What's everybody using to control CA Reactor Effluent?

[Fizz71]

The ball valve that came with my Calcium Reactor to control the pressure of the water coming into my reactor is just WAY too difficult to regulate. It either comes out the other end in a stream, a rapid drip, or nothing...and I don't mean a rapid drip I can control..I mean it's one speed and one speed only and it's too fast for me. If I try to slow it down to a slower drip it only lasts a few hours and then stops.

I haven't been able to find any micro ball valves or plastic needle valves locally so I'm guessing I need to go online.

What should I buy?

And please don't tell me to buy a doser because I don't have a $100+ to drop.

Thanks.

--Fizz

 

[rigleautomotive]

A RODI valve on the input side of the reactor is how most are controlled.If you are having fluctuations on the input pressure it will be near impossible to adjust .Where are you getting the feed from.Is it a high pressure feed.The only other thing that comes to mind is when I used to use fine media it would become packed with sediment and not allow adequate flow thru the unit.I now use course and it takes much longer to loose its adjustment.

 

[Fizz71]

I'm using course and it's fed by a maxijet. The only time it ever stops is if I manage to get a REAL slow drip (which takes about 10 minutes of fiddling to get). When I had it on the fast drip (which only takes about 5 minutes to get) it actually stayed consistent for weeks, I just felt it was too fast since I don't have a pH controller on it yet. So I can get a consistent CO2 bubble and effluent drip but I can only adjust the CO2 speed...the effluent is either 2 speeds...fast drip or stream.

So are you using a something like a 100gpd flow restrictor going into your reactor? ..or an adjustable flow restrictor? My input line to my CR is a bigger line than my RO so I'm curious if you reduced it (since flow restrictors use the smaller line) or how you did it. I also don't know if my maxijet would push enough pressure through it. How would you adjust it? ..unless it's an adjustable flow restrictor which I've only seen in metal.

 

[rigleautomotive]

This is the typical valve used to control feed water to the reactor.A drip rate of aprox 100 DPM should work for you so if you can get it there and pretty steady that would be a good start to dialing it in.The BPM of CO2 you can start at about 40 BPM.A ph monitor will help for initial set uo with you having the ability to see what your effluent PH is and keeping it in the 6.3 to 6.7 range for best dissolution.You can check the DKH of the effluent and typically should be over 20dkh and higher is better.If your flow is to fast thru the reactor the DKH will fall lower then 20 and become less effective.

Really tuff without a dosing pump or at least a monitor but it can be done.Once dialed in you get a feel for the reactor and can run and adjust it virtually from just an alk test that you do often.electronics are not needed if you are in tune with the reactor and tank.

I am not a big fan of using a maxi for input to reactor with there low pressure but some do it and it works fine.I grabbed my input from my return pump for the DT.I drilled a hole in the plumbing close to the pump and tapped threads in the PVC and installed a john guest fitting in there I can connecy RO 1/4 inch line to.and yes if you need to reduce the reactor fitting to connect to the 1/4 inch then do so.a small feed line is best

 

[Fizz71]

Ok...What you have there is what I'm using, except it's on a larger line. I guess maybe I'll play around with different pump setups and the small ball like you have there and see if it's more controllable.

I need to get a new pH phobe..mine broke a few years back so I'm using drip tests for now..really a PITA.

Thanks Dan.