calcium reactor feed question

[natas]

I have had my calcium reactor setup for a few weeks now (geo 624). One issue I am having is stability of my drip rate. I am trying to keep it consistent at 35ml/min. It seems like every other day it goes from 35ml/min to 15 or lower. I check the needle valve and it has nothing blocking it.

Right now I am feeding it from my manifold. Currently it feeds my calcium reactor, Chiller and biopellet reactor (recirculating so it's just the feed). Are there any tricks to make this more consistent? Should I open my gate valve more?

Would a MJ400 be a better choice...is that more stable than a manifold? I know a peristaltic pump is the best option, but the models I see everyone using look fairly large and I don't have any room to store one.

 

[Tigerdragon]

I have mine fed from my rtn pump and rhe output i have as steady stream just above a broken stream and i adjust the ph of the reactor accordingly

 

[Tigerdragon]

http://youtu.be/gwlvfgDvQqg

Check this vid out really helped me

 

[d2mini]

the flow from a manifold can vary. Not the best way to feed a CaRx.
You'd be better off with the MJ, or even better, get a Cole Parmer Masterflex (there is a huge thread on this) and use it to pull the effluent through.

 

[swk]

Just bite the bullet and get a quality peristaltic pump. Masterflex, stenner, or even kamoer makes a specialized Peri pump for calrx applications. It'll make tank life so much easier

 

[natas]

Just bite the bullet and get a quality peristaltic pump. Masterflex, stenner, or even kamoer makes a specialized Peri pump for calrx applications. It'll make tank life so much easier

Room is my issue. I would be all over getting the Masterflex but all the pictures I have seen of that unit tell me I have no room for one.

 

[natas]

http://youtu.be/gwlvfgDvQqg

Check this vid out really helped me

You know, I actually was thinking of doing it this way and later decided not to. Now that I watched the video it makes total sense to do it this way. I think I may try this....My only fear is that my manifold feed isn't consistent enough. Guess I will only find out by trying. Cool thing is I can do it safely by starting high as suggested in the video (7.4-7.3)

Thanks for the tip/video link!

 

[swk]

Room is my issue. I would be all over getting the Masterflex but all the pictures I have seen of that unit tell me I have no room for one.

I know the issue well...

These pumps are quite strong and can be ran from a basement or across the room. Keep that in mind if that helps you...

 

[ca1ore]

After mucking around with countless ways of feeding water to mine I finally gave up and went with a masterflex pump. Brilliant! My advice would be to find a way to make space

 

[natas]

Would someone mind measuring there masterflex and post the model number?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

http://reef.diesyst.com/crarticle/crarticle.htm
This is an interesting read.
I run a gravity feed deep from the overflow box with a steady stream returning to the same box.
Always water in the box so no worries.