Were to start with CA Reactor

[Jason McK]

I was wondering what a good starting bubble count/min. would be. I just filled my CO2 tank and tonight I will piece together my new reactor. Any other tips would be great. It's a PM 422


Thanks
Jason

[BCOrchidGuy]

What kind of media are you using, I'd start with about 30 bubbles a minute and then measure your pH and aim for the recomended pH the media manufacturer suggests. I used ARM and found that 19 bubbles a minute gave me a pH of 7.48 or 7.49 the ARM packaging said to get a pH of 7.5,

Doug

[Jason McK]

Thanks Doug. Ya I am using ARM as well. Of course I have yet to read the instructions on anything. I just thought I would read as I'm doing it so I could actually understand what I was reading
Jason

[BCOrchidGuy]

lol I do that as well but sometimes I'll forget to read the instructions and think things are going along just fine. Then one day I'll be doing some cleaning or something, and find the instuctions then read through and go, OHHHHH thats why that did that...

Doug

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

What kind of media are you using, I'd start with about 30 bubbles a minute and then measure your pH and aim for the recomended pH the media manufacturer suggests. I used ARM and found that 19 bubbles a minute gave me a pH of 7.48 or 7.49 the ARM packaging said to get a pH of 7.5,

Doug

one problem to quantify 30 bubbles per minuit you have to also state a effulent flow.

I started mine at 60 bubbles per min with a effulent flow of 100 ml/min but this will also depend on tank size.. if you want to start at 30 bubbles per min I would sugest starting with a efulent flow of 50ml/min and then adjust your effulent flow to set your PH. this will alow you to have ahigher flow for a Ca demand heavy tank. and after you get that set you can play with both to fine tune it.

Steve

[Canadian]

Of course bubble rate is dependent on the size of the bubbles. A lot of the guys with DIY Reactors and bubble counters on this site will have different tubing diameters for the inside of their bubble counters. However, you also have to account for effluent flow rate as Steve has pointed out.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Sorry, yeah I used either a 1 gph or a 1/2 gph irrigation dripper to control my effluent, it worked but I've heard that they will clog up quickly.

Bubble size, well heck I never thought about that.

Doug

[Jason McK]

Well I used the very vague instructions from PM on the flow and the PH Values of effluent for the A.R.M
I guess it's a matter of waiting and tweaking as required.

Thanks for all your advise

Jason

[Jack]

It's all in the tweaking. Takes awhile to dial it in. Just keep testing ca and alk every week.

I remember when Christy was first setting up her OA reactor she said: "Oh, there isn't a knob for turning it to... say... 400ppm, well then how do you dial it in??"

I don't know if she was joking or not Just kidding Christy. I know you were... I hope.

[christyf5]

Good grief Jack! I hope I was joking too I think what I said was that it should have a knob on it for that. God knows it took forever to get that thing adjusted properly (well, I was a bit impatient )