Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[jimmy007]

I will use the Korallin 3002 calcium reactor with this pump.

 

[jimmy007]

I got my masterflex 7523-70 with easy load head 77200-60. How do I know it is working correctly? It turn on all the function it allow me to change it.

 

[BigMike75]

I checked mine with a ml measuring cup. I set mine for 40 ml/m and timed it for 1 minute. I got like 38 and 39 a couple of times with a new piece of tubing. Most of them you can calibrate also.

 

[Bpb]

I have a couple of quick questions. I just joined the master flex club and picked up one of the console drives. It's one of the older brushed motor models. I know that they aren't quite as silent as the brushless models, but it's not too terrible. I do hear the noticeable 60 Hz hum that it makes even at the lowest speeds. The fans on my ATI lights are loud enough to mostly drowned it out, but when the lights are off it is pretty noticeable even in a closed cabinet. I think the fact that the cabinet is wood makes the sound resonate more. Any ideas on how I can possibly dampen the noise a bit? I don't have a basement or a nearby closet I can put the pump in so that is out.

Also, this may be a bit of a generalized question but what would a good RPM rate be to start with on a low demand tank that I am just starting to collect SPS for. Demand is not incredibly high right now

 

[slief]

I have a couple of quick questions. I just joined the master flex club and picked up one of the console drives. It's one of the older brushed motor models. I know that they aren't quite as silent as the brushless models, but it's not too terrible. I do hear the noticeable 60 Hz hum that it makes even at the lowest speeds. The fans on my ATI lights are loud enough to mostly drowned it out, but when the lights are off it is pretty noticeable even in a closed cabinet. I think the fact that the cabinet is wood makes the sound resonate more. Any ideas on how I can possibly dampen the noise a bit? I don't have a basement or a nearby closet I can put the pump in so that is out.

Also, this may be a bit of a generalized question but what would a good RPM rate be to start with on a low demand tank that I am just starting to collect SPS for. Demand is not incredibly high right now

Wrap it in a blanket. That's what one of my friends did and it made a huge difference. His has the separate motor and controller as opposed to the all in one type that most of us have so heat isn't an issue for him. He just wrapped the motor. If yours is the all in one type which I figure it is, and you do decide to wrap it it, I would just check it after an hour or so to make sure it's not getting too warm. Worst case, place a folded up blanket over the top and sides of it so it's not completely wrapped. That way, the bottom of the unit can get a bit of airflow.

 

[tkeracer619]

I'm bringing a 700 gallon tank back to life. Last time I had the tank running, I was dosing three part using a masterflex pump system. Based on this thread I decided to go with a calcium reactor instead.

Seems like one of the hard parts to getting this type of system going is the 24/7 pump, luckily my old dosing pump can be repurposed!

I knew Mark before he was famous, so I sent him an e-mail and he shot me over a shopping list. Two weeks later, I received everything on the list and found a MTC ProCal reactor on Craigslist.

So here are pictures of my setup. I'm amazed at how simple it was to get going. My PSI is 12 and I'm at 60bpm, which results in a stable 6.6ph at 30ml per minute. Also, it looks like it should be very stable and consistent over time.

Too bad I had to turn off the CO2 because I seemed to have jumped the gun in adding SPS colonies to the new tank. I guess my cycle wasn't finished and I had an ammonia and phosphate spike that took most of them out one night.....so I'm testing Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate daily and hoping the tank stabilizes so that I can get back into my SPS addiction and have the CA reactor running.

Great setup Jeff!

Famous? I love you guys :lolspin: We're on page 70, lots of people with great tanks and setups in this thread! Cheers to stability :beer:

BTW Jeff, I bought a 600 gallon tank . Starting a new build thread.

 

[dendrite]

Ok, I give up. What's the difference between LS17 and Ls 24 tubing, They both have the same flow characteristics, and would fit the same fittings so why the concentration on LS 17. Heads that accept Ls 24 seem to be in much greater availability and lower price on E-Bay then the Ls 17 heads

 

[scuzy]

i think LS 17 is the thickness of the tubing ?

 

[Bpb]

My Masterflex came with a pump head that doesn't accept ls 17 tubing, so I use ls 15 performance tubing which is insanely thick. I feel like the tube thickness is equal to the inner diameter if that makes sense. Came with adaptors that connect perfectly with our standard 1/4" airline tubing so I'm going to roll with it. I've got 3-4 feet of spare tubing so it should suffice.


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[dendrite]

Is there any advantage to using the thinner walled LS 17 rather than Ls 24 then, such as increased pump life or increased head or roller life?

 

[Bpb]

I'm no expert but as I understand it the thin walled tubing doesn't last quite as long, but is a little more precise as far as flow adjustments go?


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[hkgar]

Bubble rate conversion

Bubble rate conversion

It seems that the start up directions for CA reactors specify xx drops per minute. Anyone know of a conversion factor for drops per ml? It might help those switching over to Masterflex determine a starting point based on what they where dripping.

I know it probably depends on tube size -i.d. But, the same size tubing is used in either method.

 

[dendrite]

for a normal "dropper" it's usually 10qtts/ml

 

[hkgar]

So 30 drops would be 3 ml

And 30 ml would be 300 drops per minute (qtts)?

 

[dendrite]

yes, for a normal dropper that most of us are used to. Some micro droppers often used in medical or laboratory scenarios are 60qtts/ml

 

[scuzy]

Anyone ever get the intake tube before the calcium reactor clogged? Like its calcium buildup and clogging the tube.


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[tkeracer619]

Ok, I give up. What's the difference between LS17 and Ls 24 tubing, They both have the same flow characteristics, and would fit the same fittings so why the concentration on LS 17. Heads that accept Ls 24 seem to be in much greater availability and lower price on E-Bay then the Ls 17 heads

Wall thickness. There is no difference as long as you are using the proper tube material in a head that accepts it. Not all tube is created equal, some is rated for 10,000 hours, some is rated at 40. Pharmed BPT is what you want.

It seems that the start up directions for CA reactors specify xx drops per minute. Anyone know of a conversion factor for drops per ml? It might help those switching over to Masterflex determine a starting point based on what they where dripping.

I know it probably depends on tube size -i.d. But, the same size tubing is used in either method.

It's mostly irrelevant. Instead of guessing measure, the reactors effluent flow before installing the pump. Set the pump to match and it will be exact. If you have to guess I would recommend started as low as you can go and work your way up.

Anyone ever get the intake tube before the calcium reactor clogged? Like its calcium buildup and clogging the tube.

Not that I'm aware of.

 

[scuzy]

I recently had my tubes checked and it was clogged solid. Use my master flex as push pump so it was sucking water in and pushing it into the reactor. The portion of the tubes clogged was where the masterflex pushed into my calcium reactor. That tube was clogged solid. i head to replace. Not sure why though.


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[africangrey]

Since we are on the subject of tubing what are the differences between the platinum or peroxide cured in our application, does platinum silicon last longer thus commands a $10 more in price tag?

Wall thickness. There is no difference as long as you are using the proper tube material in a head that accepts it. Not all tube is created equal, some is rated for 10,000 hours, some is rated at 40. Pharmed BPT is what you want.



It's mostly irrelevant. Instead of guessing measure, the reactors effluent flow before installing the pump. Set the pump to match and it will be exact. If you have to guess I would recommend started as low as you can go and work your way up.



Not that I'm aware of.

 

[Reefer525XL]

Not sure if this has been asked before but I could not find an answer. Last night around 1am I experienced my first power outage since installing the Masterflex pump. The outage only lasted for a second or two, I rarely check my tank after a power outage because I know everything comes back on with no issues and my skimmer has a delay. This morning I got a text message from my apex because the pH in the calcium reactor was to low and it had turned off the regulator, turns out the Masterflex came back on but the motor did not start, I had to manually start it by pressing start.

My question is, is there a way of getting the motor in the Masterflex pump to automatically run after a power outage? I have the 77301-20 bench top system.