Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[tkeracer619]

Why are you running 100ml/min through your reactor?

I think we need to start at the beginning.

Please remove and re-install all fittings and tubing with proper clamps and teflon paste (everything). I have seen this over and over and more than half the time it is due to an air leak. Please address this before continuing any more steps.

After completing the last step set your peristaltic pump at 30ml/min.
Adjust your regulator until you get a ph of 6.5. Do not use the controller to set the ph, use the regulator.

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Why are you running 100ml/min through your reactor?

Heck, at one time he says he was running 600ml/min

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by hkgar

Heck, at one time he says he was running 600ml/min

I think that was only to try and clear the bubbles.

[Haksar]

Yes I was trying to clear the bubbles by ramping up the peri pump to 600ml/min and until I brought it down to 100ml/min there was no bubbles further lower the bubbles started appearing.

[Haksar]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Why are you running 100ml/min through your reactor?

I think we need to start at the beginning.

Please remove and re-install all fittings and tubing with proper clamps and teflon paste (everything). I have seen this over and over and more than half the time it is due to an air leak. Please address this before continuing any more steps.

After completing the last step set your peristaltic pump at 30ml/min.
Adjust your regulator until you get a ph of 6.5. Do not use the controller to set the ph, use the regulator.

I am currently running the ph at 6.1 shut off at 6.3 on a controller.KH reading is 8.5.If I reduce the peri pump to 30ml/min what BPM should I set.Do you think ALk will fluctuate,don't want to have a ALK spike as I am now at a sweet spot with good growth on all my corals,please don't feel offended if the reactor is running well albeit with a lot of bubbles I will leave it as it is for now.

[tkeracer619]

Ok leave the settings as is for now. We will address them later.

Please at least do what I recommend in the first paragraph of my email.

If the bubbles shut down the reactor after a while you will need to address that the way I discussed in the email by pulling the effluent from the top of the lid. This is a plumbing issue that was mentioned in the first post of this thread. Reverse flow reactors need the effluent pulled from the lid and not the plumbing as most are. If this is not followed you are more likely to have air trapped in the lid of the reactor. If it cannot dissolve into the water it has no way out.

[Haksar]

Thanks for the input,haven't got the time to re do the plumbing of the reactor,once done will keep you posted.A friend of mine has a Geo618 and uses a peri pump with a similar set up like mine and he has not noticed any bubble build up.However he is running at 12BPM and 35ml/min DPM which leads to me believe that it's the excess co2 I am having issues because I did a test run on the peri pump at higher flow and the bubbles stopped and once I went back to 60ml/min and restarted the co2 the bubbles started again. My biggest concern is if I reduce the BPM and keep the DPM as it is I may have ALK issues with lower ALK as my current ALK reading is 8.50 and my corals are all happy and growing well.

[EvMiBo]

Well I've only been using my 7520-25 with quick load head for about 2 months, but today I won a 7523-70 with easy load head. Digital brushless variable speed pump! After replacing the brushes on the 7520-25 I'm going to try to sell it.

What guest fittings are you all using to connect the masterflex tubing to regular tubing? Fwiw I'm using L/S 16 masterflex tubing.

[zachts]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

Well I've only been using my 7520-25 with quick load head for about 2 months, but today I won a 7523-70 with easy load head. Digital brushless variable speed pump! After replacing the brushes on the 7520-25 I'm going to try to sell it.

What guest fittings are you all using to connect the masterflex tubing to regular tubing? Fwiw I'm using L/S 16 masterflex tubing.

L/S 16 you need a 1/8" barb to 1/8" NPT male pipe thread fitting and a 18" NPT female pipe thread to JG fitting, I posted a link in the auto water change thread, US Plastics carries all the parts for this, but I've never found a one piece fitting. This is the cheapest solution I was recommended by Cole-Parmer.

[EvMiBo]

Couldn't I use a barb to barb fitting as well? I'm using the cheap flexible (vinyl?) tubing for transporting the water the remainder of the way.

[tkeracer619]

Yes, you would want a barb to barb.

[zachts]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

Couldn't I use a barb to barb fitting as well? I'm using the cheap flexible (vinyl?) tubing for transporting the water the remainder of the way.

Yeah, Sorry missed that, assumed you were rigid tubing........barb to barb would be better in that case.

[EvMiBo]

No worries, thanks for the help once again.

[Dapg8gt]

Great thread here answered almost all questions I had in my head about how this works..

I have one question though.. How far is too far to run one of these. I'm out of room under the tank and was wondering if I could have the whole shebang in my garage about 15' away.. Head would only be about 3' but I would have to run the feed and supply under the house to the garage.. Would it just lead to problems to have the whole reactor that far away from the tank?

I'm thinking if I run 2 x 3/8" hoses it should work right? I could also grab a cheaper brushed pump as it wouldn't matter on noise.. If it's doable on distance I may also get one for an auto water change from the same distance.

I'm sure I'm just wish full thinking here but that scenario would be ideal for me at this time..

Thanks Daniel.

[hkgar]

I am running my CP 7524-00 about 35 feet from my basement with a 9 foot head. It is for my ATO , but I am sure it would work for your CA reactor set up as well. I also use a CP for my CA reactor - the only way to go!

My ATO only runs at night and have never had a problem with loss of siphon (drain back). Always starts right up.

[tkeracer619]

It will work fine. Go with 3/8 poly tubing for the runs and ls/17 for peristaltic tubing.

I think EvMiBo as posted up above has a brushed unit fs.

[Dapg8gt]

Thanks a lot guys now onto sourcing my units =)..

Awesome thread.

[EvMiBo]

Yet another series of questions:

is anyone running their pump higher than 80mL/min? I have already invested in L/S 16 tubing and the max output on my new pump is 80mL with that tubing... I don't have the graph in front of me but the next two sizes for me would be L/S 25 and 17 (allowing for higher outputs/min). Would it be worth it so the drive is doing less rpm's?

The L/S 16 tubing fits snugly on the barbs of my GEO612, so I just did that initially. I assume people are using something like reducing barbs to match up their larger peri tubing with the smaller tubing required for the reactor barbs? Sorry if these questions are basic - painting a picture is just essential for me.

[tkeracer619]

Yes, It will be worth the jump in tubing size.

I prefer to change over all the fittings on my reactors to the john guest (RO) style push to fit connectors. If you are going to put in a usplastics order get them from there. They are half price of lowes/hd and you get name brand JG.

Run 1/4" or 3/8" rigid poly tubing to the peristaltic pump. Then you use the 6-8" of masterflex tubing.

[Dapg8gt]

How often are you guys changing (if ever) the supply /return rigid lines from your reactors?

Just want to make it easier if I will need to swap annually or if I should run it all anchored to the subfloor..

[tkeracer619]

Loosely anchor it, you don't want it to be too much a pita to replace it 10 years down the road . Once every couple of years depending on how the line looks put both ends of the tubing into a bucket of pure white vinegar and run it like that for a few hours. Should clean the tubing up like new. Might be easy enough to do it each time you break down the reactor for a thorough cleaning. I do it once every ~3 media refills or about once per year.

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Yes, It will be worth the jump in tubing size.

I prefer to change over all the fittings on my reactors to the john guest (RO) style push to fit connectors. If you are going to put in a usplastics order get them from there. They are half price of lowes/hd and you get name brand JG.

Run 1/4" or 3/8" rigid poly tubing to the peristaltic pump. Then you use the 6-8" of masterflex tubing.

I ordered some L/S 17, reducing barbs (1/4" x 1/8") and vinyl tubing.

Maybe I'll learn with more reactor experience, but what makes the push to fit JG connectors + rigid tubing so desirable? I can imagine some convenience in quick disconnect, but how often do you need to actual do that? Furthermore, isn't that rigid tubing (used in RO/DI filters) a hassle? Fill me in! Maybe picture?

[tkeracer619]

Peristaltic pumps pulse water, it is not a constant stream.

This pulsing can work the tube and over time will shorten its life. The rigid tubing is simply more durable.

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Peristaltic pumps pulse water, it is not a constant stream.

This pulsing can work the tube and over time will shorten its life. The rigid tubing is simply more durable.

Cool, that's kind of what I figured. Unfortunately my setup is pretty cramped and I fear the rigid tubing not flexing where I need it to.

Anyways, my 7523-70 arrived yesterday. Just waiting for the new L/S 17 and straight barbs to set it all up. It's in excellent condition, got what I think was a great deal ($250) especially considering it has an easy-load head.

Digital brushless!

http://i.imgur.com/Mc95dzA.jpg

[CW from the OC]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

Cool, that's kind of what I figured. Unfortunately my setup is pretty cramped and I fear the rigid tubing not flexing where I need it to.

Anyways, my 7523-70 arrived yesterday. Just waiting for the new L/S 17 and straight barbs to set it all up. It's in excellent condition, got what I think was a great deal ($250) especially considering it has an easy-load head.

Digital brushless!

http://i.imgur.com/Mc95dzA.jpg

That is an excellent deal, congrats!