Calcium Reactor Drips

[treylane]

Alright, this is driving me nuts - my calcium reactor output line is just a length of airline hose with a little ball valve at the end like this:

and it works alright, but it inevitably gets clogged up and the flow slows after about a week - do I need a different kind of valve or what?

 

[tuberider]

The bane of Ca RX, I've been toying with the idea of using paristaltic pumps and doing away with the valve, it's such a PITA.

 

[treylane]

.... at that point, I'd be tempted to go back to kalk or threepart. It draws less power, easier to tune, refills are less hassle.

 

[tuberider]

I hear ya, the paristaltic pump I've looked at the could handle constant use without overheating are not cheap.

 

[pixelpixi]

I had similar problems until I switched to a peristaltic pump. It's been rock solid ever since.

 

[iani]

Yup, only way I would run a calcium reactor is with a cole parmer peri pump. If you check ebay often you can get one for 100ish if you are lucky.

 

[treylane]

So once the peri pumps are involved, why keep the reactor?

 

[tuberider]

B/C the reactor runs rock solid after you ditch the needle valve

 

[Thales]

Do the CP's have adjustable flow?

 

[tuberider]

Do the CP's have adjustable flow?

Yep!

 

[Thales]

Sweet. Got a link to the particular units? My fever addled head is having problems sorting through search results.

 

[tuberider]

Check with Christine, she has a few real nice links for used lab equipment.

AFA specific units, I need to get over to my customers house and get the model # for you, he chops people up for a living and purchased the unit. (I love working for people smarter than me )

 

[tonggao]

I have been using peri pump for the last 4 years, which is mostly solid. But beware that the silicon tube will leak after some time of usage, and how long before leaking depends a lot on how well it was fitted inside the pump head (which you cannot see). I flooded my floor a few times because of this until I finally learn to put the peri pump on top of my sump (if it leaks, the water goes back into the sump).

 

[GreshamH]

Do the CP's have adjustable flow?

Yep!

True and false..... It entirely depends on the model.

Rich, yes, model specific as you want the correct RPM range. I have that stuff on my computer and I'm on my phone so I'll post some model numbers later.

You have several options with styles... single unit with speed control. single unit with out speed control. bare pump with controller. The majority of reefers I have seen using them have gone the bare pump with controller, but I use the single unit myself. Every one we have at work is a single unit. The downside is some units are not all the quiet, but that doesn't matter to you

Another thing with them is it's not just about the pump, you need to know what head you want as well. Those have several options, go for the quick load ones. I have head model numbers in the same file.

 

[GreshamH]

I have been using peri pump for the last 4 years, which is mostly solid. But beware that the silicon tube will leak after some time of usage, and how long before leaking depends a lot on how well it was fitted inside the pump head (which you cannot see). I flooded my floor a few times because of this until I finally learn to put the peri pump on top of my sump (if it leaks, the water goes back into the sump).

Silicone tubing is not what I would use. I'd go with something more durable. All the hobby peri's come with silicone, it's the cheapest. Silicone tubing is great if you want to keep the pump in a cold environment. It doesn't get as stiff in the cold as some of the other tubing.

This is also another case of model and brand specific features. Your tubing may not be visible in the head, but nearly all the ones I have are.

 

[iani]

The tubing I used in the past is made out of tygon. Gresham is right about the pump head. You want a quick release head. I have one with a digital control and a dual pump head. It was not too expensive but it was difficult to source.

 

[Thales]

Is this the fella?

http://cgi.ebay.com/COLE-PARMER-MASTERFLEX-PERISTALTIC-PUMP-10040-/230627248831?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item35b2748abf#ht_4848wt_907

 

[iani]

The pump head only accepts size 14 tubing. Size 14 tubing has an ID of 1/16 of an inch. For this application you want a pump head that accepts size 17 or 24 tubing. The size 14 tubing will only allow 1.3-130 ml/min on a 6-600 rpm pump head. The actual pump motor in that post also only does 1-100 rpms. So that pump with the pump head will only do about .2-20 ml/min.

 

[iani]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cole-Parmer-Masterflex-7520-40-Console-Drive-F20-/120727221848?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item1c1be73658

That one would be perfect. Snatch it up its cheap. Only 53 mins left.


This would work as well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Cole-Parmer-Masterflex-7521-40-Console-Drive-F9-/110690393469?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item19c5a95d7d

 

[Thales]

Right on. I hate bidding. 9 minutes left!