Help rebuilding a Calcium Reactor

[mhe]

Hi,

I got this Calcium Reactor used - the guy who sold it to me has not been much help getting it going again (despite his super helpfulness before I purchased it - go figure!).

I think I've figured out how it should work, I've marked up the photo here with how I think I should plumb it:

My Questions to any/all who would help me:

1) Does the flow look right ? Any reason to reverse it and have the water flow down from the top rather then up from the bottom?

2) Will particulates get into the recirc return pipe and collect somewhere - do I need a filter on the recirc return (or something)?

3) What size/type pump would you recommend for the recirc pump?

4) Does the recirc pump run 24x7, or on a cycle of some sort?

5) Marine Depot recommends an Aqua Lifter dosing pump to feed a CR, is that a good way to create/control the feed of water from the tank?

Marine Depot Page for Aqua Lifter

6) Does water flow from the tank through the CR 24x7? If not, what should I do to control the cycle?

7) I have an Aquacontroller Jr. and PH probe, which I intend to use to control the CO2. Where should I put the PH probe (the effulent will run into my 30 gal sump).

Thanks in advance for any/all help!

- Michael

 

[mhe]

Hi Again,

I also have a regulator on the CO2 tank that I can't find a vendor mark on - does anyone recognize the brand/make/model?

Thanks,

- Michael

 

[RobinsonFam1]

reg looks like Milwaukee but its hard to say. ive seen too many that look alike.

ok here we go.......

1. yes flow looks right.....1/4" lines look too small thoughto allow pump to actually flow.?????

2. no filter is needed

3. need dimensions of chamber to know which pump. most use a mag 2 or 3 though

4. yes pump runs 24-7

5. most use a maxijet 1200 to supply the CR. its cheap, efficient.

6. yes water flows non stop. use a ph controller to control the amount of Co2 being pumped in.

7. you can use a small glass that the effluent goes into before it goes into the sump the check and control the CO2 rate.

you will need a needle valve to control the effluent rate though. otherwise you will never get this to work right.
ill send a linky, hang on.........................

 

[RobinsonFam1]

linky

this is a needle valve from us plastic. they are cheap. get the size to match your tubing and get the JG fitting to make it real easy to click together.

hth

BR

 

[comatose]

something just doesn't look right here with the CR, is that old media inside the reactor, if it is get rid of it and can you tank a picture of inside the CR?
the regulator looks fine.

 

[mhe]

Thanks for the response!

1. yes flow looks right.....1/4" lines look too small thoughto allow pump to actually flow.?????

Yeah, I was planning to use 1/2" or 3/4" PVC for the recirc loop. I think the from and to tank lines can be 1/4", correct?

3. need dimensions of chamber to know which pump. most use a mag 2 or 3 though

The chamber's 16" high and a 6" (OD) wide.

you will need a needle valve to control the effluent rate though. otherwise you will never get this to work right.

This needel valve goes on the effluent/out line, correct?

Thanks again for all your repsonse!

One more question - there's a "T" at the top of the bubble counter - does that look right?

- Michael

 

[mhe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7518422#post7518422 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by comatose
something just doesn't look right here with the CR, is that old media inside the reactor, if it is get rid of it and can you tank a picture of inside the CR?
the regulator looks fine.

Yes, that's old media - is there something in particular that's looking weird?

I have tested the plumbing and confirmed that the more central connection runs to the pipe that goes from the base up through the center of the chamber and ends open with a 90 degree bend at the top of the chamber.

The connection to the left/side fills the chamber from the bottom...

There's no question that the rig as pictured is "wrong", but I can not find anyone who can explain why it was ever setup the way it looks!

- Michael

 

[comatose]

never mind on the pic, i see now.
it's better the have the water flow going up thru the media, this prevents compacting the media over time.
second, you don't need the bubble counter on the Calcium reactor since you already have one on the regulator.
with a CR that big you'll need to get a mag 5 cause you lose GPH because of pressure thru the media. and use 1/2" pipe to connect it all together.
Yes you'll need a needle valve on the effluent/out line for better control.
when you build the 1/2" pipe for the recirculation with the pump use 2 "T's" before the intake of the pump and put the CO2 going into one "T" and the Water from the tank going into the other "T" also you won't need a third pump or a dosing pump if you plumb the intake line to the CR directly from your return that goes from your sump to the main tank.

 

[RobinsonFam1]

the lines from the tank/feed pump should match the feed pump requirements. mj 1200 is 1/2" tubing if i remember right.
the effluent line to the sump is 1/4" , so yes and add the needle valve to control drip rate.
as far as the re-circ loop goes, use whatever size is on the pump itself. i think a mag 5 is 1/2" also, check the intake on the mag 5, theyare usually a hose barb fitting that you will have to make some extra fittings and hoses to get everything to work right.

 

[mhe]

Thanks all for your help/thoughts.

I've purchased an ehiem 1250 and the add on parts for my Aquacontroller Jr (PH probe, X10 control module), and will likely start rigging this together mid next week.

I appreciate all your thoughts and time, and I may well come back with questsions once/if I get the thing fired up!

- Michael

 

[RobinsonFam1]

no prob!

 

[mhe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7518332#post7518332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RobinsonFam1
reg looks like Milwaukee but its hard to say. ive seen too many that look alike.

I'd say you nailed it! Looks just like this one (first hit on a google search!) Thanks...

Site with milwaukee

 

[comatose]

could be a "Blueline regulator" they are pretty much identical.

 

[mhe]

You're right, looks the same...

The bubble counter/needle valve unit seems to leak a little - from the bottom, I suspect in the bubble valve assembly. Anybody ever repair/seal up one of these?

I'm starting to really think I've purchased a lemon setup! The guy said it had been up and running and was "ready to go, all I needed was a pump", but given that every time I poke into something it needs work I think the seller was way-less-then-honest, my guess is this setup hasn't worked in a while, or is pieces that have never worked together... Oh well...

 

[mhe]

I updated my (crude) diagram to show "plan B" after everyone's comments. The recirc plumbing is 1/2" PVC, the to-and-from sump as well as the CO2 lines 1/4" OD tubing.

I left the bubble counter in, it doesn't seem to be a problem to leave it since it's already in place, right (even though there's one on the tank/regulator already, making two bubble counters)?

Any additional comments/thoughts?

Thanks again,

- Michael

 

[comatose]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7539267#post7539267 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mhe
You're right, looks the same...

The bubble counter/needle valve unit seems to leak a little - from the bottom, I suspect in the bubble valve assembly. Anybody ever repair/seal up one of these?

Leak where? from the bottom of the glass counter? what you can do is unscrew the glass tube from the regulator unit and apply plumbers tape to the threads and then screw it back on hand tight.

Also in your new picture i would have the CO2 got directly from the CO2 tank bubble counter to the "tee" rather than go thru the calcium reactor bubble counter and the regulator bubble counter.

 

[mhe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7539669#post7539669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by comatose
Leak where? from the bottom of the glass counter? what you can do is unscrew the glass tube from the regulator unit and apply plumbers tape to the threads and then screw it back on hand tight.

Also in your new picture i would have the CO2 got directly from the CO2 tank bubble counter to the "tee" rather than go thru the calcium reactor bubble counter and the regulator bubble counter.

Yeah, it's hard to tell where the leak is - the place I suspect it comes from is the needle valve on the far right of the close-up picture above - the brass knob on the far right below the bubble counter. I'm not sure I can get the needle valve knob off without messing things up.

Are you thinking I can turn the entire glass portion of the bubble chamber to unscrew it from the stem that it connects to? Seems kind of like it might bust, but perhaps not...

Got it on the direct line, it would be easier and I can see it adds nothing to have two bubble counters...

- Michael

 

[mhe]

OK, so I did as suggested, and the bubble chamber did unscrew no problem - and I now see it's got cracks along the threads at the base of the clear plastic chamber... So, anyone know where to get parts for this type of unit?

- Michael

 

[comatose]

if you can find out who makes that regulator(Blueline or Milwaukee) you can call them or email them to find out where you can get that part.
i think both reulators are identical so one bubble vounter from either maker should work on yours.

 

[mhe]

Hey All,

Thanks for all the input - I got the system put together over the weekend, and am starting to play with the dial in process. It was quite an effort, with unexpected things all along the way, but I think I'm almost there... But I have one significant problem...

The fitting "2" in the pictures above leaks - it's a slow-ish drip from where it's joined to the base. It looks like the white fitting is a 1/2" slip to threaded PVC connector, and it's joined to what I guess to be acrylic in the base (the black material the base is made out of).

I cant figure out how to get the fitting out, other then drilling it out or something, so it seems like it'd be better to try to repair the leak.

I could try laying epoxy, PVC cement, something around the joint, wiggle it to see if I could get it to flow into the crack/gap, etc. - but I"m not sure what kind of glue to use. As I said, I think it's PVC to acrylic that I need to bond.

Anyone got ideas how to seal this leak???

Thanks!

- Michael

PS I'll post pictures later once I get it all buttoned up - it's still a work-in-progress!