Help rebuilding a Calcium Reactor

[TroyPierce]

Since you have a bubble counter on the CR, why not plumb the CO2 there and use that? Milwaukee does sell the replacements if you want one.

 

[mhe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7645924#post7645924 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TroyPierce
Since you have a bubble counter on the CR, why not plumb the CO2 there and use that? Milwaukee does sell the replacements if you want one.

Actually, I emailed Milwaukee and they sent me a replacement bubble counter chamber for free the next day!

Talk about great customer service!

 

[mhe]

Pressure

Pressure

Hi All,

Well, I have the unit up an running - I'll take some pics this week and send them along - thanks to all for your help in getting this figured out.

Now I have a new question...

When I first put it together I used a dosing pump to draw water from the sump, it ran into a T prior to the recirc pump. I put a valve on the effulent-out 1/4" tubing to create a 1-2 drip/sec flow out of the CR.

Worked fine, but I was concerned about adding another pump that could clog, fail, etc., so yesterday I put a T in my return pump from the sump and replaced the dosing pump setup with a 1/4" tube off the return line into the same fitting.

When I fired the new config up the CR sprung a few leaks - after thinking about it I realized that I had added a bunch of pressure into the system - "full" return pump pressure going in now (has to be a lot more then the wimpy dosing pump was), and flow blocked by a value on the effulent out.

So, I moved the valve to the line between the new T in the 3/4" sump return line and the sump-water-in, and pulled the valve from the effulent out - no more leaks.

But, now there's essentially no pressure in the system - the effulent out is open - is that OK? Should the system be under some pressure to work?

Thanks again,

- Michael

 

[comatose]

No, the system does not have to be under presure but works a bit better when it is.
what size is the tube going from the return line into the Reactor?

 

[mhe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7707735#post7707735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by comatose
No, the system does not have to be under presure but works a bit better when it is.
what size is the tube going from the return line into the Reactor?

1/4" from sump return line to reactor...

 

[comatose]

the only think i notice with a CR under presure is that it's easier to set the drip rate and it helps it stay at your setting.

have you tried putting a valve on the intake side of the reactor to offset the presure from the return pump? this way you would have a valve on the intake and the efluent side.

either that, or try and fix the leaks. where are the leaks?

 

[mhe]

Well, for those who've help and/or followed along (and in case it helps others in the future).

Here's the "final" configuration. I haven't yet cleaned up the tubes/wires, but I think it's basically done.

The hardest part, now that I have it running, is keeping the flow steady and consistent. I added the old bubble chamber back into the water supply line in hopes that any particulates that had been catching in the needle valve will settle in the bubble chamber and not clog the needle valve in the future. We'll see.

Thanks again to all who helped!

- Michael