Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[gdemos]

Well the 1000 has more air 5000 is running nice and tight (no mflex on the 5000 and less concerned on that one since all coral is in qt with 1000) As I have it now both reactors are running with gas recirc shut off. Putting intake in tank seems to have helped some but still more air than I'd like.

I've got some travel coming up this week so will reverse from pull to push once back in town

 

[gdemos]

Here's a closer pic

 

[gdemos]

Here's a closer pic of air

 

[gdemos]

Momentary lapse of reason here.. When we say push vs pull would push mean running intake through CP then to main in on Rx pump? Would this not defeat the purpose of relying on CP in controlling effluent rate? And I imagine most Rx integral pumps draw enough on their own?

 

[vietnam]

Here's a closer pic

Here's a closer pic of air

Because I can't see tapatalk

 

[tkeracer619]

Momentary lapse of reason here.. When we say push vs pull would push mean running intake through CP then to main in on Rx pump? Would this not defeat the purpose of relying on CP in controlling effluent rate? And I imagine most Rx integral pumps draw enough on their own?

They are closed systems so water going in is the same as water going out. The masterflex as far as water movement is concerned easily overcomes the suction of the factory pump so placement in the system shouldn't matter. In terms of gas building up I am curious to see if setting it up to push water into the main input would help.

Before seeing your pictures I thought the gas was building up above the sponge in the lid. Seeing as its trapping under the sponge will it continue to build up? I assume once it builds up enough then some of it will purge from the reactor. I know its a pain but can you pull the pump and make sure its not clogged? This may be as simple as using a thinner, coarser sponge.

 

[gdemos]

I will double check the pump, it did clog on me a couple months back so recently cleaned. I often jostle the Rx to shake bubbles loose.

By thinner coarser sponge you mean less surface area right; i.e., easier for bubbles to pass through?

 

[tkeracer619]

Yup.

 

[hkgar]

I can only think of two reasons for gas bulid up.
1. Inefficient mixing of the gas and water. Generally cause by a bad pump or anaspirating-Venturi which is what my Korallin 1502 has. Your should have something similar.

2. Mor gas than the water can absorb during the period that if is in the tank.

 

[gdemos]

I'd lower gas but I am keeping Rx pH at 6.45-6.55 to melt media. I am stable in parameters so rather not adjust too much. Now wondering if that's too low of a pH. Take a look at the pump now this is only after one month. One would say I'm melting too much but aragonite In chamber remains coarse (no paste there). Also see one of the washers on the impeller is broke down and impeller is scuffed. Guys think I'm running too much gas? 6.5 really too low? Or is something else causing problem? Media was rinsed pretty well for starters. -Greg

 

[vietnam]

I'd lower gas but I am keeping Rx pH at 6.45-6.55 to melt media. I am stable in parameters so rather not adjust too much. Now wondering if that's too low of a pH. Take a look at the pump now this is only after one month. One would say I'm melting too much but aragonite In chamber remains coarse (no paste there). Also see one of the washers on the impeller is broke down and impeller is scuffed. Guys think I'm running too much gas? 6.5 really too low? Or is something else causing problem? Media was rinsed pretty well for starters. -Greg

Looks like the impeller needs replacement. Maybe the pump body if the inside is rough like the impeller. 6.5 isn't too low, but that's according to your output rate. A lot of variables to look at that can change things.

Finally got the pH in the CaRx to stabilize at 6.45-6.55 with the mild swings at night and the Apex isn't shutting off the carbondoser regulator. Effluent coming out at 26.9dKH which is a bit on the high side, tank alkalinity tested at 8.9dKH (target goal 8.6dKH). In my case, dialing down the Co2 will bring up the pH and down the dKH in the CaRx will get the tank alkalinity in line and stabilize it. Fluid output of the effluent is at 30ml per min, this is without the Masterflex pump as I'm still reconsidering if I want to run the digital unit (loud) or the smaller non-digital pump I got.

 

[tkeracer619]

Yikes. I don't think the ph is too low but that is concerning. I would give CV a shout and see if they will take care of you.

 

[gdemos]

CV expressing new impeller. Their initial response said I am running more gas than the system can process and need to lower gas volume. I think the long run I have from co2 tank to Rx perhaps plays a part. Either way I suspect this impeller has been faulty for a while. Regardless the amount of aroginite mud in the impeller chamber is alarming. Thoughts? Bad impeller lead to mud collection? Traditionally I'd say gas is pulverizing substrate too fast but again Rx pH is 6.45-6.55

 

[hkgar]

I'd lower gas but I am keeping Rx pH at 6.45-6.55 to melt media. I am stable in parameters so rather not adjust too much. Now wondering if that's too low of a pH. -Greg

You might want to check the ALK of your effluent when determining what the reactor PH should be. The effluent dKh should be between about 25- 45 dKH. At 6.6 ph my effluent is about 7.5 dKH. Every reactors efficiency will be different.

I have come to think that maintaining the effluent dKh is what the real goal of this system should be.

I would be interested in tkeracers thoughts on this.

 

[gdemos]

19.8 dKh effluent currently

 

[hkgar]

Just a wild thought, but you said the line run from CO2 tank to reactor is lengthy? How far?

Possibly the line pressure is not sufficient to get the bubble to the reactor until there are a bunch of bubbles kind of coming together and all introduced at once, so you get bursts rather than a constant smooth flow of bubbles. What is you bubble rate and the low side PSI of the tank?

 

[gdemos]

Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

Fairly accurate to say the gas at the reactor is not consistent run is maybe 12'. Then again it's not consistent on my larger reactor at half the run length.

I don't have the electronic solenoid I think most folks are running here. Mine has a constant pressure regulated by precision screw. Think I linked the reg I have earlier on this thread.

 

[jimmy n]

That noise is probably typical of a brushed unit. Not an issue if noise isn't a concern. You could try changing the brushes but everyone of them i've heard has it or some variant of it. The brushed unit I have sounds like a freight train... it's seen 3 lifetimes of abuse. Works like a champ

Just noticed... You should put a chain on that bottle!

Why a chain on the bottle?

 

[hkgar]

Why a chain on the bottle?

He doesn't mean put a chain on the bottle but to use a chain on the wall and around the bottle so it doesn't inadvertently fall over causing the valve to snap off and then it takes off like a rocket. Because my area for the tank is so confined it is highly unlikely that it would tip over. More likely when I take it out to get at the reactor, then I usually lay it on its side.

 

[gregr]

Graph showing pH of effluent and display for the last 5 days:

I didn't make any adjustments to the CO2 or CP pump in that time :bdaysmile: