calcium reactor woes..

[matt the fiddler]

it seems like i have had a few problems come up the last little bit with my tank.. on to the club for answers!


my knop CA reactor is wonderful.. other than when I set the effluent drip, and with in a week it stops dripping .. the reactor fills with Co2, risking pump burnout and coral death if i don't watch my ca levels for a week etc.

it is powered by a maxijet 1200,
I upgraded my valves a but ago.. to the 2 little fishies micro ball valves, which are good valves... http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...ROD&Product_Code=TLF-MVB&Category_Code=Valves



I can get a good drip.. but it always clogs. do I need to run it underwater? or what can I do so once my levels are set i don't have to mess with it?

clayton, my reactor isn't "in" the sump anymore i freed up some more space under the tank for it

 

[Covey]

Few options.

1) Move the valve to before the reactor. If the water feed to your reactor is mechnically filtered(I think you run a sock) then that should work.

2) Run less media. That is what got me in trouble. When I tired to crame the last pound of ARM into my reactor I was having a clogging problem until dissolved some.

3) Run that Gen-x Style coarse media. You likely won't get much grit out of it.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...PROD&Product_Code=PC-CRM&Category_Code=cmedia

Did you get the prop mod working?

 

[matt the fiddler]

I did not think that the problem originated from the reactor it's self.. .. it is the exit from the reactor.... I figured it was salt creep or other thing on the valve.. but I guess it could be clogging due to my fine media... hmmm

1- I had read a while back that you want pressure in the reactor, and to run the valve after it for that end.... is this invaldiated?

2- My media is an inch from the top of the reactor... how much less are you talking?

3- i have not tried that media, though i saw bullet had it in his...


I don't run a sock most of the time.. only when i need to clean up the tank, and stir thinks up a bunch, and let it filter out..

 

[Double-J]

I would say move the valve to the intake side of the reactor. Also move to the GenX/schuran media which isn't so fine so nothing has potential to clog. Also if moving to the bigger media works and stops the clogs you might consider getting a dosing pump JMO

 

[Bullet]

My brother had a problem setting his drip rate with the stock valves too. What he did was to open that one all the way and then just put a jonny guest valve on the very end of the output to control the drip rate.

Something like this I think:

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...t_Code=JG-PPSV010822W&Category_Code=johnguest

 

[matt the fiddler]

I think the vaves i got are of better quality than the John Guest.. hmmm..


who here runs the effluent rate valve BEFORE the reactor?

 

[Double-J]

Mine is on the input (just realized) Spazz just built me one so it hasn't been on long but it uses a Hayword Needle Valve. It's only been running for about a week but the drip rate is easy to adjust on it and seems to be accurate/constant so far. I'm not sure where you would by the valves at though You can see the valve on the left side.

<img src="http://www.shallowreef.com/display_image.php?id=226">

 

[rc1214b]

My valve is on the output, you might try changing the C02 drip to effluent drip ratio. If the effluent is too slow it won't take much to clog it.

 

[matt the fiddler]

well.. I could speed up effluent and bubble rate, and put the c02 on a timer, so it is on 3 , off , 3 etc. I wish i had the ACIII, with 2 ph probes, rather than the junior...

Matt

 

[rc1214b]

What is your reactor or effluent ph?

 

[Covey]

Couldn't find the "were not worthy" bowing smilely face but damn I want some of Spazz's toys!

How much media does that hold?

Matt my vavle is still on the output side but it does clog from time to time.

 

[Tank Razed]

That is a really sweet CaRx tinytool