Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[SkyReef]

Seems like it would just be easier to spend the cash and find a new easyload head that accepts the proper LS17 pharmed tubing.

Thanks, Swk. You might be right about that. I'll look into that option.

I have a easyload II head that uses ls17 for sale if you are looking

Thanks, Scuzy. I might be interested in buying it. Can you PM me the details and price? Thanks.

 

[SkyReef]

Wall thickness is critical. As such, you will want the 1/16 if that is what your tubing measure out to. That said, did you measure the ID? I ask because the hose barb is usually thicker than the ID to make a good seal. If the 1/4" is the measured ID, then you want the:
Pharmed 57320:
ID: 1/4", OD: 1/2"; Wall: 1/8".

When you get the tubing, you don't need to adjust the occlusion terribly tight. Our reactors don't require much pressure and as such, the tubing will last longer with the occlusion not being terribly tight.

Thanks Slief. I didn't measure the ID because I didn't have to measure it. Masterflex published that info for me. If I don't simply buy a different pump head, I will get the tubing you recommend.

 

[SkyReef]

Is there Pharmed tubing available for the Masterflex LS 15 pump head?

Is there Pharmed tubing available for the Masterflex LS 15 pump head?

Hey, all. For the Masterflex LS 15 pump head, what, if any, U.S. Plastics PharMed tubing would one order? Or is the Masterflex LS 15 pump head doomed to have no U.S. Plastics Pharmed tubing available for it, requiring one to purchase only Masterflex tubing fgor it? It's not the LS 17 model, but will it work well?

 

[scuzy]

Can't tell you most of us use ls17

 

[tkeracer619]

As Slief stated wall thickness is critical. It is actually the only dimension that matters in our case as long as the tube is not too small or too big. Too much of a pinch and it will split the tubing, similar to what you are experiencing now. Too little and it just won't work.

How are you measuring the tubing you have? Do you have a set of dial calipers? If not and you don't mind could you drop a small chunk in the mail to me?

Since you have an adjustable occlusion head and ls24 has a 1/4" ID and a ~1/2" OD the Pharmed 57321 may work. Since I have zero personal experience with performance tubing and the pharmed ls17 equivalent works so well there has not been an overwhelming demand to get this tube set figured out. You could be our guinea pig

With LS24 you get 2.833 ml per revolution so at 90ml/min your right at around 32rpm. Since tube life with nominal occlusion is based mostly on RPM you would be looking at 680hrs continuous use max. So you may be able to stretch the tube out to once per month.

I lost my tubing chart that I created by talking with a Cole Parmer engineer many moons ago in a computer crash, I did post the info in this thread but am not sure where :lol:. If I remember correctly the rated hours for the pharmed type tube is somewhere past 10k hours at a high rpm. Off the record he told me that if running under 50rpm the tubing could potentially last years. I still recommend quarterly tubing changes because it is cheap. I would see what you can make your current tube do but would strongly suggest figuring out what it would take to go to pharmed BPT in the meantime.

 

[swk]

I ran my last tube for 13 months and it looked fine honestly. Normally I shoot for every 4-6 months. But I have a 10-600 rpm drive and run it pretty low.

 

[solitude127]

what are the dimensions of the masterflex pump that you use?

 

[swk]

what are the dimensions of the masterflex pump that you use?

Who? Me?

 

[solitude127]

just anyone who uses these pumps. I know there are different versions but was trying to see what the dimensions of the different versions are.

 

[swk]

Google is your friend here. Specs are available for all models online

 

[solitude127]

Google is your friend here. Specs are available for all models online

Got it. thanks

 

[Jlentz]

I ran my last tube for 13 months and it looked fine honestly. Normally I shoot for every 4-6 months. But I have a 10-600 rpm drive and run it pretty low.

I've been pushing mine for about 6 months now. I'm curious if anyone has done any tracking to see exactly how long the pharmed ls17 tubing will last.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tkeracer619]

Well it's rated for something like 10,000 hours but that is at a higher RPM than we use.

There is no reason to push it, tubing is cheap, enjoy the reliability!

 

[Cprice515]

So, with no budget, what new model would someone recommend?

I have around 2,200g total volume and am starting to add more LPS and SPS so will be needing to get my calcium rx up and running soon.

 

[tkeracer619]

EW-07522-20 drive

and

EW-77200-60 pump head

I would probably give them a call if you're going to buy new and see if you can get a discount.

 

[slief]

EW-07522-20 drive

and

EW-77200-60 pump head

I would probably give them a call if you're going to buy new and see if you can get a discount.

+1. That is the newer version of the pump I have. Nearly identical. It's a great pump!

 

[krazysvede]

Any one using a 7550-60? Have a buddy that ended up winning 2 off eBay. He hasn't set either up yet so I haven't seen it in action. Thinking about picking up the spare, time to start reading...

 

[SkyReef]

Double-Stacked Pump Head for Separate Dosing?

Double-Stacked Pump Head for Separate Dosing?

If I stacked a second pump head on my Masterflex pump, could I dose something else, in addition to calcium reactor effluent? Or does it get too weird dosing different liquids from the same pump, set at the same RPM? I got the second pump head, already. How should I use it? Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[slief]

If I stacked a second pump head on my Masterflex pump, could I dose something else, in addition to calcium reactor effluent? Or does it get too weird dosing different liquids from the same pump, set at the same RPM? I got the second pump head, already. How should I use it? Thanks for your thoughts.

You could but the problem is, what ever you are dosing would be dosed at the same rate as your calcium reactor is fed. For most additives, the rate at which you would feed a calcium reactor would be way too much for dosing.

 

[SkyReef]

You could but the problem is, what ever you are dosing would be dosed at the same rate as your calcium reactor is fed. For most additives, the rate at which you would feed a calcium reactor would be way too much for dosing.

My thoughts exactly! Oh, well...