Help with my effluent readings

[ckeadle]

OK I just got the GEO reactor set up on Saturday and have it at 50 drops per minute and 25 bubbles of CO2 per minute.

Today I checked the effluent and here are the readings.

ph= 6.6 -ph monitor
alk = 18 meq/l
Calcium = 585 or higher

The alk/calc sound really high to me. Is this normal?
I thought that I read that they will stabilize over time but I wanted to make sure.

Thanks

[MIKE]

Hi,

While most folks don't seem to monitor calcium levels in effluent, your readings don't look out of line to me. Your ph and alkalinity levels look typical. I would guess you are right on track.

[skipm]

I also think that the levels are okay but keep an eye on them. I have been told that your alk. of your effluent averages about 3 times the alk. of your tank. Skip

[Flatlander]

The effluent ph looks good. The alk. & calcium seem a bit high. If your test kits are accurate, then you are getting lots of media dissolving at the higher bubble count and lower effluent rate.

If your tanks demand is high, increase the effluent rate a little, leaving the bubble count the same. If the demand is lower, then leave the effluent rate the same and back off the co2 count a little.

Are you using a fine media to get the high rate of dissolving media?

Also & most important, its a little early to adjust the reactor to much. Let it run further before adjusting.

[Greg Moore]

One simple thing most of these replies don't mention but would know, don't assume your tanks balance is that that comes out of the reactor. Sorry if you knew this, but being a newbie with a reactor, remeber you are replacing either Kalk (at huge calcium levels) or A/B, again at huge calcium levels. It is your _tank_ that should stabalize near nsw levels, the effluent needs to be much higher to maintain this.

Greg