Unique Use of a Metronome
Calcium reactors can be a great way to maintain Calcium and Alkalinity, but it can be a challenge getting them initially "dialed in." There are 2 variables - pH of the effluent and drip rate. Controlling the pH in the reactor is relatively simply with a controller and good regulator. Determining the optimal drip rate, making tiny adjustments and verifying that rate can be a bit tougher.
I found an easy way to monitor and adjust drip rates using a metronome (available free in the Android Market)
Instead of doing timed measurements (measuring how many mL of effluent drip into a container per given time), it's much easier and faster (seconds) to simply time the drops using the metronome.
1 drop = 0.05 mL
1 mL = 20 drops
For example - Using the above standard, if your your dripping at 2 drops per second, you're adding effluent at a rate of 6 ml per minute. (Note, 20 drops/mL is the standard used in Pharmacy however drop size varies based on tubing size. It's best to initially measure your output and calculate drop size.) Regardless of your actual drops/mL, this provides a consistent method of measurement allowing for tiny adjustments to be made without tedious timed measurements.
I use an app called Mobile Metronome (Android Market) that allows you to either simply "tap" the beats per minute (drip rate) on the screen. It then instantly tells you the drops per minute (DPM) or; you can set a specific DPM and it sounds out the cadence allowing you to easily mirror the drop rate to the metronome "clicks".
Either way - it's very simple to get an accurate measurement.
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