Need emergency help with a calcium reactor

[Virginia Reef]

My water intake got clogged and the reactor is somewhat cloudy. I shut off the CO2 and the recirc pump. When I tried to restart the recirc pump, the media bed won't bubble up like it should. The particles seem to have the same look but won't recirculate.

Should I stir up media and try to get the reactor working again? Do I need to trash the media? HELP!!!

Appreciate a post with help or a phone call. 434-525-0161

Thanks,

Paul

 

[MERTZ18]

im not a 100% sure but if the media isn't mush. i would stir and restart pump. ooooo and put a pre filter on your intake.

 

[Virginia Reef]

I have a prefilter...that's what got clogged. The prefilter has an intake the same size as the airline. Need a different prefilter.

Also, there is a layer of grey powder under the filter below the media. Looks like some of the media dissolved.

 

[MERTZ18]

in that case if you have more media restart with new and pull the pre filter. better safe than sorry

 

[Virginia Reef]

Time to take the reactor apart, rinse the media, check the pump, and restart. Wish me luck.

 

[MERTZ18]

good luck paul

 

[Virginia Reef]

Mike,

Thanks for the Karma...the media bed began circulating just before I was to start disassembling the reactor. Either the recirc pump got freed up or the layer of grey powder (melted media?) began allowing water flow through it. I guess that I will still need to get into the reactor for a media test and to clean out the powder layer but at least it's not late at night.

BTW, thanks for having Steve call me (I guess that was you). He was quite helpful.

 

[MERTZ18]

nope not me i was thinking matt would call you but im glad it worked out

 

[manderx]

pull the impeller and see if it got worn down by the dust. just hold the shaft between your thumb and pointer and spin it to see if it is still balanced or wobbles. didn't have the AC3 handling the co2?

 

[Virginia Reef]

Nah, we talked about it recently and I hadn't yet put the probe in the reactor. It's going in tonight. I'll use my old Pinpoint PH monitor for the tank in the meantime.

I'm also planning to check the pump/impeller when I do that.