CO2 regulator
- Thread starter Reefugee
- Start date
Hey Rich,
My pH controller finally came in - after being lost in the US Mail for almost two weeks. I am tempted to drill my Ca Reactor like you did. Out of curiosity - when you drilled your Ca Reactor - did you use a standard drill bit or did you actually tap it so that the hole would have some threads?
Minh
My pH controller finally came in - after being lost in the US Mail for almost two weeks. I am tempted to drill my Ca Reactor like you did. Out of curiosity - when you drilled your Ca Reactor - did you use a standard drill bit or did you actually tap it so that the hole would have some threads?
Minh
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7000380#post7000380 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thereefgeek
I used a "cord grip" from Home Depot (1/2", found in the electrical isle). I "customized" it with some O-rings found in the plunbing isle
Ok - I bought the same 1/2" cord grip that Rich has. It takes quite a bit of force to get the PH meter through the opening. Tomorrow I am going to hit the local Ace to see if I can figure out some o-rings to make the seal water tight. I also need to find a nylon nut since it came with a metal nut. I'll probably have to hit HF to pick up the right size tap. Sad part is that I will buy one and probably never use it again. 
Delusion - thanks for the offer to loan me the tap - but I think it might be too small.
Minh
Delusion - thanks for the offer to loan me the tap - but I think it might be too small.
Minh
Last edited:
Rich gave me the courage to mount the pH probe inside the Ca reactor reaction chamber.
I bought the 1/2" cord grip. When you get the cord grip, remove everything that is inside (which I think is just a compression ring) and the metal nut. Now you'll have to put in some o-rings to make the probe holder water tight. I searched home depot but didn't find any o-rings that I thought would work well. So I went to my local Ace Hardware and bought the following:
The orange things is called a "B Cone washer" that fits 1/2" tube (stock number 36590B). The black o-ring is 3/4 x 9/16 x 3/32 #11 O-ring (stock #35728b). The third piece is FCT Shank Nut (stock #73113B).
I assembled the cord grip to the probe in the following order.
I installed the cord grip head. Then I pused the cone washer as close to the head grip as possible. Then I pushed the cord grip down against the cone washer. The black o-ring came in next. Then the rest of the cord grip was last. Although the picture doesn't show it, I did use teflon tape on the thread. I used two wrench to tighten the cord grip back together.
I drilled a 9/16" hole onto the top of my Ca Ractor top using a hole saw. I learned that the 9/16" hole saw doesn't use a standard mandrill, so I had to go out and purchase a new mandrill and hole saw. The brand was Rigid. Looking back - I think I should have gone with 1/2" hole. Then I installed the probe through the top . The the washer that came with the cord grip went on next. Then the shank nut went on last. I hand tightend it. So far the thing seems to be water tight.
Other things I have noticed: I am doing the "burst" of CO2 like Rich is doing. It is keeping my pH between 6.7 and 6.8. The one thing that I am noticing is that a lot of CO2 is being pumped out. By next goal is to put in venturi line so that the CO2 is recycled into the system.
Thanks Rich for all the great idea!
Minh
I bought the 1/2" cord grip. When you get the cord grip, remove everything that is inside (which I think is just a compression ring) and the metal nut. Now you'll have to put in some o-rings to make the probe holder water tight. I searched home depot but didn't find any o-rings that I thought would work well. So I went to my local Ace Hardware and bought the following:
The orange things is called a "B Cone washer" that fits 1/2" tube (stock number 36590B). The black o-ring is 3/4 x 9/16 x 3/32 #11 O-ring (stock #35728b). The third piece is FCT Shank Nut (stock #73113B).
I assembled the cord grip to the probe in the following order.
I installed the cord grip head. Then I pused the cone washer as close to the head grip as possible. Then I pushed the cord grip down against the cone washer. The black o-ring came in next. Then the rest of the cord grip was last. Although the picture doesn't show it, I did use teflon tape on the thread. I used two wrench to tighten the cord grip back together.
I drilled a 9/16" hole onto the top of my Ca Ractor top using a hole saw. I learned that the 9/16" hole saw doesn't use a standard mandrill, so I had to go out and purchase a new mandrill and hole saw. The brand was Rigid. Looking back - I think I should have gone with 1/2" hole. Then I installed the probe through the top . The the washer that came with the cord grip went on next. Then the shank nut went on last. I hand tightend it. So far the thing seems to be water tight.
Other things I have noticed: I am doing the "burst" of CO2 like Rich is doing. It is keeping my pH between 6.7 and 6.8. The one thing that I am noticing is that a lot of CO2 is being pumped out. By next goal is to put in venturi line so that the CO2 is recycled into the system.
Thanks Rich for all the great idea!
Minh
From Home Depot. It's in the electrical isle (along with stuff like the grey PVC and outlet boxes). It's 1/2" cord grip. On the packaging, it will state that it's water tight. I would give you the UPC, but I threw away the packaging.
The cost of the parts are:
Cord grip $1.50 (roughly)
Cone Washer $0.69
O-ring $0.69
Lock nut $1.79
The new mandrel and hole saw was about $20. If you want to borrow the hole saw, you're more than welcome to.
Minh
The cost of the parts are:
Cord grip $1.50 (roughly)
Cone Washer $0.69
O-ring $0.69
Lock nut $1.79
The new mandrel and hole saw was about $20. If you want to borrow the hole saw, you're more than welcome to.
Minh
Hey Rich,
Thanks for the great idea. Based on your comment, I noticed that there was a lot of CO2 gas on top of my calcium reaction chamber that were being sucked out by the effluent line. I took your idea and made my tank a recirculation loop. Basically, I nervously tapped in a 1/4" npt to the top. Screwed in some fitting. Made sure the fitting sit higher than the effluent line so that CO2 would get drawn into the recirculation line instead of being release through the effluent line. Connected that line to the current CO2 line. Now I can see a difference in how much C02 my calcium reactor uses. Great idea!
Minh
Thanks for the great idea. Based on your comment, I noticed that there was a lot of CO2 gas on top of my calcium reaction chamber that were being sucked out by the effluent line. I took your idea and made my tank a recirculation loop. Basically, I nervously tapped in a 1/4" npt to the top. Screwed in some fitting. Made sure the fitting sit higher than the effluent line so that CO2 would get drawn into the recirculation line instead of being release through the effluent line. Connected that line to the current CO2 line. Now I can see a difference in how much C02 my calcium reactor uses. Great idea!
Minh
Similar threads
