|
#76
|
|||
|
|||
Wide open for 24 hours? What about Co2? I could imagine opening it for 5 minutes perhaps, to flush it out.
It is a Lifereef Calcium Reactor with a Mag 7 circulation pump.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#77
|
|||
|
|||
that is exactly why i have a bottom flow reactor. any air that is in the top is right by the pumps (panworld) inlet..so it gets sucked up and chopped up. also it will get purges out throught the effluent...it just takes some time too.
also i have seen air purge valves on a few ca rx's Lunchbucket
__________________
Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- |
#78
|
|||
|
|||
The C02 is supposed to be off for the 24 hour purging time.
|
#79
|
|||
|
|||
I had to do the same thing with my old MRC Calcium reactor. Let it run for 24 hours to purge the air without the Co2. If you don't you will get a very inconsitent Effuent rate.
|
#80
|
|||
|
|||
Hey Marc,
Whatever happened with this? Did your new media add PO4 as well? If so, what have you found the most effective for removing it (which media)? I'm going to setup my CA reactor this week. I bought one of those biophos reactors a long time ago in preparation for this...so I'm most curious about what media you are running your effluent through if any.
__________________
Everyone has an opinion. Accept the fact now that someone isn't going to like yours sooner or later. |
#81
|
|||
|
|||
I need to test it again to see what it is currently.
When I replaced the media and washed out the reactor, the PO4 was 0. After a week or so, it was .1 but the tank was higher. Makes sense, right? Water from the tank is pushed into the reactor at a very slow rate, and exits at the same lack of speed. So as the tank situation resolves itself, the reactor may still show PO4. On Dec 31st, 2005, the tank finally had 0 phosphates. I may never test again, so I don't ruin that perfect record. The effluent is currently flowing into my infamous red beer cup, filled with more ARM to degass any excess CO2 before it can enter the tank.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#82
|
|||
|
|||
well i hope you tank stays at 0.0ppm. it is a great feeling when you test and test and test and it still is at zero
Lunchbucket
__________________
Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- |
#83
|
|||
|
|||
In my system, I've decided to run the C02 reactor effluent thru phosban before letting it into my tank. But I was concerned about the low pH.
So I've rigged up the following system. The TEE (red arrow) is between the carbon reactor and the phosban reactor. The hose going up allows C02 effluent (green arrow) to drip down and mix into the water stream before going into the reactor. And the air inlet on the effluent hose (blue arrow) kills the siphon so I don't get air sucked down the TEE into the reactor. Don't know if it matters, but I figured it was relevant to this discussion. Water level in the vertical pipe is right at the top of the TEE. It is pretty stable but will change as a vary the flow thru the reactor. |
#84
|
|||
|
|||
Marc,
Curious if you ever tested your tank after you reached your goal? Do you believe it was the media all along or the media was impacted by your elevated tank PO4 levels?
__________________
Regards, Mike |
#85
|
|||
|
|||
Mike, since the thread has been revived, I'll test it and see what numbers I get.
I have a feeling the reason it was so high is because my tank was so high (3.0), and the effluent drip rate was so slow since it was truly dripping. Basically the reactor was full of 'old' tank water since it would take forever to refill with lower PO4-laded water. Plus the media may have absorbed some since it was so high for so long. Last test was .25 in the reef, about 10 days ago. The calcium reactor media is brown all the way around, like algae or diatoms. I do have lighting from the refugium and the phytoplankton station, so it could be growing in there from the daily dose of lighting. The top of the media is white though, so I think it is only right at the periphery between the media and the acrylic wall.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#86
|
|||
|
|||
Marc - Looking forward to seeing the results
__________________
Regards, Mike |
#87
|
|||
|
|||
Okay, here's tonight's readings:
Tank - .5 Effluent - 1.0 Phosban Reactor - .03 So it appears my media is yet again outputting phosphate, which explains why I see the brown algae inside the chamber. I guess I can soak my other container's worth in RO water for a week, and then swap it out. It seems the effluent needs to be run over some type of phosphate absorber if I want to keep the tank's PO4 level down.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#88
|
|||
|
|||
why not use the schuran stuff. that is supposed to be lower in PO4. i've never had a problem w/ mine
Lunchbucket
__________________
Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- |
#89
|
|||
|
|||
Mainly because I don't have it.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#90
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
When I had my Ca reactor up and running, I pulled the water from the last segment of my sump, after the water has had a chance to go through the skimmer and the macro algae section. Maybe the tank water that is entering the the Ca reactor is loaded with phosphate and detritus from the tank. I'm not familiar with your setup, so I don't know where your pulling the water from. You could do a few things here Place a media sponge on the inlet of the Ca reactor pump to catch and detritus entering the reactor. If the flow out of your phosban reactor is high enough, plumb it to the Ca reactor instead. This should lower in PO4 coming into the reactor. However, you'll need a through cleaning of the Ca reactor to remove any built up detritus. I've never done this, it's just an suggestion. Pull the tank water from the last section of your sump (after the skimmer and macro algae sections). This area should relatively "cleaner"
__________________
Regards, Mike |
#91
|
|||
|
|||
Marc I can tell you one thing, I can only wish to one day have a Reef like yours. It seems to me Phosphate is not hindering any growth or colors in your tank.
Last edited by arconom; 04/15/2006 at 07:51 AM. |
#92
|
|||
|
|||
__________________
Trying to lose weight by walking is like trying to bake a cake w/ a cigarette lighter - Lunchbucket - "Nancy-Boy Extraordinaire" - maxxII- |
#93
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
That's funny that you mentioned it, but I was thinking the same thing about using Phosban effluent as Calcium Reactor input. I don't know if I can pull it off, but I like the idea.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#94
|
|||
|
|||
Marc - Since I don't have a phosban reactor. I don't know the answer to this question I'm about to ask.
Is the pH lower coming out of the Phosban reactor?
__________________
Regards, Mike |
#95
|
|||
|
|||
I doubt it. I'd have to check though.
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#96
|
|||
|
|||
Marc - Any update on my previous question?
__________________
Regards, Mike |
#97
|
|||
|
|||
I'll check right now!
Tank pH - 8.14 Phosban Reactor pH - 7.73
__________________
Marc Levenson - member of DFWMAS |
#98
|
|||
|
|||
Curious. How long has that reactor been set up?
__________________
Randy Holmes-Farley |
#99
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Randy - Can the media used to lower phosphate, lower the pH as well?
__________________
Regards, Mike |
#100
|
|||
|
|||
IME with some brands, it does not. But I have not tested Phosban specifically yet. However, if there is precipitation of CaCO3 inside the reactor, that would lower pH. Also, I presume the flow is quite slow in melev's reactor, or the pH could never drop that much. I use a Magnum to run GFO, and the flow is quite high (few gallons per minute), and in that case, I cannot believe there is a detectable pH drop.
__________________
Randy Holmes-Farley |
|
|