Add media to about 6" deep. You can adjust this level next time you fill it depending on how well the pump handles this.After water is on bleed off the air using the ball valve on top. When water starts to come out of this without air turn the valve off and turn on the pump and turn on the already calibrated PH controller. Allow this to stabilize which should take a few minutes. The PH will likely be really low around 6.0, this is normal for a new start up. At this point the needle valve on the return line in the sump is wide open allowing the water to flow getting all the air bubbles out. After this is free of air turn it down to about 60 drops per minute. Follow the direction for setup on your CO2 regulator and when the PH gets up to 6.7 turn the knob so that it comes on now and set the bubble counter for about 60 bubbles per minute. If your controller is set too high the solenoid will not open and allow the flow of CO2. You will have to play with this but you will need it to keep the PH between 6.4 and 6.7. That means it should shut off at 6.4 and start again at least by 6.8 if not a little sooner. Mine runs between 6.4 and 6.6. To get mine to stabilize I had to run the bubbles around 120 per minute and cut it back a little with the attached needle valve to 60 bubbles per minute.A larger pump can actully grind the media into the water and register high levels of calcium. The problem is that the calcium will settle in your lines and plug them up. Also the calcium will do what is called "precipitate" in the tank which is clumping and settling to the bottom because it is too heavy or the water is over saturated. Keep the PH in the reactor low and it will will stay dissolved well into the display tank. Because it is low keep this in mind when first starting so that you do not lower the PH in your display too far! Check your display tanks PH often when first starting. After it is running do a power outage test while the CO2 is filling the chamber by flipping the switch on the surge protector that everything is plug into. Make sure the CO2 stops filling the bubble counter. If it does not check the solinoid. If CO2 continues to enter the chamber with no power it could explode from excess pressure! Flip the switch back on and make sure that everything returns to normal. The pump is running and CO2 is once again flowing.
PH too high- Check your bubble counter, if it is still around 60 BPM [bubbles per minute] then slightly increase this and decrease the drip of affluent in the sump.
PH too low - Check your bubble counter and make sure it is near 60 BPM and speed up the drip of affluent in the sump.
Calcium in tank is precipitating [looks like its snowing] slow the drip of affluent down and likewise with the bubble counter. Check PH on controller to make sure it is low enough.
Calcium is still low- Try turning up the affluent drip; if PH rises adjust the bubble counter.
Pump makes a surging sound- bleed off the air in the reactor using the ball valve. You may even have to shake the reactor.
Media is not moving- Double check to make sure there is no air in the unit. Make sure the pump is plugged into a good socket and the surge protector is not off. If it still not moving remove some of the media and take note on how full it is now. Be sure to bleed the air back off before plugging the pump back in.
Terms
Media- the calcium stuff that goes into the reactor chamber.
Affluent- the water that comes out of reactor.
BPM- bubbles per minute, a term used to measure the flow of CO2.
Bubble counter- the device on your CO2 regulator to count the CO2 flow by use of water in a clear tube and counting the bubbles the CO2 makes.
CO2 regulator- the device on your CO2 tank to regulate the amount of CO2 that flow to your calcium reactor.
Needle valve- a small valve for regulating flow rates. One is on the CO2 regulator for the flow of CO2 and the other should be on the return water line just inside your sump.