Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[ca1ore]

What an awesome thread.

I've been wrestling with my Calcium reactor for longer than I'd care to admit (hint, I've had it for close to a decade). It's a terrific unit, but the suction feature never worked. I feed it off a tee on my main pump return, through a small prefilter, and then into a needle valve. Still the darn thing always seems to require fiddling.

I'm going to keep an eye out for a used one of these master flex units. Seems like an infinitely better way to run the reactor.

 

[zachts]

What an awesome thread.

I've been wrestling with my Calcium reactor for longer than I'd care to admit (hint, I've had it for close to a decade). It's a terrific unit, but the suction feature never worked. I feed it off a tee on my main pump return, through a small prefilter, and then into a needle valve. Still the darn thing always seems to require fiddling.

I'm going to keep an eye out for a used one of these master flex units. Seems like an infinitely better way to run the reactor.

Might be the best upgrade you've ever made.........

 

[skidrow52]

Anyone who is using Kamoer's stepper motor peristaltic Pump KSP-F01, what is the tubing size in PharMed BPT

 

[Adamc1303]

Is there any benefit to a digital drive other then noise and digitally controlling it? If my setup is in the basement and I can get a drive and head that isn't digital for a very good price should I pull the trigger or look for a digital one?

 

[Adamc1303]

One more question. What happens if the tubing fails? You get a leak all over the place? How would you know when it's time to replace?

 

[d2mini]

So I was able to nab a Masterflex 77521-50 with 7518-00 easy load head for $195 shipped.
The head takes 13, 14, 16, 25, 17, 18 Tubing.
Where should I get this and what else do I need for it to run my CaRx?

 

[Adamc1303]

So I was able to nab a Masterflex 77521-50 with 7518-00 easy load head for $195 shipped.
The head takes 13, 14, 16, 25, 17, 18 Tubing.
Where should I get this and what else do I need for it to run my CaRx?

Where did you buy the pump? New or used?

 

[gregr]

So I was able to nab a Masterflex 77521-50 with 7518-00 easy load head for $195 shipped.
The head takes 13, 14, 16, 25, 17, 18 Tubing.
Where should I get this and what else do I need for it to run my CaRx?

LS17 is what I used for my Korallin- found a decent deal right there on ebay. Somewhere in this giant thread are some pointers on which type of tubing is best. After that all you need are the adapters to attach less expensive tubing to the short piece of 17 that goes in around pump. I just used 1/4" barbed fittings like these.
Adamc1303- pretty sure most people are getting theirs on ebay.

 

[IUfan]

Post #3, you'll find links to usplastics.com where you can buy the tygon tubing.

You only use about 6-8" at a time on the rollers, so the other few pieces there are to convert to and from john guest tubing to the tygon tubing.

 

[d2mini]

LS17 is what I used for my Korallin- found a decent deal right there on ebay. Somewhere in this giant thread are some pointers on which type of tubing is best. After that all you need are the adapters to attach less expensive tubing to the short piece of 17 that goes in around pump. I just used 1/4" barbed fittings like these.
Adamc1303- pretty sure most people are getting theirs on ebay.

Post #3, you'll find links to usplastics.com where you can buy the tygon tubing.

You only use about 6-8" at a time on the rollers, so the other few pieces there are to convert to and from john guest tubing to the tygon tubing.

Great, thanks!

 

[zachts]

Keep in mind Tygon has a relatively short service life (a few hundred hours at 50 rpm) and will need replaced often. Norprene or PharMed are the recommended tubing choices 4000+ hrs at 50 rpm).

Tygon is fine just make sure to stick to a routine replacement schedule.

 

[d2mini]

I just don't want to buy 50 feet of the stuff if I don't have to.
Anywhere to get the better tubing by the foot?

 

[zachts]

I just don't want to buy 50 feet of the stuff if I don't have to.
Anywhere to get the better tubing by the foot?

US Plastics also carries it.

 

[d2mini]

Keep in mind Tygon has a relatively short service life (a few hundred hours at 50 rpm) and will need replaced often. Norprene or PharMed are the recommended tubing choices 4000+ hrs at 50 rpm).

Tygon is fine just make sure to stick to a routine replacement schedule.

US Plastics also carries it.

So i looked at us plastics and found this...
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=54291
Is that right?

And this...
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=57320
It says it's Pharmed but made by Tygon???

 

[Adamc1303]

Is there any benefit to a digital drive other then noise and digitally controlling it? If my setup is in the basement and I can get a drive and head that isn't digital for a very good price should I pull the trigger or look for a digital one?

 

[zachts]

So i looked at us plastics and found this...
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=54291
Is that right?

And this...
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?sku=57320
It says it's Pharmed but made by Tygon???

That's the stuff. I normally think vinyl when people say Tygon as that is usually what get's refered to as "Tygon" tubing. I guess they make the PharMed stuff also.

 

[d2mini]

Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

That's the stuff. I normally think vinyl when people say Tygon as that is usually what get's refered to as "Tygon" tubing. I guess they make the PharMed stuff also.

Ok good.
Definitely like that I can order by the foot.


Well I just scored a clean looking 7523-30 Digital model for $190 shipped! Lol
No heads though. I'll have to wait till funds recover early next year and pick up two heads and run this one for my auto water changes.

 

[Adamc1303]

Ok good.
Definitely like that I can order by the foot.


Well I just scored a clean looking 7523-30 Digital model for $190 shipped! Lol
No heads though. I'll have to wait till funds recover early next year and pick up two heads and run this one for my auto water changes.

How many heads can go on one drive?

 

[d2mini]

Is there any benefit to a digital drive other then noise and digitally controlling it? If my setup is in the basement and I can get a drive and head that isn't digital for a very good price should I pull the trigger or look for a digital one?

Sorry, i meant to reply to this earlier but i was on tapatalk on my phone and forgot.
For our purposes, we really don't need the digital from what I understand. The analog dial versions will suit us just fine.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but that's what I have gathered from this thread.

How many heads can go on one drive?

It may depend on the drive, but I've seen up to 4.

Can anyone else answer this more definitively???

 

[zachts]

Sorry, i meant to reply to this earlier but i was on tapatalk on my phone and forgot.
For our purposes, we really don't need the digital from what I understand. The analog dial versions will suit us just fine.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but that's what I have gathered from this thread.


It may depend on the drive, but I've seen up to 4.

Can anyone else answer this more definitively???

Generally most of the masterflex drives can handle up to 4 heads but it depends on the model. Just refer to the specs of the drive. the tubing used also plays into how many heads can run off one drive unit.