New Ca Reactor, Hold me, I'm scared!!

[Stoli]

Well, the Korallin reactor just came in the mail today :dance: (well, actually in the UPS, but mail sounds better).

So, I opened the box and OMG!!!!!!. :hmm4: It looks more like a nuclear reactor than a calcium reactor. The set up instructions are four single spaced pages. This looks terrifying. :eek2: :eek2: :eek1:

I have to build a shelf in my cabinet over the next few days to get my tar ballasts out of the way and then I'm going to start installing the reactor. I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes.

Holy cow, there are alot of parts in this box. Ooops. That's just the packing peanuts. :wildone:

No really, between the reactor, the pump, the tank, the regulator, the solenoid, the tubing, etc. it looks incredibly complicated. I thought setting up a skimmer was tough. Well, I hope you guys are there when I start crying. (Wife is now laughing at the look on my face as I read the instructions.)

Additionally, this thing is built in Germany so they include translations. Well, I always admired the teutonic among us

[Gary Majchrzak]

Reading your post reminded me of the day {8-plus years ago} that I got my sump & skimmer,a day of excitement- and fear!My wife even took a pic of me with the new equipment- back then the only guy to ask questions was John @ the big MO!!! SCARY!

[ReeferMac]

Stoli,

Never setup a reactor myself, but I'm really good and screwing things up ;-)

Just kidding, if you get in a bind give a shout. Keith and Dave both have Rxr's, Todd too. They might be able to help you out a little better.

- Mac

[Playfair]

Stoli, your post cracked me up! Guess you should have asked me more q's when you were here...

Make sure you read enough info to know the complete theory of operation, it will make the thing less intimidating! I didn't even know you were looking for one?

[Stoli]

Correct me if I'm wrong, and I usually am wrong, but I think the theory is as follows:

Reactor media is dissolved by low ph. CO2 lower's ph and is bubbled through reactor media thereby dissolving calcium. Effluent is slowing dripped into system so as to avoid sharp ph swings. Control is by rate of effluent drip and by bubble rate.

All makes sense however I have absolutely no idea what it means until I see it in action. I'll be setting up this weekend and you should hear the wails of frustration in Penfield.

[ToddsReef]

You definitely understand how it works. I'm headed up to the Adirondacks this weekend but if you don't have it up and running by Sunday night I'll be glad to help you out with it. Have fun and just think of it as adding B-ionic all weekend so that you won't ever have to do it again (well at least until it's time to change the media;) )
Todd

[Stoli]

All Systems Go!!:D Running right now at about 13 bubbles per minute and about 40 drips effluent per minute per instructions. Seems to be working fine. I hope.:rolleyes:

Took a while to adjust the bubbles. Instructions warned me that it would take a few hours to get the adjustment right. So far so good. Now lets see some real growth. We need a sign for fingers crossed.

[ToddsReef]

Congrats on the install. Do you have a way to measure tank pH and the pH of the effluent?

[collossus]

Hey Stolli,

Good luck with the reactor I know what you mean about the complicated box of bits i just went through the same.

Give my regards to Rochester I was working there a couple of years ago at my employers place Itek Graphics opposite the half dollar

Bet its cold there now

Steve

[Leopardshark]

Man, i think 13 bubbles per minute is way tooo low.
My reactor is at 50 bubbles per minute and 1 drop every second or so, my effluent ph is 6.6
Are you sure it is 13 bpm?

[Stoli]

Hey Leopard:

Yeah, I think your right. I bumped it to about 20 per second. Just going slow to be on the safe side.

[kmagyar]

Just keep an eye on the effluent PH and tank Alkalinity. I have a tank full of acropora and am up to 30 BPM of CO2.

[Leopardshark]

stoli, keep it slowly, increase some more bubbles each day and you´ll know when to increase or decrease the BPM
good luck man!!

[Playfair]

Hey colossus- Yes, quite fridgid right now!
Leopardshark- Bet it's nice and warm where you are!

Good advice here. Stoli, I hope you are testing your effluent water, don't know why you haven't posted alk/pH #'s yet. The directions are just a baseline! YMMV

[Leopardshark]

Weather in here.... it´s just SWEEET!!!!!!:D

[Stoli]

Heeeee's back! Sorry. New baby and all has been keeping me to busy to stay on top of the board this week. Anyway, some responses.

First: Playfair, I've been testing effluent regularly. Ph is at 6.6. Alk is too high for my tests. Ca in tank is at 410+/- and maintaining. Alk in tank is at 3.2 Meq/L.

Second: Tank problem. Everything in tank seems to be thriving except for two things. First, and most important, Playfair's fungia seems to be having a sudden problem. As of 10 days ago, was eating every third day and doing great. Growing and taking food with great polyp extension. Then, it seemed to take a bad turn. Seems to be receding a bit from skeleton, won't take food, and polyps seems to be in hiding. Second problem is with my turbinaria. Timing identical to fungia. Was doing great then about ten days ago, polyps seemed to retract. May be bleaching a bit but since color doesn't change, not sure. Just doesn't look too happy. Only change during the period aside from ten gallons new water (as usual for several months) was the Ca Reactor. Yet, all tank parameters seem fine. Ph at 8.2 and stable, Alk as above, Ca as above, no nitrates, nitrites or ammo. I tried cutting back on feeding a bit but didn't help. May have even hurt.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. What am I forgetting?

[Gary Majchrzak]

Stoli : sometimes corals in a closed system for a length of time get used to the parameters that the system has drifted to.When the values are changed,even when changed towards 'natural'measurements,they can react negatively.Especially when the change is rapid. I am undergoing similar responses with corals I have maintained for YEARS in a system with the alkalinity 3 times that of natural seawater.As I am currently SLOWLY bringing the alk.down,corals that used to look great are looking rather poorly.I wouldn't hit the panic button just yet,as this may be the case in your system.....Gary

[ReeferMac]

Ditto Gary's response. Finicky critter's these invertebrates. Guess telling them a backbone's out of the question...

If it would make you feel better, for remedial purposes, chuck some Carbon in there. Make sure your skimmer's cleaned, etc. Other than that, I think I agree with Gary's assessment, they're just getting used to the changes.

- Mac