sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
Currently doing a 2-part DIY dose, and I fricking hate it. Needing to be there every day to dose it out sucks. That and my baking soda alkalinity treatment seems to leave a white precipitation on the walls of my tank which I've told could be from dosing too quickly (1 drop a second is apparently too quickly) or too high a magnesium (see other post). Not to mention I'm dealing with algae problems that I just have this suspicion is coming from water quality issues. So brass tacks is I need to automate my system a bit for stability incase I forget something so what the hell do I need to get a calcium reactor off the ground equipment wise.
CO2 tank: I got a beefy big 20 pounder, empty, but I can fill it up when I get the stuff ready.
Reactor itself: Probably going to go DIY here, this way if it's too small I can always get a bigger one without feeling like I wasted money, I already have it to the point where a few more pieces of acrylic and it's ready to go.
Pump: what type of pump do you use to circulate the water through the reactor? I've heard pressure rated is needed, any recommendations? Low power? Low cost? Low flow?
Solinoid valve thingy: I'm guessing one off ebay will do fine, and this is a needed
pH Controller: Milwauke brand one fine? Something to keep the water from going crazy.
bubble counter: I guess this is to measure the bubbles going into the reactor so you have a way of counting the CO2 usage? Is this something that comes with the solinoid valve?
Anything I'm missing?
Also when measuring pH with the meter do you have a place to stick it into the reactor to measure the pH in there? Or do you measure it from the tank side?
CO2 tank: I got a beefy big 20 pounder, empty, but I can fill it up when I get the stuff ready.
Reactor itself: Probably going to go DIY here, this way if it's too small I can always get a bigger one without feeling like I wasted money, I already have it to the point where a few more pieces of acrylic and it's ready to go.
Pump: what type of pump do you use to circulate the water through the reactor? I've heard pressure rated is needed, any recommendations? Low power? Low cost? Low flow?
Solinoid valve thingy: I'm guessing one off ebay will do fine, and this is a needed
pH Controller: Milwauke brand one fine? Something to keep the water from going crazy.
bubble counter: I guess this is to measure the bubbles going into the reactor so you have a way of counting the CO2 usage? Is this something that comes with the solinoid valve?
Anything I'm missing?
Also when measuring pH with the meter do you have a place to stick it into the reactor to measure the pH in there? Or do you measure it from the tank side?