Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread
- Thread starter tkeracer619
- Start date
slief
RC Sponsor
It has been discussed in this thread. It's not really suitable. Most of us are running between 25 ml/min - 50 ml/min with many others running even higher. If you do the math, 850 ml/hr only works out to 14 ml/min. Even on a small tank, you would be running that thing at full speed with no room to increase flow and the tubing wouldn't last long nor would I expect that pump to last running like that.
I will say the nautilis type pumps do work well, just not for a CA reactor due to a low flow rate as silef mentioned. They are very tough and I've been running a similar re-purposed IV pump as a two part doser 24/7 for the last 4 or 5 years or so and for that purpose it works great. Provides excellently consistent water parameters with a slow constant drip as compared to the traditional on/off type doser.
For the same cost though you can easily find a CP pump or comparable type on ebay if your patient enough.
For the same cost though you can easily find a CP pump or comparable type on ebay if your patient enough.
GusDiaz
New member
Sorry if I am high jacking a little this thread.
Let me share my experience with my Korallin Denitrator S-3002. I have had this unit since 2006. I works wonderfully except every once in a while you get the surprised rotten egg smell if you do not adjust it well. I recently have read this tread and realized what might be wrong in the design of the unit. There is no way of controlling the rate of drops if you do not have a dedicated pump that you are able to control the exact amount of water that goes in.
I have always had the suggested feeder pump by Marine Depot (Aqua Lifter Pump). The problem with this pump and the regulator at the effluent end is that is difficult to estimate how actual quantity of fluid (drops per second) are actually coming out of the reactor. too fast and you do not have denitrifation benefits. Too slow and you get the rotten egg smell with the dangerous formation of di-sulfites and eventually the slime growth of bacteria that clogs the reactor making it even more slower and worse.
This is the main problem that I have found, how not to get the reactor to get the slime that gets it clogged up. Well I have noticed that when my reactor gets very clogged up due to the slime, if I one the effluent valve completely. in 1-2 weeks most of the slime coat of the bacteria goes away. Obviously what is happening is that the oxygen is killing the anaerobic bacteria and you will also loose the de-nitrifying ability on the reactor.
It is incredible how efficient these unit are when you start thinking in the terms of how much water passes through them. There are 15 drops on every 1 cc of fluid. this means that if your effluent flow rate is 1 cc per minute, you clean about 60 cc per hour. That projects to 1,440 cc per day. That is only 1.4 litters. There are 3.8 litter per gallon, so we are only cleaning 0.3789 gallons per day if your flow is 1 cc per minute.
I am guessing that my flow rate is between 8-16 drops per second by my "guesstimation" of how fast the drop rate looks at the effluent end.
The reason of this post is that I am wandering if I can defeat what I believe is the design problem of these type of reactors with the Cole Parmer pump. Defeat the slime that gets produces if you run this reactor too slow and that eventually will clog it up. If will try to see if I can now keep a better and more regulated flow through the reactor and see if I can keep the effluent water as close to 0 ppm of nitrate without getting to 0 in order to prevent a complete anaerobic condition that will make the overgrowth of the anaerobic bacteria that produces the di-sulfites and eventually clogs the reactor.
I bought the L/S 16 tubing. For the microprocessor 7524-00 it will be able to run from 8 cc to 480cc per minute (by the unit display).
Let me share my experience with my Korallin Denitrator S-3002. I have had this unit since 2006. I works wonderfully except every once in a while you get the surprised rotten egg smell if you do not adjust it well. I recently have read this tread and realized what might be wrong in the design of the unit. There is no way of controlling the rate of drops if you do not have a dedicated pump that you are able to control the exact amount of water that goes in.
I have always had the suggested feeder pump by Marine Depot (Aqua Lifter Pump). The problem with this pump and the regulator at the effluent end is that is difficult to estimate how actual quantity of fluid (drops per second) are actually coming out of the reactor. too fast and you do not have denitrifation benefits. Too slow and you get the rotten egg smell with the dangerous formation of di-sulfites and eventually the slime growth of bacteria that clogs the reactor making it even more slower and worse.
This is the main problem that I have found, how not to get the reactor to get the slime that gets it clogged up. Well I have noticed that when my reactor gets very clogged up due to the slime, if I one the effluent valve completely. in 1-2 weeks most of the slime coat of the bacteria goes away. Obviously what is happening is that the oxygen is killing the anaerobic bacteria and you will also loose the de-nitrifying ability on the reactor.
It is incredible how efficient these unit are when you start thinking in the terms of how much water passes through them. There are 15 drops on every 1 cc of fluid. this means that if your effluent flow rate is 1 cc per minute, you clean about 60 cc per hour. That projects to 1,440 cc per day. That is only 1.4 litters. There are 3.8 litter per gallon, so we are only cleaning 0.3789 gallons per day if your flow is 1 cc per minute.
I am guessing that my flow rate is between 8-16 drops per second by my "guesstimation" of how fast the drop rate looks at the effluent end.
The reason of this post is that I am wandering if I can defeat what I believe is the design problem of these type of reactors with the Cole Parmer pump. Defeat the slime that gets produces if you run this reactor too slow and that eventually will clog it up. If will try to see if I can now keep a better and more regulated flow through the reactor and see if I can keep the effluent water as close to 0 ppm of nitrate without getting to 0 in order to prevent a complete anaerobic condition that will make the overgrowth of the anaerobic bacteria that produces the di-sulfites and eventually clogs the reactor.
I bought the L/S 16 tubing. For the microprocessor 7524-00 it will be able to run from 8 cc to 480cc per minute (by the unit display).
slief
RC Sponsor
Your pump has a minimum of 10 rpm. With that head, the lowest flow rate you will get would be with LS13 tubing which is .6 ml/min at 10 rpm. LS 14 tubing would yield 2.1ml/min. You need to figure out how many ml/min you r1-10 drops/second equal. Then use the flow chart in the page below to determine what size tubing will fit your needs best. As for the fittings, you might check Do It Center or Home Depot. They have a pretty decent selection or barbed to thread fittings as well as thread to John Guest. Or you could just use barbed to barbed adapters or connect the cole parmer tubing directly to your pump head via a long length of the Masterflex tubing. Another good source for the fittings is US Plastics. Some of the adapters and parts are listed in the first few posts on page one of this thread.
The flow charts for all the tubing that your head is compatible with is located in the specifications section of this page. Just click the flow chart link.
http://www.coleparmer.com/Product/M...using_SS_rotor/EW-07518-10?SearchTerm=7518-10
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Are the John Guest style fittings that are sold at home Depot and Lowe's of high enough quality to be depended on or would it be worth a few more bucks and the wait for delivery?
GusDiaz
New member
I ordered the neoprene 14 and 16. I was thinking that the 13 would be too little. The recommendations of Korallin is to start at 1 drop per second. That is then 4 cc per minute. Most probably I will use the #14 because I am guessing that my flow will be between 4 cc/min to 8-12 cc/min.
It is strange, but the flow rates on the Cole Parmer website are different that the ones that the pump display actually gives. For example the pump displays for the #13 0.6-36 ml/min. For the #14 2-126 ml/min. And for the #16 8-480 ml/min.
It can be confusing because the tubing has a minimum and maximum flow, but depending on the pump model (and I guess the head model) then the minimum and maximum flow may vary. Just as a comment for all of us to keep in mind. This will definitely apply no mater what you run on your pump; a Ca+ reactor or a Korallin denitrator.
It is strange, but the flow rates on the Cole Parmer website are different that the ones that the pump display actually gives. For example the pump displays for the #13 0.6-36 ml/min. For the #14 2-126 ml/min. And for the #16 8-480 ml/min.
It can be confusing because the tubing has a minimum and maximum flow, but depending on the pump model (and I guess the head model) then the minimum and maximum flow may vary. Just as a comment for all of us to keep in mind. This will definitely apply no mater what you run on your pump; a Ca+ reactor or a Korallin denitrator.
Last edited:
darthvader
New member
Almost got that same pump. How do you like it?
slief
RC Sponsor
I use them on my CaRx and my top off loop and have not had any issues at all. I also use the little C-Clip things that they sell to keep the collar on the fittings pulled out. That insures a leak free fitting by keeping the collar on the fitting pulled outward. You can find those in the same section as the JG style fittings.
GusDiaz
New member
I have not set it up because I still do not have the tubing. I should get it tomorrow and will set it up in the weekend.
darthvader
New member
Have you turned it on? Is the pump fairly quiet?
GusDiaz
New member
I have turned on the pump. It is not too noisy, it has a hum to it. The slower you run it the lees noisy it is. I will try to open it up today to see if it needs some maintenance before the tubing come in later today. I will have it inside the cabinet, so I do not think that is going to add too much to the noise of the other pumps like the main circulation pump.
slief
RC Sponsor
I don't think that is a real Cole Parmer model number. That same model came up in this thread recently and I searched and found a couple different version Cole Parmers being advertised under that model. It seemed that they all had a generic white label with that number on it. To me it looked more like an OEM number than a Cole Parmer number. Can you post a picture of it?
slief
RC Sponsor
Depends on what you call a good deal. I'm pretty certain it's a brushed motor. You will end up spending another $75-$100 on a good Easy Load I or Easy Load II head. I'd say it's an OK deal at best on a decent pump. Personally, I wouldn't spend more than $300 on that pump but I'm kind of patient and look for the best deals. That is however a fair street price. The good thing is that is a digital control pump with a 600 rpm gear box. As such, at our ml rates, that pump will barely be spinning and it looks to be in good shape. It's a great pump for calcium reactor use if that makes you feel any better about the purchase.
Ok and thanks for the advice. Should I be concern that its not an official Cole Parmer model number? Motor inside should still be serviceable through Cole Parmers parts?
slief
RC Sponsor
I think that may actually be a legit part number. If you google that part number, you will see other cole parmer pumps which are completely different that had a white label part number instead of the screened part number like the one in your pictures. It may be that it's just older and not listed on the CP site anymore or that it was a different model pump that was sold to an OEM with that part number. I wouldn't worry about it. Cole Parmer support is pretty good. You could always call them and get more info.
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