Reef nutrition

Pimp my regulator

I think the key is to find a great deal on a used one as I did then the fittings you could go name brand or fleabay.
The guy I met that sold me a Matheson regulator, has hundreds of Swagelok fittings but going through the boxes he has/had is a marathonic task. He knows they are worth a pretty penny, he sells on eBay
I spent couple hours just to find a 1/4” coupler and other things that would make it look like ready to work but I need a solenoid and a check valve, I was looking for a metering valve he says he has.
 
Here is mine.

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Sup with the orange tubing with that Geo reactor? Such a Neptune fanboy. :p

You build one of these once and it'll last you decades. I'm still running the reactor that Ian helped me build.
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dochou said:
It's waaayy easier just to get the Carbon Doser. They work flawlessly.
Click to expand...

The weak spot on that is the solenoid. It is constantly cycling on/off.

It should be NC so if it fails, it should fail closed. But if for some reason it fails open, the media will turn to mush and dump all that into the tank.

The regulator is also a single stage, which means it will suffer from low pressure dump.




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Couldn't you just as easily throw another solenoid in series that is always open unless pH hits a critical level then it shuts off? Of course that is all predicated on pH probes that are calibrates and clean always.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Couldn't you just as easily throw another solenoid in series that is always open unless pH hits a critical level then it shuts off? Of course that is all predicated on pH probes that are calibrates and clean always.
Click to expand...

Sure, but if you are going to depend on a pH probe, why spend the money on the carbon doser in the 1st place?

Just use a normal regulator and a solenoid controlled by the pH probe.

My pH graph for the CaRx.

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It dropped because I was fiddling with the reg.

High is 6.64, low is 6.52. Normally it is 6.58-6.62

My solenoid is always open.


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iani said:
When I used to run a calcium reactor I never had to run ph probes with it.
Click to expand...

That's so far what I had in mind, then few years back the CaRx manufacturers started the trend of adding a pH probe holder which to me made sense if running a pH controller. In the event pH in the chamber is higher than the set point, CO2 is released and if it's low then shut off?
 
Mario, why should ph drift if your feed and co2 bubble rate is consistant? You don't want to rely on the ph probe to control your calcium reactor.
 
This is what I have from the spare parts I was able to put together.
1/4" Nipple, 1/4" NPT to 1/8" compression elbow, Swagelock SS-SS4 S79060 valve (or S19060); last is a filter.
I'd just need the solenoid; bubble counter optional as the reactor has one already.
I just need some hex plugs for the extra ports to be sealed.

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xcaret said:
That's so far what I had in mind, then few years back the CaRx manufacturers started the trend of adding a pH probe holder which to me made sense if running a pH controller. In the event pH in the chamber is higher than the set point, CO2 is released and if it's low then shut off?
Click to expand...

I use that as a fallback and to monitor the CaRx.


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Mario if you are going to use the filter it should go before the needle valve. It does not do anything if placed after the valve.
 
I would do this if I were to use a filter. Off the regulator use the filter you would need a 1/4 inch NPT to 1/4 tube adapter. Then 1/4 tube adapter elbow to 1/8 inch NPT to solenoid.
 
iani said:
I would do this if I were to use a filter. Off the regulator use the filter you would need a 1/4 inch NPT to 1/4 tube adapter. Then 1/4 tube adapter elbow to 1/8 inch NPT to solenoid.
Click to expand...

Totally makes sense to have the filter first in line; I'll look into those pieces; as far as the image shows, I'd just need the solenoid.
Ordered the CGA320 adapter in stainless steel already and the hex/Allen plugs too as the regulator has two extra ports

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