Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[slief]

Okay so I'm limited to a minimum flow rate of 30ml/min. Hopefully this will still work for my application.

6.5 at 30ml a min may be a bit much alk/ca for your tank depdning on the system size and uptake. Measure alk daily and see what it does but I suspect that you will need to increase the pH in the reactor either through Apex control or decreasing the pressure on the regulator since I think your at the max interval between bubbles. Then again, I don't recall what media you were using but if it's reborn, you will most likely want to run a higher pH than that if you are stuck at 30ml/min. Testing will be the only way to know for sure though.

 

[ReefTron5000]

Okay understood.

Another question...

Last night before the Carbondoser stopped working the pH in the reactor was 6.5-6.6. I continued to have flow through the reactor all night at 30 ml/min. When I checked in the morning, the pH was still 6.55. Shouldn't the pH have gone up in the reactor by the morning?

When the adapter blew up on me, I went to check the setup and thought maybe the solenoid got stuck open or something but there were no bubbles going through the counter.

 

[ReefTron5000]

I rescind the above question. Something is up with the BRS inline PH probe holder I'm using is. The readings didn't make sense to me so I turned off the Eheim pump and removed the probe. I collected some effluent water into a little vial and put the ph probe in that directly. It reads 7.7!

I'm not sure if the probe is not sitting right in the fitting or what. There is a little black pin that sits under the probe in the fitting. I think water is supposed to push up and around the probe. I think maybe its not working right and the probe isn't getting flow around it or something.

 

[slief]

I rescind the above question. Something is up with the BRS inline PH probe holder I'm using is. The readings didn't make sense to me so I turned off the Eheim pump and removed the probe. I collected some effluent water into a little vial and put the ph probe in that directly. It reads 7.7!

I'm not sure if the probe is not sitting right in the fitting or what. There is a little black pin that sits under the probe in the fitting. I think water is supposed to push up and around the probe. I think maybe its not working right and the probe isn't getting flow around it or something.

I know nothing about that probe port you are using but the end of the probe needs to be in the path of the water and not obstructed.

 

[Krazie4Acans]

I rescind the above question. Something is up with the BRS inline PH probe holder I'm using is. The readings didn't make sense to me so I turned off the Eheim pump and removed the probe. I collected some effluent water into a little vial and put the ph probe in that directly. It reads 7.7!

I'm not sure if the probe is not sitting right in the fitting or what. There is a little black pin that sits under the probe in the fitting. I think water is supposed to push up and around the probe. I think maybe its not working right and the probe isn't getting flow around it or something.

Refer to my post #3210. I believe that you are having CO2 gas build up either in the T or at the probe holder. I think you would be better off to have the T placed in the vertical section of pipe going to your Eheim pump instead of the flat section at the top.

 

[ReefTron5000]

Refer to my post #3210. I believe that you are having CO2 gas build up either in the T or at the probe holder. I think you would be better off to have the T placed in the vertical section of pipe going to your Eheim pump instead of the flat section at the top.

Totally missed your post. You may be on to something. I was sick of the inconsistent readings so I just removed the probe from there altogether. I've got the effluent overflowing from a cup in the sump and I have the pH probe in that cup.

I may install it vertically but I think that may be trickier because that pipe extends up and down. If its fine in the sump though I may just leave it where it is.

 

[biglurr54]

I have a masterflex 7520-00 with a 7518-00 head. It makes a squeaking noise when its running. It sounds like it needs lubrication somewhere. Are there bearings that can be serviced? Any other points that can be lubricated (Like the rollers)? Its not a problem as it is in my basement but a squeaky bearing is a failing bearing….

 

[Krazie4Acans]

Totally missed your post. You may be on to something. I was sick of the inconsistent readings so I just removed the probe from there altogether. I've got the effluent overflowing from a cup in the sump and I have the pH probe in that cup.

I may install it vertically but I think that may be trickier because that pipe extends up and down. If its fine in the sump though I may just leave it where it is.

You could also drill a hole in your reactor lid and pot a new probe holder there so it's directly in the reactor body instead of in the plumbing.

 

[ReefTron5000]

You could also drill a hole in your reactor lid and pot a new probe holder there so it's directly in the reactor body instead of in the plumbing.

Not sure how I'd install it without leaking?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

There are fittings for a top install. Many reactors come with them.

 

[Krazie4Acans]

There are fittings that either thread in or glue to the lid. So a drilled hole that's threaded or a hole that is glued over the top of will get it done.

 

[dodgerblew]

You could also drill a hole in your reactor lid and pot a new probe holder there so it's directly in the reactor body instead of in the plumbing.

Not sure how I'd install it without leaking?

On the MiniCal, I don't think there's enough surface area to drill and install a port on either chamber. I could be wrong but I don't think so

 

[tkeracer619]

I have a masterflex 7520-00 with a 7518-00 head. It makes a squeaking noise when its running. It sounds like it needs lubrication somewhere. Are there bearings that can be serviced? Any other points that can be lubricated (Like the rollers)? Its not a problem as it is in my basement but a squeaky bearing is a failing bearing"¦.

It's probably the motor brushes and not a bearing. Those old units are prone to squeaks but will function for many years to come.

 

[ReefTron5000]

So after much tinkering my minical is online and working. Many thanks to slief for answering a seemingly endless stream of questions.

Now that its been up for a few days I've noticed some things and have some questions:

1) Here is my pH chart. I'm running the pump at 30 ml and the tank is at 4 psi. CarbonDoser was set to 5 seconds per bubble. Generally the pH is around 6.75 but it bounces up and down like that all day. Is this okay? What could be causing this? What kind of range is okay?

2) The reactor itself occasionally gets a woosh of air bubbles. I have no idea where its drawing air from. All connections seem solid and there are no leaks. The chamber itself seems pretty clear. If I can't nail down the cause of this occasional air intake, is it a huge deal?

3) The pressure gauge on top is doing something and I'm wondering if its normal. No matter what I set the CarbonDoser to, on every click, it slightly builds the pressure up and the needle moves then when the light goes off the needle pulls back again. I made a quick video to show what I'm talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWkOqSwp5KY

 

[slief]

So after much tinkering my minical is online and working. Many thanks to slief for answering a seemingly endless stream of questions.

Now that its been up for a few days I've noticed some things and have some questions:

1) Here is my pH chart. I'm running the pump at 30 ml and the tank is at 4 psi. CarbonDoser was set to 5 seconds per bubble. Generally the pH is around 6.75 but it bounces up and down like that all day. Is this okay? What could be causing this? What kind of range is okay?

2) The reactor itself occasionally gets a woosh of air bubbles. I have no idea where its drawing air from. All connections seem solid and there are no leaks. The chamber itself seems pretty clear. If I can't nail down the cause of this occasional air intake, is it a huge deal?

3) The pressure gauge on top is doing something and I'm wondering if its normal. No matter what I set the CarbonDoser to, on every click, it slightly builds the pressure up and the needle moves then when the light goes off the needle pulls back again. I made a quick video to show what I'm talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWkOqSwp5KY

Looks fine to me. The pH going up and down like that is likely the result of the probe placement unless your Apex controller is shutting the Co2 off and on. As for the Co2 regultor output pressure, that is not completely out of the norm but I also didn’t see what the tank pressure is reading. And are you sure your check valves are working fine? Either way, nothing to worry about. When the bubble is released, pressure is relieved between gauge and tank so it could drop like that briefly and rise back up but I would use some soapy water to make sure there isn’t a slow leak between the regultor and tank just to be sure. I will go out to my shed a bit later to see if my needle moves between bubbles.

One thing I want to mention. If you are measuring the pH in cup that the effluent is dumping into, the reactor pH is likely much lower than that 6.75 pH so you could end up turning your media to mush. How much lower I have no idea but the effluent is exposed to air and the 2nd reactor increases the pH as well. The dripping from the effluent if you have your probe in a cup or container could also be causing the pH readings to go up and down like that.

 

[swk]

I'm pretty sure running the 7523-60 in RPM mode will allow slower flow than 30ml a minute

 

[ReefTron5000]

Looks fine to me. The pH going up and down like that is likely the result of the probe placement unless your Apex controller is shutting the Co2 off and on. As for the Co2 regultor output pressure, that is not completely out of the norm but I also didn't see what the tank pressure is reading. And are you sure your check valves are working fine? Either way, nothing to worry about. When the bubble is released, pressure is relieved between gauge and tank so it could drop like that briefly and rise back up but I would use some soapy water to make sure there isn't a slow leak between the regultor and tank just to be sure. I will go out to my shed a bit later to see if my needle moves between bubbles.

One thing I want to mention. If you are measuring the pH in cup that the effluent is dumping into, the reactor pH is likely much lower than that 6.75 pH so you could end up turning your media to mush. How much lower I have no idea but the effluent is exposed to air and the 2nd reactor increases the pH as well. The dripping from the effluent if you have your probe in a cup or container could also be causing the pH readings to go up and down like that.

The Apex is not controlling the CarbonDoser. The gauge on the left reads about 755 psi.

I will try checking regulator connection with soapy water.

Yeah the best reading I'm going to get is off the effluent feed. When I had the probe plumbed into the reactor I was getting weird inconsistent readings and I think it was because of what the other guy mentioned, CO2 bubbles getting stuck up in there. There is not really another good spot to put the probe on the minical.

Overall it sounds like I don't need to worry about it that much. I've been testing alk/cal daily and I did need to adjust the pH a bit as alk rose from 9.6 to 10.1 over about 2 days. I increased the dial from 5 seconds a bubble to 7 and I'll test again tomorrow.

 

[slief]

The Apex is not controlling the CarbonDoser. The gauge on the left reads about 755 psi.

I will try checking regulator connection with soapy water.

Yeah the best reading I'm going to get is off the effluent feed. When I had the probe plumbed into the reactor I was getting weird inconsistent readings and I think it was because of what the other guy mentioned, CO2 bubbles getting stuck up in there. There is not really another good spot to put the probe on the minical.

Overall it sounds like I don't need to worry about it that much. I've been testing alk/cal daily and I did need to adjust the pH a bit as alk rose from 9.6 to 10.1 over about 2 days. I increased the dial from 5 seconds a bubble to 7 and I'll test again tomorrow.

If the probe is pushed far enough into the path of water flow without being bottomed out into the end of the PVC pipe, the flow of water from the recirc pump should prevent any bubbles from being trapped in the probe tip. And the probe tip should have slots in it so you should aling those slots parallel to the flow in that pipe to insure the water flows through the probe tip. That recirc pump pushes lots of flow through there. If it were me, I would try to get the probe working where you originally had it. Even if that means finding a different probe port as I recall you saying there was something block the end of the probe with your existing probe port. Having your probe in the main reactor is your best means of tuning the reactor. Even if that means you drill a hole in the side of the reactor up above the media and installing the probe port there. It’s going to be MUCH more accurate than measuring the effluent pH. Especially with a 2nd reactor inline for buffering as the effluent will always have a high pH than the reactor. Especially since the effluent is exposed to air which will raise the pH even further.

 

[ReefTron5000]

If the probe is pushed far enough into the path of water flow without being bottomed out into the end of the PVC pipe, the flow of water from the recirc pump should prevent any bubbles from being trapped in the probe tip. And the probe tip should have slots in it so you should aling those slots parallel to the flow in that pipe to insure the water flows through the probe tip. That recirc pump pushes lots of flow through there. If it were me, I would try to get the probe working where you originally had it. Even if that means finding a different probe port as I recall you saying there was something block the end of the probe with your existing probe port. Having your probe in the main reactor is your best means of tuning the reactor. Even if that means you drill a hole in the side of the reactor up above the media and installing the probe port there. It’s going to be MUCH more accurate than measuring the effluent pH. Especially with a 2nd reactor inline for buffering as the effluent will always have a high pH than the reactor. Especially since the effluent is exposed to air which will raise the pH even further.

The way the probe compression fitting works is there is this "pin" looking thing that is just about the diameter of a probe. You screw the bottom part of the fitting into a female 1/2, then the pin drops down, then the top part of the probe holder screws the probe down. Water flow is supposed to flow up around the pin and into the path of the probe. I would just get inconsistent readings from it. The time I shook the reactor to free some air bubbles I noticed the reading from the probe jumped an insane amount.

Man not sure how I'd properly seal the probe if I drilled a hole in the reactor body itself. The probe holder attaches to a 1/2 female NPT threaded. The vertical pipe would have been a decent spot but it has this whole up down slide mechanism I don't want to mess with.

I will stare at the thing some more until I get an idea lol.

 

[slief]

The Apex is not controlling the CarbonDoser. The gauge on the left reads about 755 psi.

I will try checking regulator connection with soapy water.

Yeah the best reading I'm going to get is off the effluent feed. When I had the probe plumbed into the reactor I was getting weird inconsistent readings and I think it was because of what the other guy mentioned, CO2 bubbles getting stuck up in there. There is not really another good spot to put the probe on the minical.

Overall it sounds like I don't need to worry about it that much. I've been testing alk/cal daily and I did need to adjust the pH a bit as alk rose from 9.6 to 10.1 over about 2 days. I increased the dial from 5 seconds a bubble to 7 and I'll test again tomorrow.

Here is an older Knop reactor with the pH probe port in the side of the reactor body. It's a different probe holder but the point is that its easy enough to do with the correct drill and some weldon glue gap filling glue that works with both ABS and acrylic. Or if you can tap the acrylic and thread it in with some pipe dope or teflon tape.