Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[meshwheel]

Nice job Ty!.........................STAY THIRSTY MY FRIEND....................

[Pseudo69]

Thanks CW.

[tkeracer619]

Sweet! Looks great. Well oiled machine! Any updates?

As far as noise is concerned going to a brushless unit is the answer. They are silent.

Changing the bearings in the pump head is straight forward. I suggest a nice Japanese bearing if your supply house has them but they should be available locally.

Changing brushes on a brushed unit is straight forward. I have actually seen replacements at Ace Hardware... You should still be able to order from CP or find the brushes surplus if you want originals.

Taking the motor itself apart is a bit more complex but if it does have bad bearings (still crunchy with brushes and gearing removed) they can be replaced. I have never done so and if I did would probably take it to a specialist for service.

I have an old brushed unit for my ATO pump. The thing sounds like pure hell. Pumps just fine . It could be a good candidate for a rebuild.

Originally Posted by Haksar

Sorry I am a bit confused does this mean I need to lower the ph in the controller for the regulator to run continuously without dropping the BPM.

Ultimately, you want the AP regulator to run continuously. With this setup there is no need to worry about the ph changing on you randomly. You are supplying a metered amount of water and gas. The ph probe should be there only as a meter and to make adjustment easy. On my setup the controller is set to turn off the reactor should ph drop to 6.3. Since I run my reactor at 6.5 it never turns the regulator off.

[tkeracer619]

Everyone will come up with their own way but this is how I do it using arm standard (fine) media. Tune to Alk not calcium. If you have a stable Alk and sufficient magnesium (3x calcium) then calcium will remain stable. So again test for all 3 but focus mainly on Alk(dKh).

-Test Tank
-Run CaRx for a few hours without gas at 30ml/min.
-Make sure Regulator is set low and slowly turn on the bottle.
-Set bubble count to about 30BPM
-Slowly increase gas pressure until it reaches a chamber ph of 6.5
-Test Tank
*If levels are falling
-Increase both gas flow and effluent flow by the same percent. Raise to 35ml/min and 35BPM.
-Test Tank
*If levels are still falling repeat until tank is close to stable.
-Test Tank
-Make fine adjustments to the regulator via gas pressure or bpm to achieve stability.
-Test Tank
*Once levels are stable adjust levels of tank via 2part.
-Test Tank
*Once tank remains stable adjust the regulator such that you try to reduce pressure and increase bubble count. a 50% decrease in pressure (15-7.5psi) is equal to a 100% increase in bubble count (30BPM-60BPM).

Test often at first and at least every week from then on out. Keep a log book of your test results and what changes you made. You will be surprised at what you learn about your tank, its consumption, and your husbandry.

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

*Once tank remains stable adjust the regulator such that you try to reduce pressure and increase bubble count. a 50% decrease in pressure (15-7.5psi) is equal to a 100% increase in bubble count (30BPM-60BPM)

If you don't mind, can you elaborate on this some?

[EvMiBo]

I'm not sure if this is the right area to ask, but since there are several masterflex users here I hope someone can help... My pump started to squeak yesterday and it's kind of driving me nuts. Is there some grease I can use, and/or should I replace some parts?

Fwiw it's a 7520-25 with quick load head. Unit is out of production but they have a modern equivalent.

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

I'm not sure if this is the right area to ask, but since there are several masterflex users here I hope someone can help... My pump started to squeak yesterday and it's kind of driving me nuts. Is there some grease I can use, and/or should I replace some parts?

Fwiw it's a 7520-25 with quick load head. Unit is out of production but they have a modern equivalent.

I Have the same pump and mine started squeaking a week ago. Must be something going around.

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by hkgar

I Have the same pump and mine started squeaking a week ago. Must be something going around.

Let me know how you go about it!

[tkeracer619]

You need to determine where the squeak comes from. Usually it is the brushes.

Pull the pump head. Did the noise go away?
No, next step. Yes, replace the bearings in the pump head. Clean and re-grease rollers. The rollers should be greased with a penetrating grease (not wd40). Once the grease sprays onto the rollers and soaks in it thickens into actual grease. Use synthetic grease.
Pull the gearing. Did the noise go away?
No, next step. Yes, clean and re-grease the gear set. Use synthetic grease.
Replace the brushes.
No, Next step. Yes, crack a beer.
Motor bearings probably need service. Take to motor repair shop or put up with the squeaking. I've got one that looks like it was removed from a trash dump, screams like hell but has been working like that for at least 3 or 4 years 24/7 so I wouldn't worry too much in regards to the pump being faulty.

If you want silent you are better off forking over the cash for a brushless unit.

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

If you don't mind, can you elaborate on this some?

I prefer to run a lower pressure with more bubbles into the reactors. It helps dissolve the gas easier. A simple eye ball figure for adjusting it down is cut pressure in half, double bubble rate. It might not be perfect and may require a bit of fine tuning after the adjustments but will get you in the ballpark.

[zachts]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

You need to determine where the squeak comes from. Usually it is the brushes.

Pull the pump head. Did the noise go away?
No, next step. Yes, replace the bearings in the pump head. Clean and re-grease rollers. The rollers should be greased with a penetrating grease (not wd40). Once the grease sprays onto the rollers and soaks in it thickens into actual grease. Use synthetic grease.
Pull the gearing. Did the noise go away?
No, next step. Yes, clean and re-grease the gear set. Use synthetic grease.
Replace the brushes.
No, Next step. Yes, crack a beer.
Motor bearings probably need service. Take to motor repair shop or put up with the squeaking. I've got one that looks like it was removed from a trash dump, screams like hell but has been working like that for at least 3 or 4 years 24/7 so I wouldn't worry too much in regards to the pump being faulty.

If you want silent you are better off forking over the cash for a brushless unit.

Don't some of those pumps use a belt drive motor inside the box housing? could be the source of the squeak?

Where do you get said penetrating grease? I've got a pump head that needs re-greased after cleaning. Some salt water got into the pump head after a tube break. wasn't in there long and has been rinsed and dried but I I think it will need re-greased as a lot of the grease wiped off of the roller ends as I was drying it off (hopefully nothing got into the rollers, I'd hate to have to scrap it.....)

[chema]

I have talked to some experts in peristaltic pumps and they all agree that running them 24/7 shortens considerably the life expectancy of the motor that runs the pump. No matter the quality of it. The advise is to run these pumps on and off for 30 minutes or 1 h periods. According to this, do you think it would be a good idea to run two pumps alternating the on and off periods?

[das75]

Originally Posted by chema

I have talked to some experts in peristaltic pumps and they all agree that running them 24/7 shortens considerably the life expectancy of the motor that runs the pump. No matter the quality of it. The advise is to run these pumps on and off for 30 minutes or 1 h periods. According to this, do you think it would be a good idea to run two pumps alternating the on and off periods?

of course if something runs 24/7, it's life is shortened compared to a reduced duty cycle but what does it mean? I run it a 100% I get 10 years from it rather than 20y, or 3 months rather than 6? What the manufactor's spec?

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by das75

of course if something runs 24/7, it's life is shortened compared to a reduced duty cycle but what does it mean? I run it a 100% I get 10 years from it rather than 20y, or 3 months rather than 6? What the manufactor's spec?

Either way you get the same run time.

For the other poster:

One pump running 3 months if continuous or 2 pumps each "lasting" 6 months. Therefore either way 2 pumps over 6 months.

[das75]

what I'm trying to get at is what's the life of these pumps that cost thousands new? If all one can expect is a few months from a continually running a Masterflex is that $20 Aqualifter is looking pretty good. If it's years then not really worth the effort of having 2 pumps running on alternate cycles.

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by das75

what I'm trying to get at is what's the life of these pumps that cost thousands new? If all one can expect is a few months from a continually running a Masterflex is that $20 Aqualifter is looking pretty good. If it's years then not really worth the effort of having 2 pumps running on alternate cycles.

Well, mine has been running continuously for about 1 year. Masterrflex 7520-50

[zachts]

the specs should list operational life of the motor/gears/even pump heads, if you can't find it call them. I'd bet it is in the 100,000 plus hour range if the tubing alone can be rated for over 5000 hours.......

[chema]

Originally Posted by zachts

the specs should list operational life of the motor/gears/even pump heads, if you can't find it call them. I'd bet it is in the 100,000 plus hour range if the tubing alone can be rated for over 5000 hours.......

Problem is, according to the Williamson pumps specialist I talked to, that the operational time depends a lot on the environment conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.) and the conditions of use. He told me that the best way to run a peristaltic pump in a "close-to-continuous-way" is 30 mins ON 30 mins OFF. In that way the motor gearbox is allowed to cool down and the pump may operate fine for years. Otherwise you may have problems (squeaking noises for instance) after a few weeks or months.

Put in other words. Let's solve this problem. How many matches can play a basketball player during his professional career? How many matches can play the same basketball player one after the other, with no rest in between?

[das75]

Originally Posted by chema

Put in other words. Let's solve this problem. How many matches can play a basketball player during his professional career? How many matches can play the same basketball player one after the other, with no rest in between?

poor analogy, man doesn't have a 100% duty cycle, pumps can be designed for it.

[EvMiBo]

Masterflex peristaltic pumps have been proven to last for multiple years at a time. Most of which are used. That speaks pretty well to how these are designed to last, and work extremely well with a calcium reactor.

That being said, shouldn't discussion stay on the subject of how they're being used on calcium reactors?

[das75]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

That being said, shouldn't discussion stay on the subject of how they're being used on calcium reactors?

Life of unit and if duel config required seems staying on topic

[tkeracer619]

Folks, these pumps are rated for continuous duty. You can run them 100% of the time for years. The gearsets do not get hot, the motors do not get hot, the controllers do not get hot. They do not need a break. That is the point of recommending these pumps.

There is no point arguing the definition of duty cycles here in this thread. If it needs a break its not rated at 100% duty and if it is the rating is a lie. Cole Parmer Masterflex drive are absolutely rated at 100% duty.

For the record my digital drive that I picked up used has over 45,000 hours of continuous operation while in my possession. No idea total run time. My older brushed unit has been in operation the same amount of time but showed tons of abuse from the previous owner, squeaks, and rattles like heck, but has never failed to operate as advertised.

[chema]

Originally Posted by das75

poor analogy, man doesn't have a 100% duty cycle, pumps can be designed for it.

You may know what pumps have been designed for but ¿do you know what man was designed for?

Just joking. You are right, the analogy was poor

[chema]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

For the record my digital drive that I picked up used has over 45,000 hours of continuous operation while in my possession. No idea total run time. My older brushed unit has been in operation the same amount of time but showed tons of abuse from the previous owner, squeaks, and rattles like heck, but has never failed to operate as advertised.

My reef is in the dining room and my equipment is almost noiseless. To me operate as advertised is not only that the pump runs for several years, but also that it runs as noiseless as it did the very first day. If it "squeaks and rattles like heck" that sounds to me as a failure in operation. The problem when you buy second hand is that most of the times you do not know whether the equipment has been abused or not and how much operational time it accumulates. I have checked several e-bay offers for used masterflex pumps but I do not remember seeing indication of the total number of hours the pumps had been used and the environmental conditions under which they had been used.

[hkgar]

I need to grease the bearings in my 7520. What grease would you recommend?