sorry if this is a repeat....

I am rushing around trying to get everything I can done before I leave t Afghanistan tomorrow morning. I really never knew I needed a pH controller on my Schuran Jetstream Calcium reactor.
I woke up last night to the reactor pump growling from it being bone dry, through recent threads I have heard you needed a pH probe and AquaController Jr allows you to do a low water alert/ shut off or something. I am not big on the water control or lighting control, I don't have an orp thingy all I was worried about was not having this reactor bur up or dump too much of something while my parents are taking care of my tank for me. I don't wanna get a call when I'm in Afghanistan saying "uh... sorry" and there was nothing I could do.
I am just worried about controlling the ph and somehow shutting it off, even if there was a power out.
I did a quick price and for a couple bucks more I might as well get the ACJ with all the extra options for later...
Does anyone have any links to a cheaper pH controller and safety shut off solenoid or some way to control this.

SORRY if it sounds irrattic I am in a super rush and I have to run now to grab Hygene stuff... BRB!
TIA for the replies!!

 

If I was in your position, I'd consider ditching the Ca. reactor until you have ample time to set it up, observe it, and dial it in. This is not a task I'd give my wife or anyone else (well, maybe Otty or Tangster if they were my roommates, but. . . )

Setting up automated aspects of a reef tank require 3 things:
1. set up
2. observation period
3. adjustments

You don't have the luxury of 2 and 3.

Seeing that a calcium reactor is not a dire necessity unless you have an SPS dominated tank, consider the peace of mind you'd achieve from shelving this project until you come home.

Good luck abroad, Optimist!! As shipbear said, keep your butt down.

Oh yeah: Don't volunteer for anything.

 

Great advice Sparky, I concur. Luna

 

Thank you both... I have alot of faith in my father's ability to maintain a salt water set-up... not saying I don't agree with you, just I have someone here qualified to do if if needed. I know half the joy is the journey looking, reviewing and having the new project to do. I just don't want to leave a hassle for my parents to worry about. My tank has alot of different SPS. It is enough to make a load on my additives. I can watch the ppm go down alot over a week. I have 35 different species of SPS (doubles and triples of some) and 8 LPS.
I always keep my butt and head down but I always volunteer too... they look highly upon the volunteering when it comes to your promotions. I won't volunteer for a death sentence though... lol.. thank you for the kind words.
The controller would be my piece of mind and my father would monitor and adjust it for me in the beginning. My piece of mind would be knowing that I wasn't inconveniencing anyone else.
Thank you both for your replies!

 

Completely understand. I am looking forward to my next trip to the sandbox in the spring. Your setup is alot bigger than mine. I wish I had someone competent enough to watch after it.

Are you positive you dad can make the necessary adjustments to the reactor when gone? Have you talked to him in depth about it? Does he have a contact of someone local that he can go to for help?

If so, go for it.

 

Good luck in the Box, Keep your head low, your powder dry and your cantines topped off...

 

have a safe trip and may god bless you

 

Have a safe trip! A buddy of mine just got back from afghanistan last month.

 

my apologies... that was great advice. You know when you really want something and you don't want to hear anything but what you wanna hear? Yeah, I was out getting my stuff and I was thinking about it... that was sound advice, as bad as I want to do it. If it were a newbie and they kept saying they wanted to do it, I would say "never start a project you can't monitor yourself."

Other comments follow with other members comments so I don't have to repeat anything...

Thank you for the advice.

 

I was thinking that my dad probably forgot more then I know now so he would be ideal in fixing it, if not me. Usually when LFS' have problems they call him or I if they don't search it themselves online. I do ALOT of work when I am home for 3 stores in my area and I am always explaining how to do things. I don't know everything but I get the logistics of how things work. That is not the "my dad can beat your dad" syndrome... lol, he's really good at most of the things he does and he's done salt water as long as I can remember.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT!!