New DIY Ca reactor

[ostrow]

Deuce I THINK I know what you mean. Any chance of pics to show exactly what and where to seal?

I think you mean water gets up there in the middle of the plug, and then finds its way out the sides on the top. Right?

I know the square thing you mean but not sure what I'd be siliconing.

How do I check inside the rubber part?????

The real question is, though, why would this only happen on the second chamber, and on all 3 Hand Tites I've tried on it, but never on the first chamber???

 

[ostrow]

BIG QUESTION:

If I end up going the reducer -> union -> plug route, can I do this on the second chamber alone, or do both chambers? It would add height to the second chamber by the length of the separate fittings, so would I have to also mod the first chamber too????? Or can they be unequal?

 

[H20ENG]

PBrown, Thanks for illustrating my point, nice work, btw!

Ostrow, If it were mine, I'd cut the whole mess of adapters off the top and glue a new 4" pvc coupling or 4x2 reducer cone on there. Put the Union on top and be done.

I cant think of why that one fitting would leak with all the plugs. Is it out of round?

 

[ostrow]

Looks round to me.

Would love to do what you said, but how can I cut it off? It's weld-on-ed to the acrylic. Any suggestions?

It appears to be 4" pvc pipe piece surrounded by 4" coupler (the latter is affixed to the acrylic, the former is pvc-glued to the inside of the coupler). Make sense?

If there were a 4" spigot fitting adapter that I could glue into the piece of 4"pvc I think it'd be fine. I'm not clear how to remove any of what is there though without risking busting the whole chamber.

What would you do, hack saw just below the coupler, cutting the acrylic?

 

[H20ENG]

Exactly, right beneath the coupler. The acrylic pipe that fits into 4" sch 40 fittings is 4.5" OD. Make sure this is your diameter then hacksaw it. You dont need to worry about getting a perfect cut if you will be gluing it into another fitting.

 

[ostrow]

gulp. I'm gonna see if I can find a spigot fitting first.

Can the 2nd chamber be taller than the 1st or must they be the same size???

 

[H20ENG]

They can be different.

 

[ostrow]

Well, couple things happened on the way to the Forum.

There is no spigot fitting for 4" pipe. Only to go into 4" fittings. So if I have to mod I either have to get a socket saver and try to drill out the piece of pipe in there, or cut off the whole top and start over.

BUT... I swapped Hand Tites on the 2 chambers and guess what? All is dry for 3 days now. Whatever....

 

[ostrow]

I knew I shouldn't have posted. Leaking again tonight.

I found some 4" "inside the pipe couplers." So ordered 2. If they are what they say they are, the other side is spigot so can accept, hopefully, a bushing. Then I'm good to go.

I think I'll do both chambers. I worry having one taller will increase the pressure on the other. Or, at least, I'm going to have the parts to do both.

Wish I knew why the hand-tites aren't working on the 4" pipe.

 

[H20ENG]

When completely loose, how tight do they fit inside the 4" pipe or coupler? Are you having to really crank down on them to contact the sides? They work best if the fit is pretty close to start with. If you have to squeeze them too much, the torque distorts them a bit.

I've been using Sioux Chief brand plugs, they are good and soft rubber.

 

[ostrow]

Gotta tighten them pretty far to fit in the pipe. All the way loose they plop right in.

Why only leaking in chamber 2 though? And always on the same side?

Aren't the Sioux Chief the Ace Hardware ones? I thought those were supposed to be lousy?!?

 

[H20ENG]

I got mine at Home Depot. The grey ones use softer rubber.
There MUST be a flaw in the the pipe to allow leakage in only that fitting with different plugs. How much pressure is the unit seeing?

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

My original reactor with the original Hand Tite plugs has been in constant use for over 4 years without a leak. There must be a flaw in the 4" pipe, I used drain pipe adapters instead of pvc pipe because the inside walls of most 4" pipe is too irregular to seal properly. Just my 2 cents >>>>>GEBC

 

[ostrow]

can't get the adapter in there though. the pipe is already in.

Can't see a flaw. I've checked around. HOpefully glue and a fitting will help.

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

Ostrow, how big is your second chambers outlet ? If the outlet is too small or plugged it may be building pressure.

 

[ostrow]

The outlet? The effluent drip rate is like 75ml/min. We all control effluent so that restricts the output, right?

It's a JG fitting that takes RO tubing, with a JG ball valve. Not sure of the size but 1/2" probably.

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

I used a peristaltic pump to control the input therefore controlling the output also, if the output is blocked then the pressure in the reactor rises. Just a thought>>>>>>>>>>>GEBC

 

[ostrow]

hmmm. I feed with an MJ1200. So if I used say an Aqualifter and controlled flow on there, the out put would be wide open. Somehow, though, I just don't think this is hte issue. We'll see though.

 

[ostrow]

why the past tense? you don't use it anymore?

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

I dont have a reef anymore,sold everything, sold the reactor to barryG he still uses it to this day