Calcium Reactor install/setup help

Alright!! So I picked up a used Reef Octopus calcium reactor the other day! For only $200, I got a co2 bottle, a 2chamber media reactor and a regulator!... Everything is supposed to work.

Now what?

I have no idea where to start with this thing... How do I make sure the Regulator is good? Should I use the media that's in the chambers?

 

I would rinse it but it should be good. That's a great deal by the way. Did you get any kind of controller and solenoid with it? Injustice picked up an mrc cr2 for 250, came with tank, regulator, solenoid, Milwaukee Ph controller, probe, and some media. Only problem is the one pvc fitting broke off in the acrylic cylinder transit . On the plus side it was insured and I have filed a claim and mrc said they will fix it for 85 to 100 bux. Which kinda seems like alot but if the insurance pays for it don't matter as long as it's fixed right.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

I have the apex to control it.

Not sure about the solenoid. This is actually the first calcium reactor I have ever seen in person, lol. Everyone I know uses dosers.

 

After looking at the regulator again I saw the solendoid lol. You have a Ph probe for the apex? If you do you put the Ph probe in the first chamber( Ideally ) or where the water enters your tank in a little cup or something to read the Ph of the effluent coming out of the reactor. If you can do the first way you would set it to what ever the media needs...probably 6.5...or if the second way probably 6.7ish as the second chamber raises the Ph some compared to the first chamber. Then you setup a feed pump to slowly pump water through the reactor. Takes from what I read few weeks of adjusting and testing to get everything dialed in. Oh yeah I haven't set one up yet just a lot of reading lol. Melevs reef has a nice write up on setting one up.

Edit: oh you would plug the solenoid into one of your controllable outlets and set it to turn on when Ph raises above what I said depending on where the probe is. You also need to set the regulator and adjust the bubbles to like 60 to 80 a minute I think...I forget honestly where to set that.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

It actually has a probe holder in the first chamber. I am going to need to order another module to hold another PH probe, but that's no biggie. I have more tubes with open ends than I expected to is my problem... I kind of figured it was one water, one Co2 and one out.. I have 4 open ends...

 

Hrmm not positive hard to tell from the pics. It looks like there is an extra one on the top to feed back into the pump to recirculate excess co2 so that could be two of the openings.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

I'm going to download some instructions tomorrow and get the co2 filled, after that I'll take some more detailed pics of what I'm working with.

 

Good idea lol. That is nice that you have the probe holder right in the top on the chamber...mine is in like a tee between chamber one and two which is kinda awkward. How big of a tank is that going on and what is the reactor rated for? I wasn't sure what model I was buying as the seller wasn't sure but I got measurements and it didn't really match exactly to any of their current models so I assumed it was the mrc Nanotuners which was still overkill for my like 65g tank. The one I got is good for 500g lol.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

Reef Octopus 6" Dual Calcium Reactor | CoralVue
Pretty sure that's it. I bought it from someone using it on a 400 some odd gallon tank. So I figured I didn't need to be worried. I think it's rated for 500g. I have dosing pumps to supplement anyhow

 

Hah you prolly have like 3 times the volume I do lol. What do you have in the way of coral? I glance at some pictures of your tank but couldn't spot to much on my phone.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk