Putting the stir pump inside a kalk reactor

[JC Pollman]

I have built a number of kalkwasser/nielson reactors with the stirring pump outside the reactor, but the pump body seal always seems to fail. I have been using maxi-jets and the little tabs holding the top on usually break. I think what happens is that my lines clog up and the full pressure of the input water is too much for the pump. So, I am thinking about how to put the pump inside the reactor and ask for any thoughts/experience you may have. I am not interested in a magnetic stirrer, as I think they will not be able to handle the load: 200 gallon tank. A couple of problems come to mind:

1.How to seal the pump's electrical cord going through the pvc pipe body. Eventually the pump will fail and I want to easily replace it. I am thinking of having a small pvc pipe extend from the body of the reactor and putting a screw on cap on it, then run the electrical wire through the cap. That way, when I need to replace the pump, I can just replace the cap. Is there a good way to seal the wire going through the cap? Since my water pressure is ~40 lbs, it has to be able to withstand some pressure when my lines clog.

2.How do I hold the pump in place? I have a 6 inch diameter pvc pipe I plan on using for the reactor, and am thinking about using a rubber cap on the bottom – so it is removable when I want to get at the pump. But I need to get the pump attached/stabilized inside the pipe so it does not bang around when it runs.

Thoughts?

[wife no likey]

on my RO-fed reactor, I ended up getting a little iwaki md-10 and it handles line pressure fine. On a good day, we get up to 60 psi.

It has now been running for about eight months.

[douggiestyle]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/75358lime_reactor.JPG

this lime reactor i made using an old salt bucket with lid

[JC Pollman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8523681#post8523681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by douggiestyle
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/75358lime_reactor.JPG

this lime reactor i made using an old salt bucket with lid

How did you seal the items (water tubes and electrical wire) through the top? And, can it withstand 40 psi?

[xtrstangx]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8523803#post8523803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JC Pollman
How did you seal the items (water tubes and electrical wire) through the top? And, can it withstand 40 psi?

Drill the holes as small as possible (I would consider cutting the powerhead cord in half so you don't have to worry about the plug when sticking it through the lid. Then just silicone those shut.

Or you could try and find powercord gaskets that are the right size. They work like uniseals but are split in half so you slip a cord in and then hold it.

Where did you get 40 PSI from? Theres pressure coming out the RO/DI and since the bucket isn't restricting, all that pressure will dissipate.

[stugray]

for a power cord feedthru:

Get a 1/4" john guest speed fitting. Remove the clip & rubber gasket.
Thread the JG fitting from the inside of your reactor.
Cut the plug off of the cord & feed it thru the hole.

Fill the space inside the JG fitting ( & around the cord ) with silicone.

Install a new plug.

It works great for my low pressure Cal reactor & I have it threaded in from the outside. If you install it from the inside, the pressure will force the silicone INTO the fitting. I'm sure it can hold the pressure that way.

Stu

[Mr Bojangles]

here is how mine is setup, I have a nylon fitting that I taped into the acyclic and then drilled it out so I could fit the cable threw the nylon fitting. The I filled the fitting with marine goop and let it set a day and thats it. It has been running this way for 2 years now.

http://www.reefers.org/album/images/3583_112632.JPG

[douggiestyle]

would not hold 40 psi, imo. had about 12' of head pressure.

i drilled a hole large enough for the plug to fit through. then took a couple of plastic spice jar lids that were larger than the hole and filled each lid with silly cone.

stugray has a great mod.

used jg fittings for the hoses. threaded type, drilled holes and used a 1/4" npt tap.

[quangtam7]

Here is pic of Maxijet inside ca reactor, I cut the cord though.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/quangtam7/reactorrunning.jpg

[schprock]

Try one of these:

http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?pagenum=774

[kgross]

Getting a cord grip is the best way to go, but you might still want to use some silicone to make sure it is sealed. On mounting the pump, the best way is to put some pvc pipe in the reactor like mr bojanges shows. Only I would mount the pump a little higher in the reactor so there is less chance of powerded kalk getting pulled into the pump, plus with the pipe you can use a t or like I did a cross to have lots of outlets so there is less chance of kalk not getting mixed in the bottom of the reactor.

Kim