph goes back up then turns back on when the ph reaches the appropriate ph.the water coming out of the reactor is not steady with the selenoid on constantly

Bro my tank is stable ... No issues how the flow coming out of your reactor drip or a stream of water?? Also what the pressure on your CO2 tank??

 

[duke62]

Your tank may be stable as is mine but thats not the way your supposed to run the calcium reactor.and my up and down in ph is also not how your supposed to run the calcium reactor. ph needs to be stable on the controller.my flow is good and the pressure in my co2 is good.

 

[Adamc1303]

Question: If I understand your setup correctly from the picture you have the mag pump circulating the water in the ca rx and also have if t'd off to pull tank water in to the ca rx. That being said you mentioned the issue started happening when you switched pumps. It seems like the pump is definitely the issue, but you know how things go in this hobby it's never what it appears to be. Maybe the mag pump is damaged, try to get one of those things that check wattage and see if the power to the pump fluctuates. The pump may be pulling less or more juice. If that's the case its changing the water flow through the pump and reactor by either getting weaker which means more of the same water in the reactor is being circulated creating a lower ph in the effluent or it can be over driving the pump putting out more GPH which would have the opposite effect. The power outlet may be messed up and causing the same problem to the pump (not sure what it's currently plugged into ie: main controller or just PH controller directly to the wall). Either way even if non of this applies to your issue having a separate pump is way more efficient then using the same pump to feed and circulate the water in the reactor. The feed rate and circulation rate are very different even if your using ball valves to control all of that its just not efficient. You want to know that you have a small maxi jet pump or alike and know that if the pump does GPH after head loss ball valves etc.. your approximately where you need to be, using a mag you can never be as precise.

I HTH,

Adam