An alternative method is to dilute the effluent 1:3 and then multiply the test result by 4 to get the final
reading. This method uses less reagent which may be important if testing regularly.
Calculating the correct reactor effluent flow volume
The flow volume of effluent from the rector for any aquarium will depend on a number of factors:
•
The total volume of the aquarium system.
•
The coral stocking density of the aquarium.
•
How hard you drive the reactor by adjustment of the recirculation and de-gas functions.
Measuring the dKH of your aquarium.
It is important before you start, to know the dKH of your aquarium or the target level that you are trying to
achieve and maintain.
On day 1, as you switch on the reactor, you may have a dKH of 8.0 and start with an effluent flow of
50lt/day. If, on the second day, having run the reactor for 24 hours, the dKH is 8.2, then you can see that the
level is rising and so you know you are adding too much reactor effluent per day. Adjustment is as simple as
dialling down the daily flow volume. Try dropping from 50 lt/day to 40lt/day. If on the next day the level still
continues to rise, then turn it down further.
If the dKH drops, then increase the flow rate and continue to do so until the level becomes stable, this is now
your dialled in flow rate. Set the de-gas volume to be the same.
Existing calcium reactor
If you are converting from an existing calcium reactor then it is fairly easy to calculate the flow rate required.
Collect and measure the flow rate that the old reactor outputs over a period of 1 hour, multiply x 24 and you
know the flow rate per day. Measure the dKH of the effluent, example 85 lt/day at 30dKH.
Multiply the daily volume x the dKH to get the total demand in dKH units per day, in this case 30 x 85 = 2550.
If the new reactor generates a dKH of 45, then divide the total demand of 2550 dKH units by 45 to get the
flow rate for the new reactor of 57lt/day. This is a good starting point and can be adjusted from there.
Liquid additives
If you know how much dKH you are adding daily from your existing dosing system, then a similar calculation
can be carried out to estimate the starting volume.
Adjustment of CO2 bubbles in the gas chamber and recirculation rate
For the first 3- 4 days of
running the reactor, you will
see that the bubbles in the
gas chamber are quite large
and do not extend below the
water line.
Image 1
After that time, you will see
that the water entering the
gas chamber starts to entrain
a lot of fine bubbles which
increases the solubility of the
CO2 due to the increased
surface area.
Image 2
The depth of the bubbles is
adjusted by changing the %
recirculation rate of the pump.
Image 1
Image 2