LifeReef Calcium Reactor
- Thread starter d2mini
- Start date
d2mini
Premium Member
I stopped my dosing pumps but everything is still hooked up for when i need to make any adjustments.
Now I'm fighting with the input water line. Keeps clogging or something, I think at the quick-disconnect. Seems the most likely place. Cleaned it out last night. But basically my effluent output has been highly inconsistent. Maybe now that i cleaned out the quick-disconnect and it's flowing better again it will stay that way for a while. But I see a Cole-Parmer or some there kind of peristaltic pump in my future.
Flatlander
Premium Member
Mine is running just fine now. Anyone else running the new baby Blueline pump. Man does it ever run hot. I actually have a small fan cooling it.
d2mini
Premium Member
I fixed my effluent flow.
I got rid of that quick disconnect which if you look at it, looks really easy to get a restriction from debris. I was disconnecting/reconnecting every few days trying to get the flow back and it got to a point where my flow was down to a trickle even wide open.
So i removed it and replaced it with a John Guest mini ball valve and 1/4" plastic water line, just like used on an RO unit.
So now I can close the ball valve if I ever need to disconnect the line, and when the ball valve is open there is nothing to restrict the flow.
I got rid of that quick disconnect which if you look at it, looks really easy to get a restriction from debris. I was disconnecting/reconnecting every few days trying to get the flow back and it got to a point where my flow was down to a trickle even wide open.
So i removed it and replaced it with a John Guest mini ball valve and 1/4" plastic water line, just like used on an RO unit.
So now I can close the ball valve if I ever need to disconnect the line, and when the ball valve is open there is nothing to restrict the flow.
d2mini
Premium Member
I don't know. Calcium build up wasn't my problem and i had issues with the inflow, not the outflow.
But people do say to have at least a 50ml drip rate to prevent fluctuations.
I was starting with something more like a 150ml flow rate and it would still slow down.
IMHO, the quick disconnect was just too restrictive, allowing debris to get stuck and clog it.
But people do say to have at least a 50ml drip rate to prevent fluctuations.
I was starting with something more like a 150ml flow rate and it would still slow down.
IMHO, the quick disconnect was just too restrictive, allowing debris to get stuck and clog it.
I just read the complete thread and the one thing I have noticed is no one has brought up the elephant in the room......and that is what pressure are you running your regulator. If you are running 10psi the size of the bubble will be much smaller than if you are running 25psi. I do not even adjust my efluent drip rate or the bpm once I get close, I just adjust the PSI on my regulator between 10 and 15psi to dial in my alk. Hopefully this will give you the missing piece of your puzzle. Good luck.
d2mini
Premium Member
I run my AP Carbon Doser at about 6.5-7 psi and have also made small adjustments with it.
If you want to bring the potency of the Alk effluent adjust your regulator up it is amazing how quick you can run your effluent up to 30DKH pretty quick, just be carefully not to drop the PH to low or you will end up with mush, the nice thing about this is you will not need to run so fast of drip rate or so many BPM, it's crazy how many ways you can adjust these things I think there is almost a art once you start figuring it out. Sounds like you are getting a good handle on it though. Good Luck!
NewMariner
Reef Tank Aficionado
Ive been following along, so now that you seem to have gotten it dialed in, would you recommend Lifereef Calc Reactors, or would you still go with a different brand?
I have a lifereef skimmer thats has been in use off and on for over 10 years and does a good job. Was thinking about getting another one for my new tank, along with the calc reactor...
I have a lifereef skimmer thats has been in use off and on for over 10 years and does a good job. Was thinking about getting another one for my new tank, along with the calc reactor...
d2mini
Premium Member
Interesting...
But if I do that, I'm using more co2, right?
I guess in the end I'd like to be making the most efficient use of my co2. The effluent flow rate doesn't matter to me as long as it stays steady.
Right now a ph of somewhere around 6.6-7 seems to be the sweet spot, which is a far cry from where I started.
Well it's dialed in and working fine. Since I don't have any experience with other reactors, I can't really answer that. I have no idea if I'd be gaining anything by using a different one.
I've used other skimmers though, and can whole heartedly recommend just sticking with LifeReef for that.
sseaner
New member
Guys, I need some help with my Lifereef reactor. The reactor has been running great for a few weeks. I had to get the Carbon Doser electronic regulator as I could not get the needle valve set. Now all of of sudden the bubbles will not enter the bubble counter unless I turn off the feed pump. My drip rate has been constant for the last three weeks. I tried increasing the regulator pressure which will work for a short time but then it stops. As soon as I remove the input pump the bubbles are fine. I tried to increase the drip rate ( really fast) but that is not the solution. Any ideas? I am using the RIO 1200 as my feed pump which came with the reactor. I also have the quick disconnect fittings that Dennis mentioned in his post above.
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d2mini
Premium Member
Now that's odd.
There should be no connection/relation between the water input and the c02 input.
sseaner
New member
No blockage anywhere. The Co2 bottle is brand new with 1000 psi and now I have 15 psi on the regulator and have to pump in a bubble per 1/2 second to get any bubbles to enter the bubble counter (very small bubbles). It is like the Rio pump is fighting the Co2. I am at a loss. As soon as the feed pump is off the bubbles come out fine. HELP!
d2mini
Premium Member
Man, I wish you lived near me. I'd bring over my AP Doser and see if that's the problem or not. Why don't you fly over to Fulshear, TX one day... I have a little grass runway right down the street from me. 
Seriously though... this is so weird. Is there anyone with a CaRx near you that could let you hook up your doser just to see if it works ok?
Seriously though... this is so weird. Is there anyone with a CaRx near you that could let you hook up your doser just to see if it works ok?
