Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[herring_fish]

I've been tagging along and thought that I would give an update on what I have been doing. I was intrigued by the new (to me) ideas for making a high quality system to help keep water chemistry stable.

As I went through this, I enjoyed reading the thread from the system level but was overwhelmed by some of the necessary detail so I am having a SS SGT500 built by someone that knows about regulators and getting it coupled to an AP Carbon Doser. I'm not sure if I want to go with the add-on box. I think that it is supposed to be for multiple outputs of CO2. I am about to by a Pan World 30PX recirculating pump for a good calcium reactor that I found. It's 7" Dia. by 19". I looked at similarly sized units like this so I hope that this is the right model.

As I said earlier, I bought a Stenner Pump for 15 bucks but I am still looking at a controlled stepper motor as a drive with a CP head.

 

[machodik]

Just got the video and photos from local 2nd hand dealer but worried if this pumps are fit or not.

Can anyone help me diagnose which of the below 2 different pumps much better or both are not advisable;

1) 7523-30:

https://vimeo.com/125808861

2) 7524-50 ;

https://vimeo.com/125809442

Cheers and thanks ,


MD

 

[slief]

Just got the video and photos from local 2nd hand dealer but worried if this pumps are fit or not.

Can anyone help me diagnose which of the below 2 different pumps much better or both are not advisable;

1) 7523-30:

https://vimeo.com/125808861

2) 7524-50 ;

https://vimeo.com/125809442

Cheers and thanks ,


MD

I would say the first (7523-30) one sounds better than the one in the second video.. All 3 are brushed models as far as I am aware. They do tend to be noisy at high RPM's though. It's really hard to say without hearing them first hand. It's obvious that they were used in a corrosive environment. It may have been salty air but there is a fair amount of corrosion on the internals. While that won't necessarily shorten the life much if any, it certainly doesn't look great. The motor itself is pretty well sealed so I wouldn't expect the environment to have effected the motors internals but with these pumps, you never know unless it's apparent that the pump was well taken care of. The 7520-20, is very clean and may be your best option. It's 600 RPM motor will result in lower wear and tear than the 100 rpm motors and it was obviously taken care of and used in a clean environment. While it isn't digital, you shouldn't have any issues getting dialed in although the digital is nice.. Kind of a toss up and it would depend heavily on price.

 

[machodik]

Thanks Scott,

I also have the same feeling the first time I saw the photos and video. The seller told me the first one has delay "start" while the second is only "one direction" not dual directions as the first one . And both are "Bushed"

I think I will give up these 2 pumps for sure .

Cheers ,

 

[machodik]

The 7520-20, is very clean and may be your best option. It's 600 RPM motor will result in lower wear and tear than the 100 rpm motors and it was obviously taken care of and used in a clean environment. While it isn't digital, you shouldn't have any issues getting dialed in although the digital is nice.. Kind of a toss up and it would depend heavily on price.

I missed this part, yes , the previous one (7520-20) looks clean and the dealer told me that they can give me 3 months warranty. And even offer me to have a week of trial and can return without any charge in case I don't like it . This dealers sell all 2nd hand equipment and has their own repair dept. He is different from the dealer of the other 2 units .

Non digital is ok with me since I can use the dial knob. But I am still worried that it is bushed pumps too and as you people mentioned here that bushes pumps tends to have difficulty in maintenance , sorry I am not any motor person and I does not have any idea about this kind of pumps that is why I am posting it here to seek your advises.

 

[EvMiBo]

I just got my CO2 refilled today. It's a 10# tank and this is the 2nd time I've got it refilled (before that it was brand spanking new). My new psi reading after hooking up the aquarium plants carbon doser reg is slightly over 1000psi, even though the guage reads up to 2000psi. Do the tanks only hold 1000psi? Is that a normal fill? I don't remember what it read last time.

Thanks in advance..

 

[BrettH]

Help again.
Ok Today I started the CO2 tank..

1.Calibrated a Brand New PH Probe with 4.00 - 7.00.
2. Plug- in the solenoid , Open up the reg. and turn on the gas tank.
3. lowed the psi to about 20. and the bubble count 1 to every 2 seconds . about ..

The PH started 5.58 and kept going up.. Now its at 6.82 seems like its going up ????

my alk is 7.7 and PH is 8.06

How do i lower the PH ?

I have the Ph connects to my reefer keeper lite.

should i connect the solenoid to the RKL Bar too ?? I have it plug in to a Reg socket .

Your solenoid should be plugged into the outlet on your RKL that is being controlled by the Ph probe. When the solenoid is powered on, CO2 should be flowing to the CaRx, therefore decreasing the Ph. When it is off the valve is closed and the CO2 is not flowing to the CaRx.

To get your Ph to drop you need to increase the amount of CO2 being delivered to the CaRx (Bubbles/sec) or decrease the effluent (ml/min) being delivered to the tank.

Your RKL should be set up to turn on the outlet/solenoid valve when the Ph increases above the target level (say ~6.9) i.e. delivers more Co2 to the CaRx and therefore dropping the Ph and then turn off when the Ph falls below a certain target level (say ~6.8). Ideally you want to try and set your effluent and Bubble rate such that your solenoid just remains on and delivers a constant amount of Co2 to you CaRx and hence your RKL doesn't turn the solenoid on and off constantly. If you can't get it to do this, not that big of deal. That's why you have a RKL controlling the Ph of the CaRx.

Also you want to try and run the CaRx at the highest possible ph to meet you alk demands. This is because the effluent will lower the Ph of your tank over time. And it is also a good idea to have a Ph probe monitoring the tank Ph that is tied to shutting off the effluent. If you are using the masterflex to pull from the CaRx then I would set your tank Ph probe to control your masterflex pump i.e. turn it off if the tank Ph falls below some level, say 7.8.

After you have it set up and running for a couple days, check the dkh of your effluent, it should be almost 3x your tank dkh.

I have always set my PSI on my regulator to 9. 20psi seems very high.

By the way, I love your attitude and commitment to getting your reactor setup. I have followed the progress and congrats to finally getting your Masterflex pump up and running

Good luck and I hope my response helps you...

 

[ReefWreak]

I just got my CO2 refilled today. It's a 10# tank and this is the 2nd time I've got it refilled (before that it was brand spanking new). My new psi reading after hooking up the aquarium plants carbon doser reg is slightly over 1000psi, even though the guage reads up to 2000psi. Do the tanks only hold 1000psi? Is that a normal fill? I don't remember what it read last time.

Thanks in advance..

As I understand it (though it's been a while since I had my CaRx or my kegerator) CO2 tanks aren't like SCUBA tanks, which measure fill by pressure. CO2 is weighed in filling, and they're usually around 800-1000PSI delivery standard and what is added is the weight of the liquid CO2. You know you're running out of CO2 when the pressure actually goes up, as the liquid is all gone and only gas is left, so it expands and goes to ~1200PSI, then drops very quickly after that.

You should weigh your cylinder empty, then weigh it again full. When they fill it, they should be filling it on a scale (either hanging or desktop scale).

 

[EvMiBo]

Thanks for the info. I don't look at the gauge everyday tbh, or even every week, so I didn't see the quick dip. I just noticed it was about 350psi about 5-6 days ago, and then this morning before I had it refilled it was down to about 225psi. I rolled it around briefly and could feel little to no liquid in the canister.

Should CO2 cylinders be allowed to completely empty? I thought I remembered hearing that, or maybe that's just my scuba tank confusion/comparison. I assume it should gain 10#'s (it's a 10# cylinder) after a refill? Or close to it if it's not completely empty?

 

[ReefWreak]

Thanks for the info. I don't look at the gauge everyday tbh, or even every week, so I didn't see the quick dip. I just noticed it was about 350psi about 5-6 days ago, and then this morning before I had it refilled it was down to about 225psi. I rolled it around briefly and could feel little to no liquid in the canister.

Should CO2 cylinders be allowed to completely empty? I thought I remembered hearing that, or maybe that's just my scuba tank confusion/comparison. I assume it should gain 10#'s (it's a 10# cylinder) after a refill? Or close to it if it's not completely empty?

I believe the idea behind why it should never be empty is the same between CO2 and SCUBA tank, that you don't want moisture getting in and corroding the tank from the inside out.

You are correct, when refilled, it should weigh roughly 10lbs more than the (mostly) empty tank.

It's always super weird how CO2 gets filled by weight and SCUBA is pressure, but yea, just something fun and new to learn about.

 

[janey]

Hi BrettH
Thanks Yes Exactly "Commitment" to the Hobby. Its Best to know how your equipments actually work.
Love taking things APART...lolo
I should have stated i do have 2 PH probes ..one in sump and the other on Cal reactor.

so I plug in the solenoid to the RKL. How do i set that up to shut off the gas at 6.3ph .. Still confused ??

 

[renevilleneuve]

If you allow me to be lazy,because my info is probably in this thread somewhere,I purchased a used 7522.05 with a 77250-62 head. Which is the best tubing and what size should I purchase? I'm using ¼ john guest tubing but could increase to ⅜. Measured my present flow to 136 ml per minute.

 

[janey]

Ok Is this right ???

On the RKL
I went to Controller
Device - PH
Setpoint - 6.30
On when below
Hysteresis - 0.1.00
In standby Ignore

Deafault -OFF

Also I'm using Gen-x C.R.M Calcium Reactor Media

 

[janey]

AAAAA Question so the 20 PSI is high.
I read that Accroding to Reefkeeping Mag
A slight pressure of 2 to 5 psi is about the range they can operate safely. At between 5 to 10 psi most reactors will start leaking .

So I lowered it down to 5 psi. and i cant get the bubble counter to bubble . Even open the valve all the way and its giving me a bubble every 50 seconds. and my PH went up to 7.00
And up the pump to 30 ml.

Can it also be the Tank is kinda low on pressure ?? and giving me a falls psi reading /

 

[machodik]

If you allow me to be lazy,because my info is probably in this thread somewhere,I purchased a used 7522.05 with a 77250-62 head. Which is the best tubing and what size should I purchase? I'm using ¼ john guest tubing but could increase to ⅜. Measured my present flow to 136 ml per minute.

Nice piece of pump , I can see you have both digital as well as analog control knob , as the photos is so dark so not much to see the front panel , is that LED display for showing flow rate ? Hope you can share more clearer photo of your pump.

Cheers,


MD

 

[machodik]

Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

I am going to post this part here since we are talking about things related to calcium reactor, I was surprised that my effluent flow for about over a week now are dripping steadily and stable without reducing the flow rate from the time I adjust the ball valve. Be reminded I don't have any masterflex pump yet but just only relaying with ball valve . I remember that I have adjusted my apex setting from ph 6.90 to 6.95, and my water parameter are steadily stable at that setting, I understand that increasing the PH in the reactor seems to reduced the clogging in the flow, I wonder how long this will be able to maintain (just using ball valve) . In the past when my Apex setting at ph 6.90 , I need to adjust my effluent flow every 3 or 4 days, but now over about 10 days , still solid 15ml/ min rate as per my required flow .

Any ideas or comment?

 

[herring_fish]

A Few Words from a Crazy Man

A Few Words from a Crazy Man

I get paid to come up with weird ideas because I was taught to think like an inventor in a few classes and by other inventors. I listened to them and so I have a few of my own. My teachers believe that coming up with good ideas is about quantity, not quality. Like a boxer needing to establish his jab before moving on to the knockout, I don't try to eat the whole elephant with one great bight (to mix metaphors/similes whatever). I was taught that you have to constantly throughout ideas, old ones, new ones, sometimes bad ones. Then your team, friends and co-workers [hopefully a few FF's (forum friends)], help by FIX'en or amend and improve them until they become good ideas.

Onetime I made a post and the moderator panned the idea. Then without improving it or amending it in any way, two years later, he patented it as his. Some of my BAD ideas turn into pretty good ones with a little help.

You may disagree with my premise and that's OK but please put up with my posts, lend a little help or just skip them.

I'm not sure but I think that I was rebuked, perhaps correctly, for asking questions that were outside the minutia of detail "¦again, even though it is great stuff. For that reason I have laid low and just read along. Then I re-read the original posts and changed my mind so I decided to jump back in. I don't think that I'm a lone dreamer. Just think of it as comic humor.

I love this thread because it is based on big ideas. Despite the title of the post this thread is not only about the details of high end continuous duty pumps. The OP said:

"¦.Many of the things here will cross over to other peristaltic pumps and I welcome posts showing high quality alternatives"¦..

also

"¦.The focus of this thread is to discuss the system, its benefits, and to assist in hardware selection with each individuals specific setup in mind"¦..

So we have rightfully ground through the details of selecting and fixing different pumps of various brands. We have also discussed problems with and ideas for other parts of the system like reactors that are bubbling wrong, digital regulators and dual staged regulators. As necessary and helpful as detail is, I want to also talk about creating the best high end system that is possible. I also enjoy thoughts and discussions that are outside the box like this one.

I believe we may be able to....
In theory, this is all that is needed to add an auto water change to our already sweet systems for not a lot of additional investment. Thoughts?....

Thought? Yea Just like tkeracer619 posted:

Let's dream!

 

[zachts]

Auto Water Change with peristaltic pumps.....yeah, there's a few threads on that, been using one for over a year..........dual head CP pumps, Stenner, LM3, DoS, DIY, you name it, it's been made to work, and work well.

 

[BrettH]

Hi BrettH
Thanks Yes Exactly "Commitment" to the Hobby. Its Best to know how your equipments actually work.
Love taking things APART...lolo
I should have stated i do have 2 PH probes ..one in sump and the other on Cal reactor.

so I plug in the solenoid to the RKL. How do i set that up to shut off the gas at 6.3ph .. Still confused ??

I run an Apex on my system, so can't help you with the programming logic for a RKL. Sorry wish I could....

Anyone else running a RKL that can help Janey?

 

[machodik]

Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

Questions on the silicon tubing L/S 17. Is the internal diameter is 1/4"? As we don't have John quest here so I am using this as a connector one side to connect to silicon L/S 17 while the other to the RO pipe ;