Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[d2mini]

Ok, i'll look into it.
Thanks!

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by zachts

It's likely the tab that connects the head to the drive ticking as it rotates and "pops" forward when the tubing tension lessens during rotation. using some tape to make the tab fit tight in the pump head slot should eliminate the noise.

Teflon pipe thread tape works very well for this problem

[d2mini]

Here's a random google pic i found of my style drive.
What tab are we talking about?

[tkeracer619]

Where the drive cog on the pump head meets the drive.

Spin the drive without the head attached.

[d2mini]

Where it looks like I could fit a giant flat head screwdriver?
So if I spin it... then what?

And this tab we're talking about... is that what fits into that slot?

Sorry, I'm at work so I can't look at the drive till i get home.

[tkeracer619]

First you need to determine if the problem is in the head or drive. Spin it without the head and see if the sound persists.

If it doesn't put teflon tape on the cog (the part that looks like the slotted screwdriver).

If it does then it's probably the brushes.

[tkeracer619]

If anyone is waiting on a brushless masterflex please start stacking your pennies. There may be a handful of units available shortly.

[zachts]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

If anyone is waiting on a brushless masterflex please start stacking your pennies. There may be a handful of units available shortly.

Do tell, don't keep us hangin.......

[muttley101]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

If anyone is waiting on a brushless masterflex please start stacking your pennies. There may be a handful of units available shortly.

Yay, pennies on the dollar! Sounds like a surplus may be happening soon?

[dburt520]

Quick question for you guys... I am trying to lower my tank ALK (somewhere around 7.5-8 would be ideal.) Using a controller for PH, and a Carbon Doser from aquariumplants.

My current Alk is 9.5, and I am running 60Ml/Min with my Masterflex, and a PH of 6.85-6.90. What should I do to lower my tank alk... raise the flow, and keep PH the same, or up the PH and lower the flow?

Thanks

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

First you need to determine if the problem is in the head or drive. Spin it without the head and see if the sound persists.

If it doesn't put teflon tape on the cog (the part that looks like the slotted screwdriver).

If it does then it's probably the brushes.

Ok, without the head attached, no sound.

I tried the teflon tape wrapped around that rectangle metal tab on the back of the head and maybe I'm not doing it right but it's not making any difference.
I did notice that the tab had black grease on it.
Also, changing the speed can temporarily stop the sound.
Especially high speeds. It seems to stop (at least for awhile) at speeds above 3 on the dial. I've been running it around 1.7
Does any of this mean anything? Any more ideas?

[zachts]

more tape. still some slack in the connection. you don't want it to fit tight but good and snug.

[tkeracer619]

There are a 6+ units that have surfaced in odd lot sizes... I tried to negotiate a better price and buy them all but no dice. I have asked the seller to break the lots and put them as complete units so you guys can buy them.

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by d2mini

Ok, without the head attached, no sound.

I tried the teflon tape wrapped around that rectangle metal tab on the back of the head and maybe I'm not doing it right but it's not making any difference.
I did notice that the tab had black grease on it.
Also, changing the speed can temporarily stop the sound.
Especially high speeds. It seems to stop (at least for awhile) at speeds above 3 on the dial. I've been running it around 1.7
Does any of this mean anything? Any more ideas?

It could be the bearings inside the head. Does the roller assembly have any slop to it? The rotating mechanism should not have any wiggle.

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

It could be the bearings inside the head. Does the roller assembly have any slop to it? The rotating mechanism should not have any wiggle.

Yep!
I lifted the lever, opened the head, remove the tubing and the roller assembly can be wiggled.
So is that just a worn head?
Can it be remedied?
Is it bad to run this way or can I let it run and just deal with the noise?

[tkeracer619]

Pull both bearings out of the head and take them down to your local bearing supply. They are standard sizes (the front and rear are different sizes) and should be in stock. Get nice Japanese bearings if they are available. The tubing can take a beating when the head is sloppy.

[d2mini]

Sloppy head.


ok, will do.
Easy enough to take apart I assume?
Thanks!

[tkeracer619]

yup just two screws.

[janey]

Let me know when the units avail
And Thanks again for helping ME / us out .

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by dburt520

Quick question for you guys... I am trying to lower my tank ALK (somewhere around 7.5-8 would be ideal.) Using a controller for PH, and a Carbon Doser from aquariumplants.

My current Alk is 9.5, and I am running 60Ml/Min with my Masterflex, and a PH of 6.85-6.90. What should I do to lower my tank alk... raise the flow, and keep PH the same, or up the PH and lower the flow?

Thanks

If your ALK is holding steady but you just want to lower it I would shut everything down (pump, co2 regulator and reactor recirc pump until ALK lowers to where you want it. That is what I usually do. If ALK is rising then I would raise the PH by increasing bubble rate and/or size, assuming you want to run at 60 ml/min. Decreasing the flow will cause the ph to decrease therefore increasing ALK as the dissolving of the media increases. Ph decreases because the water is is the tank longer and absorbs more co2 unless you reduce the bubble rate or bubble size.

[dburt520]

I'd prefer to not run it at 60ml/min... tank/pump are in a common area, and other than my Masterflex my system is 100% silent.

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by dburt520

I'd prefer to not run it at 60ml/min... tank/pump are in a common area, and other than my Masterflex my system is 100% silent.

Set the ph to 6.5 and effluent to 30ml/min . See where that gets you. Test the effluent dkh, as long as you are below ~40dkh you can most likely find a combination of effluent speed and output dkh that meets your demands and spins the drive slower.

[hkgar]

I run mine at 20 ml/min because my demand is low and keep ph at about 6.7.

Settings vary because every tank is different. But I think slower is better.

[tkeracer619]

In the big picture I don't believe the actual effluent flow makes much different as long as it is consistent. Getting the tank stable is key, once you get more familiar with the system and how it performs you can make further adjustments.

[hkgar]

Any mathematicians out there? It seems to me that if we know the tank alk usage per day we could compute the usage per minute. If we know the total tank water (in liters) amd the effluent ALK in PPM then the flow rate should be able to be computed. Or the eflfuent ALK for a given flow rate.