Add Calcium Reactor

A Calcium reactor allows you to replenish Alkalinity and Calcium in your aquarium automatically.  

Here is what you’ll need to get started:

• Calcium Reactor unit
• If your reactor comes with it, a pH probe will measure the pH inside the calcium reactor.
  
  TIP: If you still need to add the pH probe as an INPUT, please follow the instructions here.
• A CO2 Regulator connected to an outlet controlled by HYDROS.
• A feed/output pump is connected to an outlet controlled by HYDROS.

Step 1: Create the Calcium Reactor Output

1. From the STATUS screen on your HYDROS app, tap on the three horizontal dots to the right of the OUTPUTS label and select “Add / Edit Output.”
2. Tap on the + symbol at the bottom right of the page
3. Type in the name of your new output and then tap “Create.”

Step 2: Configure your Calcium Reactor

• Family: Reactors
• Type: Calcium Reactor
• Reactor pH Input: Here, you select the location of the pH probe that is measuring the water pH inside the Calcium Reactor Chamber
  • Reactor pH OFF/ON Point: This option allows you to choose the lowest and highest point before the Control turns ON/OFF your CO2 Regulator

• Tank Alkalinity Input: If you have an Alkalinity Monitoring Device connected to the Control, this is where you would select it
  • Tank Alkalinity ON/OFF Point: This option allows you to choose the lowest and highest point before the Control turns ON/OFF your CO2 Regulator
    
    TIP: HYDROS logic incorporates a 0.05 hysteresis at both ends of the range. For instance, if you set the range to 6.5 to 6.75, the HYDROS will shut off the output at 6.45 and turn it back on at 6.8.
  • pH Tracks Alkalinity: See Appendix B below for a full explanation
  • Reactor pH when Alkalinity Invalid / Stale: It allows you to specify what the output will do should the Alkalinity reading become unavailable or stale.
• CO2 Output Device: Here, you select the location of your CO2 Regulator
  • CO2 Power Safe Range: You can set a range for acceptable power usage. If the power consumption exceeds this range, you will receive a notification if you select this option.
    
    WARNING: This option is NOT available if the “Output Device” is assigned to an outlet that cannot monitor power, such as a WiFi Strip outlet.
  • CO2 Power Notification Level: You can select the notification level that triggers if the power consumption falls outside the “Power Safe Range.”
    
    WARNING: This option is NOT available if the “Output Device” is assigned to an outlet that cannot monitor power, such as a WiFi Strip outlet.
  • If Input / Dependency Unavailable: It allows you to specify the state of the CO2 Output Location if one of the inputs or outputs it depends on is unavailable. 
  • Enable CO2 Advanced Settings: If you are an expert, you can customize the default CO2 output settings to suit your system better.
    
    • If Input Unavailable: This allows you to specify how the outlet should act if the sensor is not found or is missing.
    • Minimum OFF Time: Allows you to specify what is the minimum time the outlet should be OFF
    • Maximum OFF Time: Allows you to specify what is the maximum time the outlet should be OFF
    • Minimum ON Time: Allows you to specify what is the minimum time the outlet should be ON
    • Maximum ON Time: Allows you to specify what is the maximum time the outlet should be ON
    • Run Past Max ON time: This allows you to specify if you want the outlet to remain ON even if the “Max ON Time” has been exceeded.
    • Notification Level: Allows you to specify the level of notification you want when any of the advanced settings have been exceeded
      
      TIP: You will get notifications when one or more advanced settings have been exceeded.  If you set the Notification Level to NONE, then the particular outlet you configured will not send you any notifications.
• Active Modes: This allows you to choose which mode this output will be active and which mode should turn OFF.
• Depends On: This feature allows you to turn the output based on the status of another output. To enable this, select it from the list of available outputs.  
  • Dependency Mode: This allows you to turn the output ON or OFF based on the other output.
    • OFF if OFF: Will turn the current output OFF if the output it depends on is OFF.
    • OFF if ON: Will turn the current output OFF when the output it depends on is ON.
    • ON if OFF: Will turn the current output ON when the output it depends on is OFF.
    • ON if ON: Will turn the current output ON when the output it depends on is ON.
• Is Invisible: If you choose to hide the input from the status screen, it will only become visible on pages that have “Show Invisible” selected.

Step 3: Save

• After configuring the output, tap the yellow bar at the bottom to upload your changes to the cloud and each HYDROS device.

Appendix A: Reactor pH Tracks Alkalinity

Did you know that HYDROS has a feature that monitors the Alkalinity level in your aquarium and automatically adjusts the pH level inside your calcium reactor? It’s pretty cool because the Calcium Reactor media doesn’t melt at a single pH point. Instead, it gradually melts more and more as the pH drops. For instance, when the pH level inside the reactor is high (around 7.2), the media melts at a very low rate. However, as the pH in the water drops and gets closer to 6.7, the media melts at a higher rate. This means that with HYDROS, you can ensure your aquarium stays in top condition without worrying about the pH levels.

The HYDROS Controller activates the Calcium Reactor by turning the CO2 ON/OFF and adjusting the pH level inside the reactor based on the Alkalinity reading. It ensures the pH level is within the Alkalinity range by dynamically making the pH chase the Alkalinity reading.

If your Alkalinity is high, HYDROS will run the reactor pH at a higher level to “dilute” the effluent’s concentration and “maintain” your Alkalinity. However, if your Alkalinity is low, HYDROS will run the reactor pH at a lower level to “increase” the effluent’s concentration and “raise” your Alkalinity.

Utilizing a “dynamic method,” the HYDROS system can enhance stability by adjusting your reactor’s pH levels according to the Alkalinity readings.

For this option to work correctly, you must:

• Have a way to measure Alkalinity, such as the HYDROS iV.
• Set your CO2 solenoid between 1 and 3 psi.  
• Set your reactor’s bubble rate to a FIXED rate. We recommend 1-2 bubbles per second.
• Set your reactor’s output (effluent) flow at a FIXED rate. We recommend setting the level at which the effluent turns from a drip to a constant stream.  
  
  WARNING: This rate must be FIXED and not tampered with constantly. It helps avoid the clogging of the drip line!

The HYDROS controls the turning on and off of the Calcium Reactor by regulating CO2 levels and adjusting the pH level inside the reactor in response to the Alkalinity reading. This ensures that the pH level stays within the desired Alkalinity range. The HYDROS maintains a balance between pH and Alkalinity by making the former follow the latter.

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