setting up a CAL reactor

[Skimmerking]

ok i have ran a CAl reactor for a bit. Now I have heard to get it going some people apply the bubble count to around 70-80 bubbles and leave it and adjust the Fluid.

Now Doing slowing the enfluent down will give you a high alk and a low CAL right
i have the enfluent set to have 6.5-6.7 coming out and gettign around 25 ml per min.

what Should I have going at. should I raise the fluid coming out faster to say around 40 ml per min. I would like to have a higher CAl reading and a lower alk.

mike

[Delphinus]

To be honest Mike I think you should leave it set where you have it, and if you need to adjust Ca over Alk, try some two-parters like Seachem Reef Advantage and Reef Calcium as needed. The trick with reactors is that they're better at maintaining levels than they are at adjusting levels. Not that you can't do it, but I've found by messing around with the reactors it's easy to overdose CO2 and then you end up with things like valonia bubble algae over EVERYTHING.

I generally aim for 30 ml/min with whatever bubble rate required to maintain an effluent pH of 6.7. (e.g. if the pH is too high I raise the bubble rate, if the pH is too low I slow the bubble rate). If after a week the Alk level in the tank haven't maintained constant then I increase the flowrate and adjust the bubble rate again to maintain 6.7 at the higher flowrate. I don't think I've ever run a reactor faster than 60ml/min.

[Skimmerking]

thanks TOny I checked it I'm running the bubble rate around 100 bubble per min the gagues that i have is weird i have the ml coming out around 30 ml per min.

So i 'm leave it at around 80-90 bubble per min hopfully the p.h will stay at 6.5 it was at 6.3 with a ml per min at 25. for some reason I can't figure this stupid thing out.. its easy but i can't get it :twised: .

So if i run the bubble rate around 60-70 and get a ph of 6.5 leave it and adjust the flow rate to about 30 ml per min then RIght ..